PRIVATE JUSTICE

Who is killing firemen's wives in Newpointe, Louisiana, and why? Solving crimes from a Christian perspective involves just as much excitement as in secular thrillers, and the various relationships in the small Southern town often present complexities richer than those in traditional whodunits. John McDonough's rough grandfatherly voice can turn surprisingly soft and sensitive as he explores the tender sides of athletes and housewives, criminals and crime-stoppers. They never simper, and sometimes sparkle, and his feminine characters carry the story. Another surprise is McDonough's facility for the Cajun dialect he sprinkles lightly through the performance. As a skilled narrator, he maintains a lively and varied pace from start to finish without overdoing regionalism or religion. R.P.L. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 02]