JACARANDA BLUE

Australian novelist Joy Dettman shows mastery of her craft with a gripping story that first presents as a rather predictable tale of life in a small Outback town. Within the first few pages, however, things become complicated, dark, and anything but predictable. Deidre Rubenstein's broad Aussie accent is easy on the ears and allows her to convincingly portray the main character, Stella Templeton, a minister's daughter on the verge of spinsterhood. Rubenstein adds a deft handling of pace and intensity to her facility with characters young and old, male and female. The story unfolds with increasing depth and drama, making for an audiobook that’s impossible to put down. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2010]