Features:
Description:
Lydia Chin--S.J. Rozan's popular PI--returns, this time on an undercover assignment into the mysterious world of ancient Eastern medicine. "Some men, losing what they once had, desire what the tiger has yet. They come to shops such as this, Miss Chin, to purchase that which they believe will restore them to their former state." That's right, we're talking aphrodisiacs. And while the Chinese characters politely speak in euphemisms, Chin's towering Anglo-American partner isn't one to mince words: "Tiger penises?... You have a client who wants us to smoke out an illegal load of tiger penises?" And so commences the chase. Using the bustling streets of New York's Chinatown as a backdrop, Rozan has set the stage for a dangerous clash of cultures, where the demand for black market animal parts pushes smugglers to murderous lengths. Narrator Patricia Kalember presents The Tale of the Tiger in a quiet, understated performance that lets the intricate plot and complex relationships blossom at their own pace. At first listen, her reading seems a bit too studied, but she follows the path of least resistance until her voice and the text find a comfortable fit. (Running time: two hours, one cassette) --George Laney
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