Ex-California rich girl Madeline Dare returns for a second mystery (after Field of Darkness
), set in 1989 at a school for disturbed adolescents in the Berkshires, where the strictures and therapy requirements for the staff are only slightly less stringent than those for the students. After a pair of teenage lovers are poisoned, new teacher Madeline uncovers several dark (and fairly unsurprising) secrets about the school as she searches for the killer. The mystery's murderer and motives soon become obvious, as do the red herrings. It's the unflinching drama and sharply drawn characters that make this book, and both are ably realized by Hilary Huber, who is adept at both male and female voices and a variety of accents. She perfectly evokes Madeline with a mix of tart cynicism and warm compassion. Aside from the vaguely irritating musical strings inserted between chapters, this is fine and involving to listen to. Simultaneous release with the Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 15
, 2007). (Feb.)
