DEVIL'S HALF ACRE

In the nineteenth century in America people spoke differently. Oates employs this archaic style in her construction of a page-turning mystery thriller, the second of three sections in the novel titled THE MYSTERIES OF WINTERTHURN, all starring detective-hero Xavier Kilgarvan. It would have been easy to overplay the romantic drama, producing laughable effects. Fortunately, John McDonough honors the book's point of view of earnest and accurate reportage. Drawing upon Oates's profuse italics and precise punctuation, McDonough professionally follows the text as written. This literary reading is just what the book calls for. With his clear, resonant voice, McDonough helps us enter Oates's backward-looking world. P.W. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: MAR 97]