STRIPES OF THE SIDESTEP WOLF

The possible sighting of a thylacine, an extinct wolf-like dog, provides the backdrop for this story of 23-year-old Satchel O'Rye, the son of a mentally ill father and a long-suffering mother. The family lives in a hardscrabble town in Australia. Satchel struggles to cope while the family sinks deeper into debt. The search for the extinct animal offers a way out of this stultifying life. Suzi Dougherty's Australian accent is appropriate to the setting, and her matter-of-fact reading is well suited for the bleakness of Satchel's life. Though her portrayals of different characters are not as varied or distinct as those of some readers, her sympathetic tone is pleasant and easy to listen to. M.H.N. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]