Bitterroot.

James Lee Burke. 2001. Read by Tom Stechschulte 9 tapes. 11.75 hrs. Recorded Books #96790. 0-7887-9471-x. $80.00. Vinyl; plot, reader notes. SA *

This is the best yet of Burke's Billy Bob Holland series. His odyssey starts innocently enough, when Billy Bob, lawyer and ex-Texas Ranger, accepts an invitation from old friend Doc Voss to spend some time fly-fishing and relaxing in the outdoorsman's paradise that is Bitterroot Valley, Montana. Holland sets out "with the foolish hope that somehow my own ghosts did not cross state lines." One of those ghosts turns out to be all too real: a sociopath rodeo clown whose sister the attorney helped send to prison. Friend Doc, meanwhile, has troubles galore of his own. His enemies include an enclave of white supremacists, a mining company out to destroy the landscape, and a gang of bikers who strike at Voss by raping his teenage daughter. When the three rapists fall victim to particularly vicious murders, Doc (a special forces Vietnam vet) is the obvious suspect and Billy Bob has the uphill task of clearing his name. To call Burke's writing style "hardboiled lyricism" sounds like a contradiction in terms, but he pulls off the odd balancing act with his usual skill; particularly fresh and memorable are the descriptions of the Montana scenery that is the backdrop to the gruesome story events. Narrator Stechschulte's performance is solid but nuanced, perfectly in tone with Burke's prose style. An interview with the author, included on the final cassette, is a welcome bonus. Carroll Dale Short, Birmingham, AL