Darling Rose Gold

January 27, 2020
The release of 58-year-old Patty Watts from an Illinois prison kick-starts Wrobel’s diabolically plotted debut. It wasn’t until Patty’s daughter, Rose Gold, turned 16 and gained internet access that she realized her mother had been poisoning her since infancy; Rose Gold’s undiagnosable illness was actually ipecac-induced vomiting resulting in crippling malnutrition. Rose Gold’s testimony not only helped convict Patty, but pitted all of the dying town of Deadwick against her, so it’s a shock when Patty finishes her sentence and moves in with Rose Gold—now a 23-year-old single mother to two-month-old Adam. Patty is determined to win back the neighbors and regain control of her daughter’s life; unbeknownst to Patty, however, Rose Gold has plans of her own. Rose Gold’s past-tense narration, which chronicles her rocky path to independence, alternates with present-tense chapters from Patty’s point of view documenting her postincarceration transformation from predator to prey. Propulsive pacing, a claustrophobic setting, and vividly sketched characters who are equal parts victim and villain conspire to create an anxious, unsettling narrative. Psychological suspense fans will be well satisfied. Agent: Madeleine Milburn, Madeleine Milburn Literary (U.K.).

Repellent characters can make for an enticing story, as is shown in this well-performed audiobook. Patty Watts went to prison for five years for her long-standing abuse of her daughter, Rose Gold, who was 18 when her mother was convicted. After her release, Patty, oddly enough, moves in with her daughter--who either very much forgives her mom or very much does not. Narrator Megan Dodds's portrayal of Patty is sometimes sarcastic, sometimes arrogant, oftentimes delusional, and sometimes comical. Jill Winternitz, as Rose Gold, is sometimes sympathetic, always manipulative, and frequently lying. Dodds's performance is edgier, which fits the character, as does Winternitz's more subdued characterization of Rose Gold, who is a lonely, troubled young adult. This is an outstanding story with first-rate performances. G.S. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine