THE ARSONIST

Not only is Sue Miller one of our most deft and satisfying writers of literary fiction, she’s also on a par as a performer with some of the best narrators of audiobooks we have. Her voice is lovely, calm, and supple, and her tone matches the smooth style of the writing in a way that makes for a wonderfully integrated listening experience, completely free of distracting questions of whether the performer has understood what the author intended. The story, of a small New England town on edge because of a string of arsons, is more thoughtful than dramatic, and feels utterly real. Miller writes women particularly well, and it’s fascinating to know how Frankie Rowley’s inner life sounds to Miller herself. A beautiful performance. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2014]