SILENCE IN HANOVER CLOSE

While the plot in this Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery deals with espionage and murder, its theme pointedly addresses inequalities prevalent in Victorian society. Inspector Thomas Pitt and his wife, Charlotte, and her sister, Emily, find themselves in a life-and-death situation as they go undercover to identify a traitor. Davina Porter outdoes herself with her stellar performance as Emily masquerading as a maid, and as Lady Charlotte disguising herself as a simple country lass visiting the big city. The layering of one accent over another is an impressive accomplishment. Porter so blends with the characters that one forgets the voice between the words and the ear. It is as if one is thinking the book aloud. B.H.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 05]