MCNALLY'S SECRET

Glib, suave Archy McNally makes discreet investigations for the gentry of tony, decadent Palm Beach. This latest adventure begins with a stolen rare stamp, for which he searches through some skeleton-filled closets, including his own. But it hardly matters. For the reader, the delight of McNally's cases lies less in the plot than in the Dickensian characters he encounters (and beds), his banter with them, and his comments on them. All these are amplified through the sensibility of Adam Henderson. Not at all suave, he has a fey, untrained sound. And yet, by virtue of his own puckish touch, expressiveness, and verve, he gives a particularly satisfying rendition. He takes a while to get used to, but the patience pays off. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]