THE DEVIL'S FEATHER

A sexual sadist murders five women in Sierra Leone. Connie Burns, Reuters war correspondent, is sure she knows the killer’s identity. Years later, she sees him in Baghdad, and then Connie is abducted. After 68 hours, she is released, “unharmed.” Connie refuses to talk about her captivity, but her secrecy inevitably overwhelms. Josephine Bailey’s powerful performance pulls listeners into Connie’s anguish. Bailey’s impressive range of accents and a remarkable assortment of voices create a believable (if horrific) scenario. Bailey is a master of subtlety, shading characters with humanity, finessing Connie’s terror and self-doubt, and mirroring the searing helplessness that follows total loss of control. Minette Walters’s wrenching exploration of survivor guilt, post-traumatic stress, and victim psychology and Bailey’s intelligent, restrained reading make this must listening. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 07]