TOUCHING EVIL

A serial rapist has Seattle in a panic. Maggie Barnes, empathic sketch artist for the police, is usually able to draw accurate composites from the details she garners by entering the victims' minds and "seeing" what they saw. This time, however, the rapist blinds his victims before brutally assaulting them, leaving Maggie at a loss. Alyssa Bresnahan's tone and tempo provide subtle shading to Hooper's terrifying tale. Bresnahan brings credibility to John Garrett, whose sister was attacked; to the FBI's Psychic Task Force; and to the physically and emotionally scarred victims. The violence may be excessively graphic and the conclusion too contrived, but the combination of a monstrous villain, suspense, romance, and a touch of the paranormal and Alyssa Bresnahan's spot-on performance makes this a chilling listening experience. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]