MY SUMMER OF SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT

Macon, Georgia, couldn't be more different from New York City if it were on Mars. Macon is where attorney Natalie Goldberg lands after a disastrous end to her tenure at a Manhattan law firm. Julie Dretzin excels in characterizing both Natalie and her new Southern colleagues in the district attorney's office. She doesn't succumb to stereotypical accents. And she gently highlights the changes that take place in Natalie, which include shedding her anti-death-penalty stance to prosecute a capital murder case. Dretzin's melodic reading ably portrays Natalie as she gets to know her co-prosecutor, navigates her new surroundings, and comes to terms with her unexpected new career path, all of which begin to make Macon feel like home. J.J.B. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2009]