SUMMERWATER

Morven Christie's limpid, Scottish-inflected voice and gentle, enticing tone combine to lure listeners into Sarah Moss's astonishing seventh novel as effectively as mermaids tempt sailors into the sea. Set in a Scottish holiday camp over the course of a long, rainy day, the novel comprises a series of linked vignettes. Mostly moored inside their cabins, the camp's inhabitants watch their neighbors while navigating their travel companions and washed-out holidays. Each vignette is its own vivid, heartfelt, mysterious, or humorous story that builds with the others toward an unexpected and shocking final drama. Christie's narration keeps listeners rapt while maintaining rhythm with the action, be it a runner's stride, lovers' desire, a child's watchfulness. The result is a memorable marriage of remarkable fiction and outstanding performance. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2021]