THE TEA HOUSE ON MULBERRY STREET

Even though this story takes place in Belfast, Ireland, there's no IRA and no bitter fighting in the streets. The people in this story are all customers of Muldoon's Tea Rooms, and as they sit at its tables, we learn about the owner's childless marriage and the painter's imaginary love affair with Nicholas Cage, as well as Sadie Smith's overeating and her husband's mistress. As one listens to Caroline Winterson reading these stories, one realizes that she is using not only the same accent for every character, she is also using the same inflection for every character, whether happy, sad, male or female. Even a romance novel deserves the immediacy of an intent reading so that its heights have a worthy contrast to its depths. J.P. 2006 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE/JULY 05]