Running Scared

Nicole Arumugam's lively and finely nuanced reading puts the listener in the middle of the action in Ann Granger's edgy and entertaining British mystery. Aspiring actress and part-time (unlicensed) investigator Fran Varady lets an agitated visitor use the restroom in the corner store where she works. Hours later, the visitor is found murdered, leaving behind a mysterious roll of film and a message for Fran to meet him. Arumugam has a fine ear for the varied characters in the story--the old ladies, street kids, Indian merchants, snooty bluestockings, shady businessmen all sound just right. Her thoughtful timing also gives the listener the pause as a character silently climbs the stairs, the intake of startled breath, and the hesitation as one person waits for another to speak. A lovely performance and an entertaining story. A winner. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine