A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty

Many writers shouldn’t narrate the audio editions of their books; it’s always a disappointment when a talented author who’s not equally gifted as an actor decides to go the DIY route. Thankfully, that’s not the case with Joshilyn Jackson, whose wild, dark humor shines all the more brightly when she narrates her own work. Like her other novels, this latest is set in the rural South—and the voices and accents Jackson creates for her characters are utterly believable. She ably brings to life three women at different stages of life: Ginny, a resourceful 45-year-old grandmother caring for her 30-year-old daughter, Liza, who suffered a debilitating stroke, and her granddaughter, Mosey, a 15-year-old girl who is determined not to become a pregnant teen like her mother and grandmother. When a backyard tree excavation unearths an infant’s bones, all three women encounter family secrets that test the strength of their love. Jackson’s high-pitched, fast-paced narration serves the story well. A Grand Central hardcover. (Jan.)