Derby Day

In Victorian England, a variety of spectators arrive at Epsom Downs for the annual derby, expecting racehorse Tiberius to take home the prize. But as race day approaches, George Happerton, owner of Tiberius and new husband of the entitled Rebecca Gresham, hatches a plan to throw the race—a plan that will only work if he can avoid the watchful eye of the local constabulary. With his crisp delivery and tonal shifts, Simon Vance infuses Taylor’s prose with an energy that will engage listeners until the very end. Vance creates a variety of voices and regional accents—each one appropriate and true to life—for the characters and smoothly transitions among dialogue and exposition and description. This audio edition is a real treat for listeners. A Pegasus hardcover. (Apr.)