COAL TATTOO

The lives of two sisters in rural Kentucky during the 1960s form the basis of this engaging melodrama. Easter, a devout Pentecostal, and her wild sister, Anneth, face challenges that range from failed marriages to a threat to the mountain they love in a novel that pulses with the rhythm of the country music that frames their lives. Kate Forbes gives the men a little too much gruffness or twang at times, but she excels at shaping the characters of the two women. Listeners will be waiting to see how Anneth handles her husband's mistress and how Easter deals with premonitions. The plot twists are soapy, but the likable characters and historic detail make it worthwhile. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 05]