THE TAVERN ON MAPLE STREET

Jack and Lilly Beaumont's beautiful Victorian pub in Belfast, Ireland, is threatened with destruction by a developer. Clearly, they need to beef up the business to save it. So Lilly hires four unusual women as barmaids and two men as singers, and soon they have more customers than they can handle. Caroline Winterson's soft Irish accent is easy to understand, and she differentiates characters, especially tavern regulars, with intonation and pacing. Her energetic narration works well with a story that focuses more on character than drama. Lilly copes with the personalities of her employees and all the extra work, and Jack keeps the customers happy in Owens's charming story of Irish love, life, and luck. M.B.K. 2007 Audies Award Finalist © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 07]