THE VIRGIN IN THE ICE

Brother Cadfael solves the murder of a nun and is delighted to learn more about his own past. This chronicle ranks as a favorite in the series. Vanessa Benjamin carries forth Blackstone’s tradition of matching the gender of the narrator to the author, rather than to the main character. When the genders of hero and narrator don’t match, one gets a more old-fashioned sense of being read to, rather than hearing a performance. Benjamin relies strictly on the drama inherent in the text, subtly underscoring it with pacing and emphasis. Her minimalistic vocal shifts when reading dialogue are initially distracting, but they quickly fade into the background, as she means them to do. S.F. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 98]