In George's debut young-adult fiction, Amy McFadden portrays Becca, a teen who is on the run from her stepfather, a con man who used her psychic powers to extract money from the elderly. McFadden seamlessly combines paranormal events with the adolescent crises of a teen who finds herself on her own. Becca is befriended by Debbie, a recovering alcoholic, and Seth, a musician who is also on the fringes of society. Plagued by a learning disability and problems with his love life, Seth sounds whiny and too young for his 17 years, but McFadden skillfully portrays the troubled Becca and the voices that haunt her. McFadden also creates strong portraits of secondary characters such as Debbie's ebullient grandchildren.
(Paranormal mystery. 12 & up)Pub Date: June 11, 2013
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781480505285
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
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.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
