cover image The Litigators

The Litigators

John Grisham, read by Dennis Boutsikaris. Random House Audio, unabridged, nine CDs, 11.5 hrs., $45 ISBN 978-0-307-94319-4

When burnt-out lawyer David Zinc quits his job at a major corporate firm, a stress-induced nervous breakdown, heavy drinking, and the prospect of unemployment lead him to the doors of the seedy law firm of Finley & Figg and into the middle of a huge class action lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company that may be more than the partners at Finley & Figg can handle. Dennis Boutsikaris’s narration is competent; he keeps the plot chugging along at an appropriate pace and shines in his portrayal of Zinc. He also effectively captures the over-the-top, ambulance-chasing banter of Zinc’s new colleagues at the shady Finley & Figg. Yet when characters outside of Zinc’s immediate orbit appear—particularly females and characters from varying ethnic backgrounds—the voices Boutsikaris creates begin to sound similar, amounting to some noticeable lost opportunities in a still enjoyable and highly entertaining audio. A Doubleday hardcover. (Oct.)