RED RUBY HEART IN A COLD BLUE SEA

You can almost smell the salt air in this story brimming with the atmosphere of a Maine fishing village. Florine Gilham was 12 when her mother, Carlie, disappeared, never returning from her annual weekend getaway with her best friend, Patty. As Florine, her father, and her paternal grandmother try to come to terms with the mystery surrounding Carlie’s disappearance, she remains a powerful force in their lives. That said, Luci Christian’s performance leaves the listener wanting. Although the adults have credible Maine accents, the youths have no hint of place in their voices. As Florine speaks of “Daddy” and her best friend, “Dottie,” Christian often doesn’t do enough to differentiate their names, leaving the listener up in the air until the context makes it clear. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2012]