BASIL & DAHLIA A Tragic Tale of Sinister Sweetness

Matthew Lloyd Davies's British accent blends surprisingly well with this story of two young American orphans. Listeners meet shrewd Basil and Dahlia Bloom, who hop off a freight train to avoid ending up in separate foster homes. When they find themselves lost in New York City, Gutsy Dahlia implores celebrity baker Laurel Fox for help. Fox is Davies's best creation. Davies playfully addresses listeners with wonderful asides as the siblings realize that Fox is using their salty-sweet tears to improve her brownies. In addition to Fox's loathsome staff, Davies creates brusque New York truck drivers and cops. And he ratchets up the action when Basil and Dahlia realize they must prove that Fox--already a murderer--is also kidnapping other children for their tears. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2024]