BACHELOR'S PUZZLE

Zack Hartley, eligible bachelor and long awaited circuit preacher, rides into Maintown, Oregon, after the Civil War. When the young women of the church present him with a handmade quilt to celebrate his arrival, narrator Christy King depicts Zack's loss for words with stammering and hesitancy. King's polished performance captures the sense of mystery that surrounds the bumbling new preacher, his unusual sermons, his even more unusual prayers, and the women's humorous competition for his attention. King's powerful characterizations of sisters Maggie and Ellie, fiercely competitive in quilting and in matchmaking, are especially believable. Aligning mood and voice, King portrays Ellie's developing suspicions of Zack with clarity. The surprising conclusion will leave listeners anticipating the next book in the series. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2008]