THE HOLLOW GROUND

Narrator Luci Christian's youthful charisma provides a natural portrayal of preteen Brigid Howley, who is struggling with family secrets in a poverty-stricken coal town in the 1960s. Christian's clear, delicate voice belies the girl's impoverished upbringing and poor education--but does depict Brigid's naïve hopefulness amid her family's wretched circumstances. Trying to appease her alcoholic father and bitter mother, Brigid strives to keep delicate peace in the house. But when she discovers a corpse in a deserted mine shaft, the household's fleeting harmony is shattered. Christian's voices for the well-developed family members are mostly subtle, allowing the strong characters to flourish. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2014]