The Gate House

DeMille's follow-up to his bestselling The Gold Coast features protagonist John Sutter falling back into old habits and acquaintances as he comes home to Long Island. Narrator Christian Rummel gives an awkward reading, struggling to capture the character of Sutter through a voice that sounds manufactured and often uneasy. Rummel fares slightly better with supporting characters such as Sutter's ex-wife, though the first-person narrative from Sutter's perspective ensures that most of the novel is read with that same nervous tone. Rummel never finds his groove, eternally searching for the proper narrative tone that will captivate the audience. A Grand Central hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 18). (Oct.)