THE BELIEVERS

Attorney Joel Litvinoff, described by the NEW YORK POST as "a rent-a-radical with a long history of un-Americanism," has a stroke and is left in a coma. Wife Audrey, a sharp-tongued harridan, makes some shocking discoveries that cause her to reconsider their marriage. Joel's stroke causes further upheaval in their family. Everyone is caught in a tangle of deceit, trapped in meaningless, unfulfilled lives. Narrator Andrea Martin misses Heller's intent, with a reading that calls attention to itself through over-the-top characterizations that lack dimension. Rather than nuance, there's nastiness. Instead of subtlety, there's shouting. Zoë Heller (WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?: NOTES ON A SCANDAL) has a knack for revealing the darker angels lurking within her characters. Sadly, this excellent novel doesn't receive the narration it deserves. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2009]