Beachcomber

August 1, 2003
When listeners pop the first tape of this absorbing audio adaptation into their cassette decks, they may get the sense that they've stepped into a movie at the midway point; a murder, a chase and a heated confrontation between hero and heroine all occur within the first 30 minutes. Not long after, protagonist Christy Petrino, who recently ended her relationship with her mob-connected lawyer fianc , is attacked by a hatchet-wielding killer. Unsure of whether the Mob ordered a hit on her or whether she's become a target of North Carolina's newest serial killer, dubbed the Beachcomber, Christy turns to her handsome new neighbor, Luke Rand, who always appears in the nick of time to save her. Narrator Forbes is at her best when portraying tough, fiery Christy, the Mob thugs who hound her and the scrappy tomcat that yowls and hisses at anyone who keeps it from dining on the local birds. She falters, however, when portraying Luke, whose oddly high-pitched voice evokes both the South and New Jersey. An absurd final twist and a clich d villain (who utters trite lines like "Guess what, Christy? Your worst nightmare is here") will turn off some listeners, but most will sit back and enjoy this taut, tightly packed romantic thriller. Simultaneous release with the Atria hardcover (Forecasts, Aug. 18).

August 18, 2003
Mob honeys and Jersey capos populate this frothy, fast-paced offering from bestselling Robards. In the beachfront town of Ocracoke on North Carolina's Outer Banks, 27-year-old lawyer Christy Petrino hurries along the dunes to her rental cottage after running a risky errand for her "Uncle" Vince, a made man and her mother's on-again, off-again boyfriend. She thinks she's alone, but after growing up in a mob family in Atlantic City—her dad was killed by a hit man—Christy expects the worst. Her fears are promptly confirmed when she stumbles over an injured woman sprawled in the sand. Alerted by her screams for help, Luke Rand, an FBI agent disguised as a tourist looking for his cat, turns up, followed promptly by elderly Rosa Castellano, the year-round resident on the other side. When the police arrive, they find the woman on the beach dead, her throat cut. Was Christy herself the intended victim? Is her ex-fiancé, a mob-connected lawyer, out to get her? Or is the murderer a serial killer on the loose? Robards's engaging heroine in this thriller-romance is alternately a "hot little chickie" and the personification of true grit, tough and resourceful when she's cornered and as aggressive as Luke in a series of titillating sex scenes. An abundance of humorous asides—the exploits of a cat called Marvin; the makeover of Luke's nerdy partner; an encounter with an eco-group earnestly observing sea turtles—are the candy coating on this toothsome treat. (Aug.)Forecast:This is one of Robards's best in recent years, and should enhance the franchise. Nine-city author tour.

October 6, 2003
When listeners pop the first tape of this absorbing audio adaptation into their cassette decks, they may get the sense that they've stepped into a movie at the midway point; a murder, a chase and a heated confrontation between hero and heroine all occur within the first 30 minutes. Not long after, protagonist Christy Petrino, who recently ended her relationship with her mob-connected lawyer fiancé, is attacked by a hatchet-wielding killer. Unsure of whether the Mob ordered a hit on her or whether she's become a target of North Carolina's newest serial killer, dubbed the Beachcomber, Christy turns to her handsome new neighbor, Luke Rand, who always appears in the nick of time to save her. Narrator Forbes is at her best when portraying tough, fiery Christy, the Mob thugs who hound her and the scrappy tomcat that yowls and hisses at anyone who keeps it from dining on the local birds. She falters, however, when portraying Luke, whose oddly high-pitched voice evokes both the South and New Jersey. An absurd final twist and a clichéd villain (who utters trite lines like "Guess what, Christy? Your worst nightmare is here") will turn off some listeners, but most will sit back and enjoy this taut, tightly packed romantic thriller. Simultaneous release with the Atria hardcover (Forecasts, Aug. 18).