The Diary

In this charming novel, a pair of sisters must confront a reality that all offspring find distasteful: Their parents had interesting, if hidden, lives before their children were born. Discovering their mother's diary shortly before her death, Sarah and Emily find that her life wasn't what they'd believed; perhaps even their late father wasn't who they think he was. Susan Ericksen's narration deepens the listeners' bonds to the characters and captures the rainbow of emotions unfurled as the sisters decipher the mystery of their parents' romance. Along the way, they discover truths about themselves as well, through dialogue warmly depicted by Ericksen. Her strong reading makes this novel one listeners will want to speed through, while hoping it never ends. J.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

June 29, 2009
As their mother lies dying in a nursing home, two sisters find her diary—and a mother they never knew. Written shortly before their parents' marriage, the diary details their mother's romance with another man, and the sisters are moved to discover the depth of their mother's heartache. Slipping between a nostalgic past and the present, the story is suspenseful and surprising, and the versatile Susan Ericksen gives the characters the life, color and personality they deserve, effortlessly and faithfully conveying the middle-class, Midwestern setting. A Vanguard hardcover.