Caitlin Davies's performance of this young adult paranormal story will have listeners on edge. It is summer again. Sixteen-year-old Margaret Moore and the Deck 5 girls are together at the Marshall Naval School once more, just as they have been every year since they were 9. But this summer is different, and it is all Margaret's fault. The story is told in a stream-of-consciousness style from Margaret's point of view. Davies expertly portrays the teen's scattered memories and heightened emotions, imbuing her with all the passion, hopefulness, and devastation Margaret experiences. In doing so, Davies brings Margaret's harrowing story to life, and encourages listeners to listen to the audiobook again just to see what clues they might have missed.
(Paranormal thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250820693
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ellet’s performance accents the growing tension of both storylines until the plots converge at breakneck speed.
Capturing Johnson’s witty writing, Emily Ellet’s narration gracefully merges the many worlds of 18-year-old detective Stevie Bell. Ellet depicts a disheartened Stevie, who has broken up with her boyfriend. Her parents are judgmental about her sleuthing, so she decides not to return home for Christmas. When Stevie’s best friend invites her to his borrowed NYC apartment, Ellet introduces and differentiates a range of the building’s eccentric inhabitants, including a raucous parrot. Then two murders occur in rapid succession, and Stevie finds herself embroiled in another mystery. In alternating chapters, Ellet also immerses listeners in a secondary plot about Blue, a teenager in 1976 who’s seduced into joining a band of pranksters, only to later realize she’s trapped in a cult.
Ellet’s performance accents the growing tension of both storylines until the plots converge at breakneck speed. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 40 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063256040
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Nov. 14, 2026
After hearing Carpenter’s expert performance, listeners will want in on the next con.
A teenage con artist. An undead crow. The lord of the afterlife. Narrator Joanna Carpenter brings all these characters—and many more—to life in this YA heist fantasy. Left reeling after her brother’s death, Elle Fields is determined to bring him back to life, but she’ll need to reassemble her old crew in order to do it. Elle cons a rich stranger to fund the job, pulls her ragtag team together, and enters the afterlife to steal a resurrection spell. Bringing back the dead proves to be the easiest part, as betrayals abound and old wounds come back to bite Elle. Carpenter’s wit and charm is on full display. She nails the various accents Elle uses, and she brings out the story’s humor and heart.
After hearing Carpenter’s expert performance, listeners will want in on the next con. (Fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 49 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217342068
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 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.
