Hissy Fit

Moira Driscoll is a perfect fit for Keeley Murdock, a modern-day Southerner who throws a legendary hissy fit when her relationship with town playboy A.J. Jernigan dissolves the night before their wedding. Moira Driscoll's accent, while decidedly Southern, is not too thick to bury Keeley's sophistication, yet not so light that the small-town Georgia girl she once was is lost. Driscoll does equally well when portraying Will Mahoney, a solid Yankee-turned-plantation-owner who navigates the social mazes of Southern life, as well as his pack-a-day aging secretary. Driscoll takes Andrews's lovable characters, throws in enough vocal personality for each, and creates a story that can lift you out of your car and drop you onto Main Street in Madison, Georgia, for hours of fun and silliness. H.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

July 5, 2004
Interior decorator Keeley Rae Murdock has designed her whole life, right down to the antique Oriental rug planned for the foot of her bed. What she never counted on was discovering her fiancé, A.J. Jernigan, cavorting with her maid of honor in the middle of her rehearsal dinner. She pitches a hissy fit that reverberates through her tiny hometown of Madison, Ga., and captures the attention of Will Mahoney, a newcomer who recently purchased an antebellum plantation house. Headstrong, freckled Will pressures Keeley to restore the rundown mansion within six months. His plan: to woo a woman whom he has seen only on television by designing the house of her dreams by Christmas. Keeley knows it's an insane plan, but the Jernigans are now trying to put her out of business, so she begrudgingly accepts. As the house comes together, Keeley discovers links between the Jernigan legacy of infidelity and her mother's disappearance many years ago. Darker than the book's fluffy title suggests, this black comedy is riven with shocking secrets. And Keeley's vast knowledge of all things antique offers a fascinating peek into the luscious world of designer home furnishing, sure to make readers drool with envy over sideboards and sofas. Agent, Stuart Krichevsky. (Aug. 22)

Forecast:
Andrews's
Little Bitty Lies built on the success of
Savannah Blues, and this sharp Southern treat should bump Andrews up another notch. 12-city author tour.

It's difficult to imagine a better depiction of Keeley Murdock, the Georgia interior designer who faces challenges greater than color schemes. While renovating a plantation home, she loses a philandering fiancé and learns the truth about her missing mother. Mixed in with the mystery and romance is a liberal helping of comedy, thanks to Isabel Keating's delightful, down-to-earth, and completely Southern vocal characterizations. Listeners will love her portrayal of good old boys A.J. and Drew and will howl over florist Austin. And, yes, they will learn just exactly what a hissy fit is. J.J.B. 2005 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine