FIRST FAMILY

First Lady Jane Cox summons her old friend, Sean King, and his partner to investigate the murder of her sister-in-law and the kidnapping of her niece. King and partner uncover a bizarre tangle of events that could have disastrous consequences. Ron McLarty is the perfect choice to present Baldacci's latest thriller. His clear, strong voice shifts effortlessly among the story's varying passages of sadness, anger, and irony. His facility with multiple characters of both genders and many ages, races, and regional accents enables the listener easily to keep track of everyone. Music and sound effects, used liberally in the opening sequences, trail off as the story progresses, becoming less frequent and lower in volume with each chapter. Too bad—their use enhances the story. R.L.L. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2009]