PARADISE COUNTY

Delicate Alexandra Hayward's father has died, ostensibly of suicide, and her fiancé has jilted her. Dad's business has gone belly-up, and Alex's orphaned half-sister has run away from boarding school. But big, strong farm manager Joe Welsh is just the ticket; he even discovers the evil murderer stalking the Hayward's house. Vida Vasaitis moves the story along quickly, with a subtle undertone of coming events. Her portrayals of Alexandra and her teenage sister are terrific, but her characterization of Joe Welsh, who is meant to be a sexy Kentuckian, makes him come across as a hick. Vasaitis's version of the local dialect, which in reality sounds rich and mellifluous, dumbs down all the characters. R.P.L. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 01]