Fingersmith

Juanita McMahon skillfully reads this gothic tale of deception, making the author's plot twists more believable through the performance of the characters. The first part of the novel belongs to Susan, the protégé of a professional thief. McMahon's portrayal of the thief with a conscience is nicely foiled by her portrayal of the second narrator, the cloistered Miss Maude. A large cast of stock characters, ranging from an unkind uncle to harsh nurses, is performed with appropriate accents. While the plot twists are inventive, the novel's enormous level of description weighs down the action. The final resolution between Susan and Maude is ultimately too tame. R.F. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine