THE SUMMER VILLA

Listeners follow the growing relationship between three young women who find themselves sharing a villa for a few weeks on Italy's Amalfi Coast. Six years later, they have a reunion. Narrator Penelope Rawlins rises to the challenge of bringing to life a cast of characters with hugely different backgrounds. She seamlessly switches between the Irish, English, and American accents of the protagonists, even in scenes with fast-moving dialogue. She successfully characterizes the various male characters, never once giving any clue as to who the villain in the story is until the very end. Rawlins's authentic-sounding pronunciation of names and places helps to create an atmosphere full of Italian charm, as well as suspense and intrigue. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2020]