Third in a series featuring unorthodox shrink Frank Clevenger, this abridged recording of Ablow's (Denial; Projection) latest combines the author's real-life experiences as a forensic psychiatrist and court expert with frenetic pacing perfectly suited to audio. When one of the infant twins of billionaires Darwin and Julia Bishop is asphyxiated, their adopted Russian son, Billy, becomes the prime suspect. Dr. Clevenger begrudgingly agrees to join the case after cajoling from a longtime friend, the Nantucket chief of police, who instinctively believes the troubled teen has been framed (despite a past of arson and animal strangulation). Chameleon-voiced Barry brings a vulnerability to the grief-stricken mother, an authentic Slavic accent to Billy and a wary, cerebral tone to the womanizing, gun-toting doctor. Following an attack on the surviving twin, Clevenger further complicates the case with heady dreams of starting a life with the philandering Julia Bishop. But just when it seems he's unraveled the seemingly endless tangle of family secrets, cleared the false murder rap on Billy and imprisoned the real killer, Ablow adds an unexpected layer to the psychological suspense guaranteed to keep listeners on the edge of their seats. Simultaneous release with the St. Martin's hardcover (Forecasts, July 8). (July)
