THE MOMENT SHE WAS GONE

The scion of a dysfunctional New York family loves nothing in life more than his twin sister. The wayward girl is a paranoid schizophrenic, a fact about which he, his shrill mother, and stodgy elder brother are in fierce denial. With humor, pathos, and vivid characterization, the novel recounts how the family members come to grips with the sister's latest--possibly fatal--disappearance. Narrator Michael Rafkin deftly impersonates the twin brother and with equal aplomb captures every wisecrack and emotional beat. He wisely withholds passion until the final heart-wrenching confrontation, thus rendering it all the more effective. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 03]