Stardust: A Novel
Tony-winning actor Boyd Gaines brings an impressive range of vocal characterizations to Kanon's fusion of classic Los Angeles crime noir and international intrigue set in the era when the exuberance following America's victory in WWII was giving way to the dark clouds of red-baiting in Washington and Hollywood. Gaines proves particularly effective in his sexually charged portrayal of Liesl, the exotic widow at the center of a show-business murder mystery who must sacrifice her ethnic identity on the road to silver screen stardom. This otherwise excellent audio's sole flaw is in the abridgment. The shift from the initial homicide investigation to the grilling of studio heads at the hands of a reactionary congressman feels disjointed, requiring listeners to shift mental gears abruptly.An Atria hardcover (Reviews, July 6). (Sept.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.