CROSSERS

Illegal Mexican immigrants are easy targets for politicians and others, and the fact that these "aliens" are people is often lost. This is not the case with Philip Caputo's gripping and thought-provoking novel, especially as narrated by Paul Boehmer. Gil Castle, who lost his wife on 9/11, has relocated to his family’s homestead near the border of Arizona and Mexico to try to overcome his grief. Instead, he confronts brutal facts about his grandfather and others. Caputo's use of flashbacks is highly effective and is bolstered by Boehmer's ability to emphasize key words. Boehmer delivers the story as though he has personally selected every phrase, inviting the listener to focus on each word's importance as it contributes to the complex story. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2010]