(Read by Julie McKay and James Patrick Cronin; HighBridge Audio; six CDs; seven hours; $29.99/ www.audible.com download; $20.99)
Based on a true story and brought to life with vibrant narration, this piece of period fiction unspools so quickly you'll be left wishing for more. Major Hockaday is called back to the Civil War after only two days of marriage to his much younger bride, Placidia. Left alone to run a plantation amid the deprivations of war, she faces hardships and terrors. When Hockaday returns two years later, he charges Placidia with murder and adultery. Letters and diary entries, written by multiple characters, help to unwind the mystery of her crimes in a manner that will leave readers guessing until the end. Kudos to both narrators for their regional accents and timing. Grade: A –
