cover image Raylan

Raylan

Elmore Leonard, read by Brian D’Arcy James. HarperAudio, unabridged, six CDs, 6.5 hrs., $29.99 ISBN 978-0-06-212567-5

The continued commercial success of the FX television series Justified has created a large fan base for Leonard’s gritty crime stories featuring U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. Given audiences’ strong attachment to the actor who portrays Givens on television, narrator Brian D’Arcy James faces an uphill battle in this audio edition. However, James proves more than equal to the task, creating convincing Southern accents and distinct character voices. In Harlan County, Ky., the Crowe brothers are career drug dealers who’ve moved up to selling human organs for transplant on the black market. Naturally, the only man who can stop them is Givens. James’s performance is not to be missed: his range of dialects and personalities is so impressive that listeners may think this audio features a full cast. A HarperCollins paperback. (Jan.)