THE VIRGIN QUEEN'S DAUGHTER

Lady Calvary is horrified when her stubborn, inquisitive red-haired daughter, Nell, joins the royal court. In an intriguing twist by Chase, 16-year-old Nell is actually the illegitimate daughter of Queen Elizabeth I. Nell quickly learns that only her death can protect the crown. Will the queen kill her own child? English narrator Rosalyn Landor does an admirable job with young Nell, using a vibrant, energetic, higher-pitched voice to express her youth and naïveté. Male voices are a bit awkward early on, but Landor's narrative becomes more fluid with both genders in the second half. Older Nell's resolute, somber tone reflects her newfound maturity and sense of vulnerability. The venerable queen is impeccably narrated with crisp, blunt articulation and harsh tones that give listeners a palpable chill. A.R.H. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2009]