The Reapers: A Thriller

Connolly's latest commercial thriller is a taut and mysterious nail-biter that offers plenty of corruption and murder with just a twist of the otherworldly. Jay O. Sanders reads with a stern and clear voice, but never really captures listeners' undivided attention as he steers clear of any real, uncharted emotion. Sanders' deep and powerful bass voice seems perfectly suited for this tale, but it's hard to remain interested beyond the first few chapters. There is an underlying, monotonous quality present here and when Sanders attempts to bring a shot of life to the tale, offering a variety of paltry dialectical changes, he falls flat with unrealistic and over the top performances. An Atria hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 28).