The Blackbird Papers

Kliatt, Nov, 2004 by Miles Klein

THE BLACKBIRD PAPERS. Ian Smith. 2004. Read by Brent Jennings. 10 cds. No time listed. Books on Tape. 1-4159-0125-2. $99.00. Vinyl; plot notes. A

Hanover. New Hampshire is the bucolic setting for prestigious Dartmouth College. The serenity of this icon of Ivy League academia is suddenly shattered by the brutal murder and mutilation of Wilson Bledsoe, a much-beloved professor. His brother Sterling, an FBI agent, takes over the investigation. What initially appears to be a racially motivated killing soon veers off in a totally different direction. Bledsoe's murder is followed by two more suspicious deaths--a decapitated young woman, and an FBI agent. As Sterling delves deeper, it appears that the deaths of hundreds of blackbirds are somehow critical to the solution of the case.

From his opening words, Jennings sounds like he lacks much of the poise and professionalism of other readers: words are occasionally mispronounced and dialog is often forced and uneven, but the reading becomes more comfortable to the listener as the story progresses. Miles Klein, Frisco, TX