On Turpentine Lane

December 19, 2016
When Faith Frankel moves from Brooklyn back to her hometown of Everton, Mass., she falls in love with a little house on Turpentine Lane. The house, because of rumors about a death that took place there, is well within her salary as a fund-raiser, so despite the asbestos and a failing roof, she decides to buy it. She’s accustomed to challenging projects, starting with Stuart Levine, her longtime boyfriend who has left on a solo hitchhiking expedition with her credit card. No sooner does she move into the house does she learn that the previous owner’s second and third husbands fell down the basement stairs to their deaths. Stuart is unsupportive, so she finally dumps him, encouraged by Nick Franconi, officemate and soon-to-be roommate. Faith and Nick develop a relationship while she tries to solve the mystery of the deaths at Turpentine Lane, her parents’ faltering marriage, and her eligible-bachelor brother’s lack of a significant other. With a witty cast of characters and her usual delightful dialogue and insightful observations of human behavior, Lipman (The Inn at Lake Devine) captures the complications of modern love. Agent: Suzanne Gluck, WME Entertainment.

So what if Faith Frankel's fianc� has turned out to be a dud, her new house may have once been the scene of multiple murders, and her boss has wrongly accused her of embezzling? Her friends and handsome co-worker are there to see her through. Narrator Mia Barron's spot-on timing brings out the best of the smart dialogue and understated humor in this story of contemporary life for the 30-something crowd. Barron's consistent voices serve as guideposts, making sure listeners always know which character is speaking--whether it's the town police detective who needs to search Faith's basement for blood stains or Faith's retired father, who suddenly decides he's an artist. Barron's delivery of quirky characters and multiple plotlines contributes to this entertaining audiobook. C.B.L. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine