The Big Gamble.

Michael McGarrity. 2002. Read by Dick Hill. 5 tapes. 7 hrs. Brilliance. 1-59086-214-7 $69.25. Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes. A

After helping extinguish a fire in rural Lincoln County, NM, Deputy Sheriff Clayton Istee discovers two bodies in the debris: one a recent homicide, the other a mysterious disappearance from Santa Fe 11 years ago. Chief investigator on the latter case was current Santa Fe Chief of Police Kevin Kerney, who, Clayton recently learned, is his biological father. As the two men attempt to coordinate the seemingly unrelated cases, personal feelings come into play as two more homicides occur, complicating an already difficult trail of dead-end clues.

Hill does a fine job of creating voices for the numerous characters in this complex mystery; however, he has a tendency to use soft-spoken voices for the female characters, which forces the listener to listen carefully or to turn up the volume on the player. Details of police procedures are fascinating and accurate; the author's experiences as a deputy sheriff in New Mexico serve him well as the investigation in this novel takes the listener into the world of private high-stakes gambling and expensive escort services involving prostitution. Carol Kellerman, retired Lib/Media Spec., Santa Fe, NM