The Wheel of Darkness

Hachette once again smartly enlists the services of Auberjonois (who won an Audie Award for reading Preston and Child's Dance of Death) to read the latest high-flown supernatural thriller from the bestselling team. His rendition of even the most outlandish adventures of FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast and his ward, Constance Greene, provides exactly the calm, cool atmosphere that makes the occasionally hard-to-swallow story into a tasty snack. On a retreat from their action-packed lives at a Tibetan monastery, Aloysius and Constance are asked by the abbot to save the world. Upon boarding a luxury liner on its maiden voyage, they discover an ancient relic that promises bloody death. Auberjonois brings the three lead characters to life-the crusty Pendergast, the troubled Greene and the Yoda-like head monk. As for the bad guys-natural and supernatural-Auberjonois provides just enough menace to make them really frightening and never goes over the top or makes them cartoonish. This might not be the best of Child and Preston's popular efforts, but under Auberjonois's expert guidance, it should keep listeners very diverted. Simultaneous release with the Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, July 16).