Transgressions. Vol. 1.

TRANSGRESSIONS. VOL. 1. Ed McBain, ed. 2005. Read by John Bedford Lloyd, Michael Boatman, Anne Twomey. 12 cds. 14.5 hrs. Sound Library/BBC Audiobooks America. 0-7927-3632-x. $119.95. Vinyl; plot, editor notes. SA

TRANSGRESSIONS. VOL. 2. Ed McBain, ed. 2005. Read by Robert Fass, Carrington MacDuffie, Richard Ferrone, John Keating, David Prete. 11 cds. 14 hrs. Sound Library/BBC Audiobooks America. 0-7927-3632-x. $117.95. Vinyl; plot, editor notes. SA

This is a lively collection of ten novellas from the most talented of today's mystery and suspense writers. The tales, commissioned for this series and edited by Ed McBain, whose own 87th Precinct procedural, "Merely Hate," is modestly tucked into the middle of the second volume, make for a four-star, ten-course meal for gourmets of this genre.

Lawrence Block leads with the lighthearted "Keller's Adjustment," in which his contract killer contemplates a life in mainstream suburbia. Sharyn McCrumb's historically based tale, "The Resurrection Man," about a 19th-century Georgia slave who procures cadavers for an Atlanta medical school, is the finale. In between, Donald Westlake contributes a "Dortmunder," Stephen King takes on September 11, and Anne Perry confronts religious strife in Ireland. Jeffrey Deaver and Walter Mosley make endearing protagonist/detectives of a statistical geek and an anarchist, respectively, while John Farris goes slightly Gothic and the wonderful Joyce Carol Oates creepily spins out every mother's worst nightmare. The range of readers matches the range of subjects and all are equal to the task at hand. Vastly entertaining. Francine Levitov, Attorney, New York, NY

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.