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A POLISHED READING BY CHARLES KEATING London born Tony nominee and Emmy Award winner Charles Keating gives a polished reading of Elizabeth George's latest spellbinder. An accomplished stage and television actor, Keating is well remembered for his performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and on television in Brideshead Revisited and Another World. This compelling police procedural calls for an actor with brisk articulation and the ability to sustain mounting suspense - Keating fulfills this role in spades. In this, her thirteenth novel, George returns Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his erstwhile partner Barbara Havers. In addition to murder, the author also raises some profound and troubling issues which the characters must confront. Thus, we not only have vintage Elizabeth George but a writer at the top of her game. Four adolescent boys have been murdered. Three of them were of mixed parentage, and the third is white. His body is found atop a tomb, obviously a ritualistic killing. Somehow the slaying of four youth are connected, but how? Rumors abound that New Scotland Yard has racist tendencies due to its apparent inability to solve the first three murders. Thus, the case is given to Lynley and his cohorts, all of whom are dealing with personal troubles. As always, this author excels in character depictions, and painting background scenes whether seedy or exclusive. All know that a psychopath is on the loose, but finding him is quite another matter as both Lynley and Havers are distracted by issues of their own and turmoil among the police. As is her wont, George doesn't miss a beat in pacing a story that throbs with excitement, suspense and a spectacular denouement. A superb listen. - Gail Cooke