Bluegrass

Sounding like a bluegrass singer in a smoky bar, Ed Sala narrates the story of Katy Autry, a na•ve 18-year-old student at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. In May 2003, she was beaten, raped, set on fire, and left to die in her college dorm room. The evidence led authorities to high school dropout Stephen Soules and local ne'er-do-well Lucas Goodrum. Van Meter focuses on small-town backbiting, prosecutorial clumsiness, abusive families, alcohol, drugs, sex, and murder, making this story feel more like creative nonfiction than true crime. Sala uses Van Meter's dramatic approach, creating believable backgrounds and colorful characterizations, but the narrative is more sensational than informational, minimizing the serious nature of the horrific crime. Sala's soulful performance adds the missing dignity and gravitas. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine