DOGWOOD

Sweethearts Karin and Will consider themselves soul mates—until Will, tragically convicted as a child killer, is sentenced to West Virginia Penitentiary. Karin can't understand, or forgive, and marries an emotionally distant man but remains haunted by the past. The rich vocal personalities of multiple narrators provide an emotionally charged portrayal of Karin and Will's story of love and redemption. This 2009 Christy Award winner starts slowly but comes into its own when Will returns home to Dogwood. The narrators' textured characterizations of Karin's feelings of conflict and the town's simmering hatred toward Will, which costs him his job, are especially believable. Their powerful depiction of Karin's feelings of guilt and regret won't be easily forgotten. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]