A SPARK OF LIGHT

Narrator Bahni Turpin infuses sensitivity and compassion into Picoult's thought-provoking story set against the contentious backdrop of abortion rights. After gunman George Goddard fires shots and takes hostages at a Mississippi women's clinic, police negotiator Hugh McElroy bargains for the hostages' lives, one of whom is his 15-year-old daughter, Wren. The story unfolds in reverse chronological order, allowing listeners to learn the victims' backstories. Turpin's chameleon-like ability to voice disparate characters is fully realized as she brings forth the rough desperation and love that drive the story. Turpin's nuanced treatment of people enduring the most heartbreaking and terrifying moments of their lives is deeply affecting. The reverse chronological structure does require focused listening, but the compelling events of the story will hold listeners in thrall. S.A.H. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2018]