Kaffe Keating and Heather Long give masterful performances of Everett's debut thriller about 10 strangers who have been kidnapped and brought to a mysterious house. Keating's and Long's nimble narration of strangers who range from an arrogant army captain to an ornery, lonely woman and a young, single mom with an infant daughter is full-bodied and keeps listeners invested. Keating is especially adept at his portrayal of "the Beast," the listeners' guide to the murders and other disruptive events that occur. Long embodies the horrors of grief, guilt, and death with impeccable precision. Listeners will appreciate Everett's nod to Agatha Christie's renowned work AND THEN THERE WERE NONE.
Pub Date: March 25, 2025
Duration: 10 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668109465
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Aquino builds suspense, gradually exposing secrets.
Jennifer Aquino masterfully presents this domestic thriller set in an affluent neighborhood where a father is found stabbed to death on a playground. She uses shifts in vocal tone, rhythm, and characterization as the investigation unfolds. Aquino helps listeners sift through the recollections of four women whose relationships with the victim reveal competing motives, resentments, and ambitions. Her delivery captures Lucy’s impulsiveness, Rachel’s anxiety, Grace’s composure, and Carmen’s insecurity. When two women also disappear and an earlier suspicious death resurfaces, Aquino matches the heightened tension by picking up the pace and intensity as the residents begin to question the people they thought they knew.
Aquino builds suspense, gradually exposing secrets.Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 58 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668658840
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: tomorrow
Halstead handles moments of unease with restraint as Nicholas gets closer to the truth.
Graham Halstead delivers a hair-raising performance in this classic whodunit, which takes place on the remote tip of Cape Cod. Halstead makes the most of a familiar setup as Nicholas, a ghostwriter, arrives during the holidays to help a famous writer finish a book. Halstead gives the various guests and family members distinct vocal identities, which helps the listener clarify their relationships and competing motives. He plays up the raucousness in scene after scene, including the drunken evening that ends in two deaths. Halstead then switches to a measured pace that allows suspicion to build gradually as Nicholas gathers clues.
Halstead handles moments of unease with restraint as Nicholas gets closer to the truth.Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 34 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063433694
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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