The Bone Vault

The New York City series featuring ADA Alex Cooper and Homicide Detective Mike Chapman finally gets its due with Barbara Rosenblat's spot-on narration of Fairstein's fifth installment. The death of a museum intern leads Cooper and Chapman to the storerooms of the Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum in Fairstein's characteristic behind-the-scenes settings. Rosenblat rattles off the banter between the cops and others with the astute skill of a veteran New Yorker. She is in her element, and the characters just shine--even the strange intellectuals of the museum environment are played with the right panache. The accents and vocal portraits are frosting to the smart pacing and interesting plot twists. Rosenblat and Fairstein are a team to listen up for. R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

Blair Brown brings the resourceful Assistant D.A. Alexandra Cooper to life in this deftly narrated tale of criminal mischief with a deadly result. A body is found in an ancient sarcophagus, but it isn't an Egyptian princess; it's a former museum worker. While investigating the murder, Cooper butts heads with staff and administration to find out what may have happened deep in the bowels of the museum. Brown's timing and pace add depth to the story. Her expressive characterization gives life to the culture clash of the many managerial relics in New York's Metropolitan Museum and the hardened cops who are out to solve the mystery. D.L.M. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine