SINGING IN THE COMEBACK CHOIR

An allegorical quality suffuses the personal struggles of TV producer Maxine McMoy and her circle. All must learn to trust others, and themselves, to achieve peace. Specifically, Maxine, who is pregnant after a miscarriage, has a previously unfaithful husband who wants redemption; a profession that is treacherous; and a grandmother who won't abandon a decaying neighbor-hood or life-threatening behavior. Rebecca Nicholas presents the characters as individual human beings, yet she also draws light-handedly on the recognizable types they represent. In this way, she helps the listener perceive the story on various levels. Nicholas's voice is strong and versatile, lending realism to harsh situations and adding brightness wherever plausible to accentuate the book's fundamental optimism. D.J. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 99]