THE PAPER MAN

Helen Lloyd and Gerard Doyle's polished performance tells the story of the football player Matthias Sindelar, who in 1930s Vienna demonstrated his contempt for Hitler. That resulted in his Jewish girlfriend, Rebekah, fleeing to Cork, Ireland, before his death of unexplained circumstances. These events are interspersed with the story of Rebekah's son, who in the 1980s found a series of love letters that led him to explore the possibility that Sindelar could have been his father. The use of two strong narrators gives a clear distinction to the different timelines. Lloyd and Doyle are well matched, with both demonstrating excellent accents and characterizations. Their spot-on pacing keeps listeners engaged throughout this novel based on actual events. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2023]