THE BALMORAL INCIDENT

Narrator Lesley Mackie takes listeners on a thrilling road trip, riding in the so-called monster vehicle of its day. Rose McQuinn is invited to a cottage near Balmoral Castle and makes the trip in an early motor car. Lively discussions of the water-guzzling car and the sometimes frightened passengers make listeners feel like they're on the scene. Equally enchanting is hearing young Meg recite poetry as sights, sounds, and people inspire her. Things take a somber turn, however, when Lily, a maid to the unpleasant Mabel Pemby-Worth--one of Mackie's best creations--is killed and only Rose believes it wasn't an accidental death. Mackie's McQuinn brings Edwardian Scotland to life as she energetically describes suffragettes, country house living, and class differences. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2016]