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If a voice could have a texture, Kincaid's would be that of velvet. Musically accented and richly sonorous, her tone is perfect for her latest novel, a story that alternately meanders and leaps, echoes and twists. Sometimes that velvet voice is draped over a deadly fist as she tells the story of the Sweets, an unhappy couple trapped within the confines of a small town and big disappointments. Other times, the velvet shines with writing that sounds more like poetry than prose. Once the author's rhythm becomes clear to the listener, her distinctive writing style is well suited to the audiobook format. Even though the Sweets' lives are not enviable, Kincaid's performance allows the listener to observe those lives and perhaps learn from their missteps. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]