MARTHA PEAKE

This neo-gothic story, set in the 1770s, is about an awful yet fascinating Cornish smuggler named Harry Peake, whose daughter must flee his abuse to find dangerous safety in America at the time of the Revolution. Tom Sellwood, who has a warm, pleasant voice, reads the moody writing in a rhythmic, almost singsong, manner that doesn't work for this listener. It makes the writing sound self-consciously arch rather than atmospheric. This is unfortunate, as the book is narration-heavy and dialogue-light. Sellwood creates fine characterizations in the small amount of dialogue that does appear. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 05/ JAN 06]