Until She Comes Home

By: Lori Roy

Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Winner of an Edgar Award for Best First Novel for Bent Road, Lori Roy returns with Until She Comes Home, a tale of spellbinding suspense in which murder crumbles the facade of a changing Detroit neighborhood.

In 1958 Detroit, neighbors on Alder Avenue struggle to care for one another amid a city rife with conflicts that threaten their peaceful street.

Grace, Alder’s only expectant mother, eagerly awaits her firstborn; her best friend, Julia, prepares to welcome twin nieces; and Malina sets the tone with her stylish dresses, tasteful home, and ironfisted stewardship of St. Alban’s bake sale.

Life erupts when childlike Elizabeth disappears while in the care of Grace and Julia. All the ladies fear that the recent murder of a black woman at the factory on Willingham Avenue where their husbands work may portend what has become of Elizabeth. They also fear what will become of Julia - the last person to see Elizabeth alive.

The men mount an around-the-clock search, leaving their families vulnerable to sinister elements hidden in plain sight. Only Grace knows what happened, but her mother warns her not to tell. "No man wants to know this about his wife." Ashamed that her silence puts loved ones in harm’s way, Grace gravitates toward the women of Willingham Avenue, who recognize her suffering as their own. Through their acceptance, Grace conquers her fear and dares to act.

On Alder Avenue, vicious secrets bind friends, neighbors, and spouses. For the wicked among them, the walk home will be long.

©2013 Lori Roy (P)2013 Blackstone Audio

Boring!

What would have made Until She Comes Home better?

Don't waste your time. Poor character development, lots of skipping around without notification to the reader; making it difficult to realize who is who. Story is weak, little if any imagination.

What do you think your next listen will be?

No

How could the performance have been better?

Written by another person

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Until She Comes Home?

all of them and started over

Compelling mystery, poor narrator

I am reluctant to harshly criticize the narrator but am doing so because her performance detracted considerably from how I experienced a very good novel. Ms. Gavin has an unusually pleasing voice and is excellent when reading in the author's voice. However, when she tries to perform in the characters voices she really falls flat. Her attempts at accents are totally inauthentic (I grew up in Detroit in the 40s and 50s and never heard anyone speak her accents). She also does the male voices poorly. In my judgement the good narrators-- and they are the majority-- understand that "less is more". The ones that try too hard and overdo generally fail.

Not what I expected

Would you try another book from Lori Roy and/or Marguerite Gavin?

There were many references to and descriptions of life in the 1950's and they were quite interesting and spot on in most cases; like the fashion styles and trends, home décor and furnishings. She certainly did her research. However, I won't be rushing out to read or listen to any more of Lori Roy's books, if this one is an indication of her style of writing.The story was bland and tedious. The characters shallow and difficult to warm up to or at least be entertained by. It was a depressing account of life back then and certainly not how I remember it as a child growing up during those times. Perhaps my mother was more liberated and confident, and my father much less chauvinistic. The narrator was fine, she was able to portray each character in an realistic manner.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Plainsong.

Would you be willing to try another one of Marguerite Gavin’s performances?

Perhaps

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No