SEEKING SANCTUARY

Frances Fyfield, known for her erudite and gripping suspense stories, excels once again. The premise involves two girls raised by a mother with religious mania. Therese chooses to become a nun; Anna lives near to keep watch. Soon Anna notices that the convent has a new, handsome gardener. The nuns love him, but Anna thinks he's too good to be true. Lucky Fyfield to have Andrew Sachs as her narrator. The actor, most famous in America as Manuel, the confused waiter on the BBC's "Fawlty Towers," is a wonder of subtlety and characterization. Blessed with an elegant, yet warmly accessible, voice, he reads with exquisite pacing and an intelligent use--just when it matters--of silence. He manages to make the two main female characters and the convent's band of women entirely believable without resorting to false high notes. And his portrayal of the kind, conflicted priest who attends them is near to heartbreaking. Lovely. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 05]