Blue Christmas

September 4, 2006
Weezie Foley is bent on winning Savannah's downtown window-decorating contest, but as soon as she picks up the hot-glue gun, strange things start happening. Her boyfriend, Daniel, is grumpier than usual; Weezie's dog, Jethro, goes missing and is anonymously returned; a platter of bacon-wrapped shrimp is stolen from Weezie's refrigerator; and a woman is found sleeping in Weezie's shop window. Andrews (Savannah Breeze
; Hissy Fit
) nails idiosyncratic Southern charm and teases out a touching denouement.

December 4, 2006
Weezie Foley has high hopes for Christmas this year. She's working herself into a frenzy decorating her antique shop to win the Savannah historic district decorating contest; she's searching for the perfect present for her chef boyfriend, Daniel; she planning Christmas dinner for the first time for her and Daniel's families. Add a mysterious visitor to the shop and a missing Christmas tree pin and it's almost more than Weezie can handle. Andrews's delightful characters come to life thanks to Keating's reading, which offers just the right mixture of Southern twang and upbeat lilt. She nicely captures the humor that runs through the novel and the variety of characters that populate Weezie's life. The male voices tend to come across as hoarse instead of masculine, but this doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of a delightful Christmas tale full of memorable characters. This audio is the perfect gift this holiday season. Simultaneous release with the HarperCollins hardcover.

Isabel Keating's voice shines in her portrayal of characters who engage in a holiday shop-decorating contest in Savannah, Georgia. Keating's voice reflects antiques dealer Weezie Foley's enthusiasm as she embraces the task of decorating her store in a 1950s' theme. As Weezie makes holiday plans with boyfriend Daniel, her voice is tinged with humor, a tone that contrasts well with his deep, pragmatic tones. Weezie's neighbor, a fellow shop owner in the historic district, has a clear, distinctive Hispanic accent, complete with a touch of smugness that expresses his conviction that he will win the decorating contest. Keating's diction remains crisp and clear, even as she provides many of her characters with lilting Southern accents. S.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine