In this satisfying thriller, Casey, voiced with nuanced flair by Patricia Santomasso, must negotiate the late night arrival of a bloody knife-wielding girl without being able to call for help due to a vicious storm. Tina Wolstencroft narrates the backstory, which involves Ella, an isolated teen with a controlling mother who is an abusive hoarder. Wolstencroft manages the tricky task of sounding believably young without seeming whiny or stereotypical. Joe Hempel voices Casey's neighbor, Lee, who connects all the mysterious dots at the end of the story. However, while well done, his brief inclusion as a narrator feels unnecessary. Santomasso's sardonic undertone enhances Casey's believability as a loner whose childhood trauma has made her wary of human relationships. Santomasso's narration carries the story.
Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798349102691
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Pabon sustains a steady emotional register that underscores the enduring impact of unresolved trauma.
Timothy Andrés Pabon gives a reflective performance of this semiautobiographical novel, which is based on a double death in the author’s rural Spanish hometown during his adolescence. Pabon presents the events of Christmas Eve 1995 with measured clarity, outlining the story of a young man who kills his sister and commits suicide, then guiding the listener into a reopened inquiry years later. Pabon adopts a deliberate, contemplative pace that mirrors the narrator’s methodical reconstruction of the past. His delivery carries the weight of grief, guilt, and persistence as the narrator revisits formative experiences shaped by religion, illness, and isolation.
Pabon sustains a steady emotional register that underscores the enduring impact of unresolved trauma.Pub Date: April 14, 2026
Duration: N/A
DD ISBN: 9781962556156
Publisher: Pushkin Industries
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2026
Jones' narration is grounding and clear, and listeners have a front-row seat for the developing tensions.
Ami Okumura Jones deftly dramatizes how what starts as a friendship between Eriko and Shoko tips over into obsession. Jones uses small shifts in pacing, tone, and narration style to convey the growing friction between the two women as a distinguishable, audible experience. She communicates the differences between Eriko’s meticulous intensity and Shoko’s more casual, self-deprecating humor. Eriko is attempting to reintroduce Nile perch into the Japanese fish market. Jones’ delivery reflects Eriko’s rigid, professional exterior, which masks a deep sense of isolation. Jones sounds more approachable as Shoko, a popular lifestyle blogger.
Jones' narration is grounding and clear, and listeners have a front-row seat for the developing tensions.Pub Date: March 17, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs, 35 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063442443
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2026
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