It might have been tempting to make all the characters sound alike (since all of the action takes place in rural Rose, Kansas), but Gilbert voices the richly drawn characters in distinct fashion. Bad-seed Billy whines when he is accused of cattle mutilation and murder, and Hugh Jay (Jody’s father) sounds thoughtful and kind. Jody’s mother, Laurie, who disappeared after the murder, speaks in a slight southern accent with petulant overtones; Jody’s grandmother’s voice is strong and clear, and listeners feel her pain when she sobs over her dead son’s body and shows kindness to Billy’s wife. The sweet “baby” voice of toddler Jody shifts in cadence and timbre as she matures to a confident young woman. Billy’s tormented son grows from a bewildered young boy to a determined man; Gilbert changes pitch to indicate his age and transformation. Rose, Kansas, simmers with secrets, and as the plot unfolds, listeners gradually learn the truth and the fatal consequences in this memorable story. Booklist