A Dangerous Woman

Martha Horgan, the central figure in Morris's deeply affecting second novel, is an endlessly exasperating character. Suffering a mental illness that is never defined, she yearns for love and human connections yet is incapable of fathoming how to fulfill those needs. Surrounded by people who are themselves selfish, self-absorbed or uncaring, Martha's possibilities for happiness are dim indeed. In a heartbreaking and intelligent performance, Phimister conveys the depths of Martha's desire and her frustrations at deciphering the nature of others. Phimister's clipped voice captures the tortured young Vermont woman's vulnerability, as well as the brittleness that intimidates those around her. As the story proceeds, the sense of impending calamity for a character you have come to like becomes almost unbearable. M.O. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

January 1, 1991
This second novel corroborates the remarkable talent McGarry displayed in Vanished , her stunning story of a child kidnapped by two misfits. Here again her protagonist is a woman who is not ``normal,'' 32-year-old, emotionally unstable Martha Horgan. Neither Martha nor her small Vermont town have recovered from an incident in Martha's teens when she was sexually humiliated by a group of boys; ``that night in the woods'' is the leitmotif of her life. Now universally known as ``Marthorgan,'' achingly aware that she is different but unable to govern her inappropriate behavior, Martha is handicapped by an outspoken candor unfettered by tact or guile. Having lost her only job and the benevolent attention of the kindhearted woman who hired her, Martha is obliged to return to the home of her aunt, the young widow of the town's richest citizen, who grudgingly assumes responsibility for her high-strung niece. When a seedy, erratic but charming boozer comes on the scene, Martha's uncontrollable sexual longing and the aftermath of her obsessive love breed inevitable tragedy. McGarry's portrayal of Martha's damaged psyche is unerringly empathetic, honest and compassionate. She turns the same clear-sighted eye on the book's other characters, a richly human mixture, and even the less admirable sometimes redeem themselves with thoughtfulness toward the self-destructive Martha. In the end, as Martha falls through the safety net her impaired condition requires, the community confronts its culpability in failing to provide emotional succor. In this compelling, suspenseful narrative, Morris speaks to larger issues while limning an unforgettable portrait of a vulnerable woman. 50,000 first printing; $50,000 ad/promo; BOMC selection; movie rights to Am blin Entertainment; author tour. (Jan.) .

Martha Horgan is a young woman who has been treated all her life with a mixture of fear, mocking and mean-spiritedness simply because she is odd and doesn't fit in. Kimberly Schraf catches the tone of those who taunt Horgan and drive her to the edge of desperation. Schraf skillfully develops Horgan's voice and personality as a neurotic reflection of the traits and personality of those "normal" people who have influenced her. Schraf narrates in a manner that adds dimension and realism without overreaching. Her speech patterns and cadence suggest a character suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder, who can't process the subtleties or ironies of those around her. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

August 1, 1998
Morris (Vanished, Audio Reviews, LJ 2/15/92) has created a powerful, disconcerting, and heartbreaking story of a woman who is most dangerous to herself, and reader Ruth Ann Phimister is unerringly adept at capturing Martha's pain, hope, honesty, and desperation. The people in her small Vermont hometown have always viewed Martha Horgan as strange; teenagers and children taunt her with cries of "Marthorgan!" as she walks down the street. She is always brutally honest, hounds those she likes with several phone calls a day, and has frequent angry outbursts. Her aunt, with whom she lives, has, unknown to Martha, subsidized her job at the dry cleaner. When she loses the job because of the lies of a co-worker, her isolation increases, which worsens her compulsive and ultimately self-destructive behavior. Phimister complements Morris's ability to immerse the listener completely in Martha's world so that her logic seems almost credible. An essential purchase for fiction collections.--Melody A. Moxley, Rowan P.L., Salisbury, NC

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