THE BIRDS THAT STAY Russell and Leduc, Book 1

Author Ann Lambert flawlessly presents her genre-defying novel--which is part mystery, part family saga, and part romance. Everyone, including Marie Russell, is shocked when an elderly, reclusive neighbor is found dead in her yard near Quebec's Laurentian Mountains. Listeners will join kind, overworked Romeo Leduc when he realizes clues and motives are in short supply. Lambert authentically captures Canadian and Hungarian accents as the dark days of the Holocaust and secret identities emerge. Historical--sometimes horrific--details about WWII are compelling. Most moving is Lambert's heartbreaking reading of letters that hold vital clues. Striking descriptions of nature, a children's tune, and old-fashioned song, beautifully rendered, add lightness to the tragic story. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2020]