Desperate Measures

Christopher Lane brings his considerable talents to bear on this new audio edition of Morrell’s 1994 thriller about the harrowing experiences of Matt Pittman, an idealistic investigative journalist turned burned-out obituary writer. On the verge of suicide after the loss of his young son to cancer and the breakup of his marriage, Pittman agrees to write a final article for his soon-to-be-defunct daily newspaper—an obituary for a man who is not yet dead—and inadvertently stumbles into a violent struggle with a powerful cadre of aging diplomats. Lane’s performance captures the spirit and tone of Morrell’s novel, and he masterfully conveys the depths of Pittman’s grief and depression. Additionally, the narrator’s rendering of dialects and accents is effective. Fans of political thrillers are in for an entertaining listen, although contemporary audiences may find the book’s technological references—which predate the Internet and mobile phones—downright anachronistic. A Warner paperback. (Aug.)