HECTOR AND THE SECRETS OF LOVE

The sequel to HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS assumes that listeners already know Hector. Here he is only vaguely introduced as a psychiatrist, possibly French, who is hired by a pharmaceutical company to find the runaway inventor of a love drug. Narrator James Clamp tells Hector’s story with choppy timing and indistinguishable character voices. Conversations take place, but it’s impossible to tell who is speaking. Some characters have accents, but there’s no indication as to what country they’re from—other characters are from a specific country, but they have no accent. The combination of awkward writing and poor narration makes for a difficult listening experience. Further, the secrets of love are simplistic. M.M.G. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2011]