THE BIG SPLASH

Seventh-grade private eye Matt Stevens navigates Franklin Middle School with a weary cynicism worthy of Philip Marlowe. As Matt ferrets out a water pistol sniper, narrator Sean Schemmel nails his narration. Teenage criminal kingpin Vinny boasts a raspy menace. Hall monitor Katie, drunk on power, dominates her scenes with brute force. Throughout, Schemmel presents Matt as a clever character seeking justice in a world gone wild. Listeners will shiver when Schemmel reproduces the giggles and screams of the victims. Mild cursing adds a startling, if realistic, effect. THE BIG SPLASH triumphs as an edgy detective story reminiscent of film noir. C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2009]