TO THE POWER OF THREE

Three high school friends meet in the school's bathroom. One of them has a gun. In moments, one girl is killed instantly, one is fatally wounded, and the third is shot in the foot. What caused this tragedy? Who did the shooting? Laura Lippman enters the girls' minds, revealing their families, their social standings, and their humanity through deftly handled flashbacks. Linda Emond's performance is nicely understated, never overdoing the story's shocking theme. She offers genuine understanding of each character, even in the face of such disturbing content. One minor complaint: Music announcing the close of each CD is louder than necessary after Emond's soft tones. Even so, the story makes compelling listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 06]