ANGELS BURNING

While narrator Susan Bennett doesn't quite sound the age of Tawni O'Dell's 50-year-old protagonist, Chief Dove Carnahan, she does capture the backwoods Pennsylvania town where Carnahan finds the remains of a teenage girl who was beaten and set on fire. The girl is a member of a notoriously poor and criminal family, so Carnahan's work is cut out for her-- as is Bennett's. Without going overboard on stereotype, Bennett's narration portrays the individuality of the characters and the various forces working on them--historical, environmental, and socio-economic--as well as their fears, and hopes. O'Dell has written a socially complex thriller, and Bennett delivers each nuance, challenging listeners to look beyond the surface. A solid performance and a great listening experience. J.F. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2016]