SHOT IN DETROIT

Narrator Jennywren Walker energetically portrays Violet Hart, a quirky yet likable photographer practicing her art in this cleverly titled mystery. (Abbott's CONCRETE ANGEL is also available on Audible.) Hart shares her frustration: She's nearing 40, and her pictures have yet to catch on. Things take a sinister turn when she persuades her mortician boyfriend, Bill Fontaine, to allow her to photograph recently deceased young black men. Conversations with Hart's peculiar friends add further interest and a sense of foreboding. Walker's moving descriptions of a crumbling yet occasionally vibrant Detroit and its citizens take listeners on a poignant yet optimistic tour of the city. When Hart needs more bodies than the funeral home can provide, listeners will remain on edge wondering how far she'll go. Added bonuses are Walker's well-rendered quotes from famous photographers such a Cecil Beaton and Alfred Stieglitz and glimpses into the world of art galleries. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2017]