BIG LITTLE LIES

If you don’t know Liane Moriarty’s vastly entertaining novels, this impeccable audio production is the perfect place to start. I have a crush on the way Caroline Lee pronounces a long “o”; it can have about four syllables in it, to marvelous effect. Moriarty’s multilayered tale is set in a middle school community in a Sydney beachfront suburb, and to hear it in Lee’s down-under accent adds a flavor of Oz you’d miss on the page. Moriarty does social comedy about truly serious matters—here it’s bullying, from kindergarten playground to spousal battering—and her tonal control is masterful. Lee’s unusual vocal timbre coupled with outstanding acting makes this a listening experience you can’t tear yourself away from. What a delight. B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2014]