Cast of Shadows

Chicago fertility doctor Davis Moore specializes in helping infertile couples have babies through cloning. When his 17-year-old daughter is brutally raped and murdered, he hatches an unscrupulous plan to use one of his fertility clients to raise a child spawned from the killer's DNA, which was found on his daughter's body. His plan is to monitor the boy's growth and someday look into the eyes of his daughter's killer. Veteran actor and audiobook narrator James, who some may recognize as Judge Kevin Beck from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, ably portrays Moore's feelings of anxiety, guilt and anticipation. Though he doesn't wow listeners with the versatility of his voice, his subtle approach blends so well with the story that the narration becomes almost transparent. All in all, James's competent, well-paced narration makes for a pleasant, if not remarkable, listen. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Reviews, Jan. 31).