The Burgess Boys

Brothers Jim and Bob, both lawyers, revisit their roots when sister Susan beckons them back to Shirley Falls, Maine, to help deal with her son’s legal shenanigans. But returning home means stirring up all the issues and emotions that the three siblings have worked to ignore for years. Cassandra Campbell uses rich narration, stellar timing, and a knack for emphasizing just the right words at the right moments to squeeze every ounce of dramatic tension from Strout’s novel. She modulates her tone and pace to keep listeners engaged, creating believable and distinguished character voices. Finally, Campbell invokes Maine accents sparingly—using them only when the text demands it and successfully avoiding the trap of caricature. A Random House hardcover. (Mar.)