Shem Creek

A Lowcountry Tale

By: Dorothea Benton Frank

Narrated by: Sandra Burr, Dick Hill

Meet Linda Breland, single parent of two teenage daughters. The oldest, Lindsey, who always held her younger sister in check, is leaving for college. And Gracie, her Tasmanian devil, is giving her nightmares. Linda's personal life? Well, between the married men, the cold New Jersey winters, her pinched wallet and her ex-husband who marries a beautiful, successful woman 10 years younger than she is - let's just say, Linda has seen enough to fill 1000 pages.

As the story opens, she is barreling down Interstate 95, bound for Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, the land of her ancestors. Welcomed by the generous heart of her advice-dispensing sister, Mimi, Linda and her daughters slowly begin to find their way and discover a sweeter rhythm of life.

And then there's Brad Jackson, a former investment banker of Atlanta, Georgia who hires her to run his restaurant on Shem Creek. Like everyone else, Brad's got a story of his own - namely an almost ex-wife, Loretta who is the kind of gal who gives women a bad name.

The real protagonist of this story is the Lowcountry itself. The magical waters of Shem Creek, the abundant wildlife and the astounding power of nature give this tiny corner of the planet its infallible reputation as a place for introspection, contemplation and healing.

As in all her previous work, you'll find Shem Creek to be compulsively readable, irreverent but warm and blazingly authentic - and you'll dread reaching the last page. It is her vivid writing, colorful characters and rich narrative that have made Dorothea Benton Frank one of our nation's greatest storytellers. Shem Creek is a triumphant novel that proves we are all entitled to a second chance. The challenge is to learn how to recognize it when it comes and to know which chance to take.

Public Domain (P)2004 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Story good, male voices left a little to be desired.

I always enjoy reading Dot Frank’s books. So to relive these books I turn to audible. Now that it’s been a number of years since some of these were written, some of the references to items and lifestyles are pretty dated. The stories, for the most part, have solid characters that are fun to listen to in what i enjoy as light, sweet reads. The story of “Shem Creek” seems a little slow but, to me, the voices of the male characters were not creative, or varied, enough. Some of the character voices a
Sounded as if they were middle schoolers. Not very convincing!

Wrong reader

Would you listen to Shem Creek again? Why?

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

I didn't enjoy the readers as much as I do Robin Miles, I felt the person who read the part of Brad sounded too old.

Attitudes towards women appalling

This book was written in 2004 and while I realize that attitudes of women's sexuality have changed, the slut shaming is appalling. The novel presents itself as tolerant, yet the one dimensional characters come across as stereotypes. The male voices are atrocious as is the main character. It was hard to get thru.

Just Love Dorthea Benton Frank !

This lady really knows how to spin fantastic tells. it has been through her books that I have learn so much information about the Low Country of SC and the Ace Basin. Thank you Miss Frank.

Bravo!

If you have ever read Dorothea Benton Frank you are in for yet another fabulous story. I have read almost all of her books but this one, well I tell you, it is my new favorite book of this genre EVER!! Treat yourself to the audio version and the hardback. The performance was brilliant by all who participated and the author's words spoken made me laugh out loud and cry like a baby. Can't say enough good things about Shem Creek.

Loved the story

I maybe biased. I had lived there for many years. l can picture it all!

So Wonderful!

I've enjoyed reading all of the low country series....simply loved this book! Everyone should read her books!

Substance and Sweet Romance

I really loved this story, with its sweet romance along with the substance of real life situations. The very interesting characters were brought to life by terrific narrators. I highly recommend this book.

Loved it!

Loved the story and the narration. The reader can make or break an audiobook for me. Sometimes I just give up and read the real book. I thought the narration was outstanding. Each character's voice was distinct and instantly recognizable as soon as I heard it. I know different people have different tastes, but I personally thought it was extremely well done. The story captivated me from the get-go and I very much enjoyed and cared about the characters. I found the complete audiobook humorous, engaging and a true pleasure from start to finish. 2 thumbs up from me!

Enjoyable Listen!!!

This story has it all. Funny, love, sad and a great story line. Sandra Burr as the narrator is wonderful. I would highly recommend this book.