The Dog Who Danced

January 30, 2012
Justine Meade has spent most of her 43 years on the move. She left home young, got in and out of an early marriage, and had a son who, unhappy with her restless life, went to live with his father. When Justine learns that her father is dying, she hitches a cross-country ride with a long-haul trucker from Seattle to Massachusetts, hoping for a resolution to their relationship. Her companion on the journey is Mack, a sheepdog trained to dance. But at a rest stop, her ride drives off, unknowingly taking Mack with him. Later abandoned, Mack is found by an older couple still grieving after their teenager daughter’s suicide years earlier. Meanwhile, Justine reaches her father in time to revisit the fight that sent her away from home. She gets a new perspective on the past while Mack, nearer to Justine than she realizes, helps the old couple heal. When chance reunites Justine and Mack, she decides to get back in touch with her son. Wilson persuasively adopts a dog’s perspective from time to time in a story full of cliché and sentiment. Fans of Wilson’s One Good Dog, or new readers looking for a heartwarming tale of the bond between human and animal, will find plenty to enjoy. Agent: Andrea Cirillo, Jane Rotrosen Agency.

Do you devour it all at once, or limit your listening to make it last longer? Either way, this story unfolds with delicate perfection. Justine Meade has lost her beloved Sheltie, Mack, to a trucker who leaves her in a roadside rest area. Mack finds a home with Ed and Alice Parmalee, who are still stunned by the death of their daughter. Christina Delaine gives us all of Justine's love and longing--for Mack and for her other lost connections. In alternate chapters, Fred Berman details Mack's journey, and that of the Parmalees. Both narrators portray grief and hope, despair and great love with professionalism and sensitivity. They reach that elusive "audio grail," staying entirely out of the way of the story. Wilson's perfect ending is a delicious dessert after a satisfying meal. R.L.L. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine