THE EXPECTED ONE

Historian Maureen Paschal finds herself in the middle of a religious cult war. On one side is a group that believes her to be the descendent of Jesus Christ and his wife, Mary Magdalene. On the other side is a violent sect that worships John the Baptist as the true savior and seeks to "kill the whore." Linda Stephens gives clear voice to Maureen; her Irish-Catholic cousin, a priest; and a Scottish cult leader. Stephens's skills are less suited to some of the accents, but her portrayals remain clear and consistent. While the plot premise sounds derivative, the details and performance offer enough variety to satisfy fans of the genre. R.L.L. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]