IN THE UPPER COUNTRY

Milton Barnes, Tymika Tafari, and Wesley French perform this historical novel set in Canada during the first half of the nineteenth century. Lensinda Martin, a Black woman who is working as a researcher for a Black journalist, is assigned to interview an older woman who was arrested for shooting a slave catcher who was trying to take her back to America. But when she begins to interview the woman, Lensinda realizes there's more to her story than meets the eye. Tafari's performance of Lensinda is vibrant, almost fearless. Milton Barnes and Wesley French rotate through different perspectives in the novel, helping listeners follow the large cast of characters. The three narrators work in harmony to draw listeners into the story and keep them captivated. K.D.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]