CRIMINAL DAMAGE

The lives of several families are loosely woven together. An elderly lady living alone becomes a target for burglary, and a young man trying to turn his life around becomes the suspect. The daughter she has never been able to love quite enough vents her frustration on a deserting boyfriend and his lover. As each layer is stripped away, we discover a dreadful secret hidden in the past. June Barrie has a mature voice, calm and smooth. The restrained tone she takes with these characters fits well with the flavor of the story, which is well padded with domestic trifles. The violence, when it comes, seems that much more shocking. Barrie handles each character with a no-nonsense, stiff tone yet still manages to make even the unlikable ones come alive. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]