STATELY PURSUITS

Hettie Langden agrees to "house-sit" her great uncles' shabby mansion while she recovers from a broken heart and ponders what to do with her life. While the plot of this British romantic comedy is predictable, its colorful cast of characters and wit are delightful enough to raise it above others of this genre. Both male and female voices are highly differentiated and totally in keeping with their characters. This is the great strength of Roe Kendall's performance. Unfortunately, she too often rushes the narrative and, since timing is everything in comedy, the humor is lost. A pause at chapter breaks and in other appropriate places would have strengthened the reading also. S.S.R. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 00]