THE PARIS WINTER

A story that includes violence, suicide, and murder in Belle époch Paris should be thrilling, but this story drags due in part to Rebecca Night's lackluster narration. It takes a while for the plot to develop, and Night's reading doesn't have the edginess necessary to keep listeners engaged. Maud, an impoverished art student at the women's Académie Lafond, is nearly starving. A wealthy Russian named Tanya befriends her, but it's Yvette, a model, who realizes Maud's dire straits. The women intervene, and Maud becomes a paid companion to Christian Morel's ailing sister, Sylvie. When Maud learns disturbing truths about the Morels, she's reluctant to give up her newly acquired creature comforts. Night's voice is sweet, and she does well with accents, but the characters' true personalities remain hidden behind her overly genteel delivery. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2015]