THE GIFTED Joanne Kilbourn, Book 14

Narrator Lisa Bunting excels at the Saskatchewan and First Nations accents and vocabulary that are unique to this central Canada setting. Although touted as a mystery, this is more of a novel about the relationships of the privileged circle that Joanne Kilbourn and her wheelchair-bound husband, Zack, inhabit. When their 15-year-old adopted daughter, Taylor, wins acclaim for her painting, painful memories of the girl's biological mother are resurrected. Time shifts back and forth as Joanne deals with Taylor's questions about her late mother. Bunting's spirited presentation creates a realistic teenager whose emotions are understandably volatile. She also enhances Bowen's gorgeous descriptions of place and the extremes of weather, bringing listeners right into the Canadian landscape. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2013]