Winter Sisters

February 12, 2018
Oliveira (My Name Is Mary Sutter) reunites readers with doctor Mary Sutter in this galvanic tale set in the winter of 1879. After a deadly blizzard engulfs the northeastern U.S., Mary, a former Civil War surgeon turned practicing doctor in Albany, N.Y., sets out to find two missing girls whose parents died in the storm. Mary is resolute in her mission to find the girls, and even after Albany police give up their official search, she perseveres. Meanwhile, Mary’s mother, Amelia, and niece, Elizabeth, return from Paris, where Elizabeth had gone to study violin. Upon returning to a devastated Albany, Elizabeth mourns the loss of the missing children, who are now presumed dead, along with her dream of becoming a professional musician, which seems out of reach after her training abroad ended poorly. When the shocking fate of the girls is suddenly revealed, Elizabeth, seeing an opportunity to help others recover from the horrible discovery, takes out her violin. Mary approaches the matter as a doctor, collecting evidence with the help of her family to understand what happened to the girls. Their dramatic investigation culminates in a courtroom battle that shakes the entire city. Oliveira’s beautiful, expertly researched novel showcases the lives of women overcoming societal constraints and living fearlessly.

Tavia Gilbert narrates this disturbing audiobook rapidly, her voice fraught with tension and foreboding. The story focuses on the abduction of two young sisters after a freak blizzard in Albany and what happens when they suddenly reappear during a devastating rain- storm six weeks later. Gilbert animates and enhances characters who, with a less skilled narrator, might seem clich�d. She arouses our sympathy for the abused orphan, Emma, as the 10-year-old testifies in court in her soft child's voice and stirs up angry feelings when we hear the pompous, provocative voice of the prosecutor. The ending of this story may be predictable, but it is dramatic and emotionally satisfying. D.L.G. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine