THE LUCKY ONES

The mixture of politics, friendship and the media causes a struggle among four women whose desire for power gets in the way of their friendship. The excitement of the novel is fueled by a presidential election and a hostage crisis, but Kathleen O'Malley fails to deliver excitement. The first half of the book is reported like a history lesson. Whether she's reading dialogue or the chronological events of the novel, her disinterest in the material carries over to the ear. The bonus is the preview of an Olivia Goldsmith novel read by Frances Cassidy, who makes you wish she had read the previous story. Her lyrical reading brings you inside the action; O'Malley's leaves you outside. J.P. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 98]