MR. CHARTWELL

Winston Churchill suffered from bouts of deep depression, which he famously referred to as a big, black dog. Rebecca Hunt takes the reference literally, personifying Mr. Chartwell as a mysterious six-foot talking dog. The novel follows Churchill and Esther, a young widow with a room to let. The only applicant for the room is Mr. Chartwell—who is also known as Black Pat. Thanks to a remarkable performance by Susan Duerden, Hunt’s novel is engaging—if not always engrossing. The sections featuring Churchill’s encounters with the sentient embodiment of his illness are both well written and flawlessly read, with Duerden offering artful vocal alterations and seamless transitions from character to character. The sections between Esther and Black Pat are less interesting, but Duerden’s reading remains top-notch. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2011]