Alex McKenna's gravelly timbre captures the attitudes of rough, rebellious Finley Blake. Finley, who lives in New York City, travels back to the small Maine town where she grew up, determined find out the truth behind the murder of her best friend, Betty. Driven by her quest, she turns herself into a noirish detective as she interrogates former classmates, trespasses, manipulates friends and family, lies, vandalizes, and steals. She also finds a sleuthing partner in--and then falls in love with--the troubled Serena. McKenna gives Serena even more hoarseness than Finley's. By the end, McKenna's voice seems almost grating as Finley's dogged efforts increase her despair, yet she remains a sympathetic character.
(Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781524755102
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Santana’s ability to maneuver through multiple layers of this gripping mystery will win over listeners.
This grisly young adult thriller is skillfully delivered by André Santana, accompanied by a cast. It's been five years since the Trojan Murders in Moss Pointe that took the lives of four high school football players, and hometown journalist Pryce is out to prove that the killer was set up by someone else. Santana’s honest depiction of Pryce makes him a determined and relatable protagonist. While the writing moves quickly, Santana’s smooth performance keeps pace, delivering plenty of emotional beats and shocking twists. Sections of the audiobook including snippets of a podcast about the case feature additional narrators, making for a fuller listening experience.
Santana’s ability to maneuver through multiple layers of this gripping mystery will win over listeners. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798217172078
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2026
A roller coaster of a young adult thriller.
Daniel Henning’s narration grabs hold of listeners and leads them through this tale of escaping from cruelty into the hands of a murderer. Desperate not to return to his religious parents and the horrors of a conversion camp, an unnamed gay teenager takes on the identity of Nate Beaumont, a boy who has been missing for 10 years. As he settles in with a family who seem to genuinely believe he is their son, he soon learns that the original Nate might have died at the hands of one of the family members. With a vocal flexibility that, like a real teenager, shifts quickly between emotions of relief, fear, and confusion, Henning captures Nate with youthful vigor.
A roller coaster of a young adult thriller. (Thriller. 15-18)Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063338357
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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