Prospect Park West

Kate Reading strikes exactly the right note in performing this razor-sharp satire of self-obsessed social climbers in trendy Park Slope: she reads each character's point of view with absolute earnestness, truthfully conveying their cattiness, pettiness, and outrage when their needs aren't met. She deftly creates distinctive voices for each character—from jaded, throaty drama queen Melora to nasal, whiny Karen, from an Australian celebrity actor to a Swedish nanny—always sounding utterly authentic and never missing a beat. Her masterful performance makes this scathingly entertaining novel a must-listen on audio. A Simon & Schuster hardcover (Reviews, June 1). (Aug.)