THE WIDOW'S KISS

A complicated romance takes place in England during the rule of Henry VIII, when Thomas Cromwell was "Privy Seal." This makes a delicate and terrifying political background for the complex story of the lovely Guinevere Mallory, whose four husbands have died mysteriously (in 12 years) and left her all their properties. So the king and Cromwell have their eyes on this anomaly and send out Hugh of Beaucaire to bring her to justice either as a murderer or a witch. Jenny Sterlin has a fine time with timbre, moving from the high pitch of 8-year-old Pippa to the deeper pitches of Lord Hugh and the king. Though not filled with a virtuosity of accents, this tale makes for good fun. B.H.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 03]