URGE TO KILL

Scott Brick's glib reading keeps the listener engaged, but overall this police procedural is a mish-mash. It has too many plots going at the same time. Retired homicide detective Frank Quinn is called on by his old boss to assemble his former team of investigators to nab a killer of beautiful blonds who die in horrible ways. Meanwhile, someone is dispatching other victims of both sexes with a .25-caliber shot to the head. Could all the killings be connected? Then there are the other subplots and a lot of tedious dialogue repeated throughout the story. Lutz has produced countless works superior to this one. But Brick's narration makes the overall listening experience tolerable. He’s especially dramatic as the murderer does away with his victims ever so slowly. The twist at the book’s end is barely believable, but Brick makes the most of it. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2010]