NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

A murder, a sleep disorder, a DNA test, an alternative energy source, a childless couple, a neighborhood watch group, and a troubled teenager—it seems unlikely that this motley combination of plot points could coalesce into a compelling story. However, listeners will be surprised as Coleen Marlo gently draws them into the mystery of “The Librarian”—an unassuming woman serving time for murdering her neighbor, the abrasive Linda Sue. Marlo’s understated voice makes the unexpected events both reasonable and believable. When the accused is freed, thanks to DNA evidence, she hunts for the real killer and uncovers the dark side of her quaint neighborhood. The slow unraveling of this mystery is a thread worth following. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2011]