GREEN JASPER

Maggie Mash glides effortlessly through a multitude of characters in this second book of the De Granville trilogy, which finds Will and Gavin De Granville home from the Crusades and contending with the scheming Constable De Scabious in his attempts to usurp the throne of his brother, Richard the Lionhearted. The numerous players from varied social classes and backgrounds could prove challenging, but Mash competently handles the variety of voices and accents, from the Muslim Kamil to the old nurse, and maintains the momentum of this action-packed tale. The almost mystical red horse, Hosanna, reappears again in this series and provides a consistent thread throughout the complex plot. M.H.N. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]