Killer Ambition

In the latest installment in Clark%E2%80%99s series that follows the adventures of Special Trials DA Rachel Knight%E2%80%94and features Rachel%E2%80%99s best girlfriend, Detective Bailey Keller%E2%80%94the kidnapping/murder of the daughter of a powerful Hollywood producer and director is followed by even more lawlessness. Throughout it all, the author infuses the book with moments of genuine suspense and wry humor. Narrator January LaVoy smoothly conveys the author%E2%80%99s lighthearted cynicism. She ably captures Knight, and for Keller, LaVoy lowers her voice, adding a flat, careful, dogmatic pronunciation that both relaxes and quickens during her snappy discussions with Knight. As for the book%E2%80%99s male characters, LaVoy opts for a minimal, vaguely masculine tone, with one exception. Clark describes the arrogant, angry filmmaker as short with a voice high enough for him to be mistaken for a female. LaVoy adds her own amusing touch by giving him the sound and the bark of a human Chihuahua. A Mulholland hardcover. (June)