THE NEW MOON'S ARMS

Gin Hammond's portrayal of Calamity Lambkin, a salty, irreverent Caribbean woman, is pitch-perfect. Life for Calamity has never been easy, and with the death of her father and the onset of menopause, her life becomes crazier than ever. As hot flashes surge, Calamity's childhood ability to find lost items returns. Long-forgotten toys fall from the sky. Her father's old cashew orchard appears in her front yard. And most surprising of all, a seaweed-encrusted and seemingly orphaned child washes up on Calamity's beach. Is Caribbean magic at work? Hammond delivers this enchanting story without a flaw. Her voice, with its soothing low pitch and rhythm, captures island accents and makes listening a pleasure. D.J.P. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]