MURDER MUST ADVERTISE

Devotees of the Peter Wimsey mysteries are enchanted, not only by the idiosyncracies of their aptly named detective, but equally by the voice of Dorothy Sayers, who is subtly but definitely present in all her storytelling. So it's surprising that Recorded Books (usually reliable for flawless casting) chose a male voice--a decidedly mature one, at that--for this recording. John Franklyn-Robbins misses no shade of meaning, and (after a rough opening in which he struggles to distinguish 10 characters, with only moderate success), gives a respectable reading, including a suitable vocalization of Lord Peter. It will do, but it wants a woman's touch. S.P. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 00]