Doug Parker, "slim, beautiful, sad," is a 29-year-old widower, passing his days in whiskey-soaked suburban seclusion. (Hailey, his wife, was killed the year before in a plane crash.) But his seclusion is disrupted by a bizarre cast of interfering characters--mostly family. Narrator Eric Ruben seems to have the most fun with the secondary characters--Doug's 16-year-old screwed-up pothead stepson, Russ; his foul-mouthed pregnant twin, Claire, who moves in with him; and his demented but well-meaning father. Doug himself sounds less interesting, a bit wimpy. The pace is slow, particularly in the remembrances of Hailey, but picks up in the humorous interactions with the do-gooder torturers. The ending is predictably sappy, but, overall, this is an enjoyable story.
Pub Date: July 17, 2007
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781423328469
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Emotional, timely, and powerful, Picoult's latest is a must-listen.
A talented team of narrators brings this compelling story to life. Molly Fitzgerald, voiced by Rebecca Soler, lost her mom during the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Twenty-five years later, she runs the Rhode Island Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response and is all too aware of life's many potential risks. Her husband, Jesse, is a police detective—and was also a character in Picoult's earlier novel, My Sister's Keeper (2004). When the unexpected happens, everyone in Molly's life is impacted and must navigate the fallout. The narrators’ pacing perfectly matches the unfolding storylines as the perspective shifts between Molly, Jesse, and Molly's mother, Eloise. All three narrators bring an authenticity to the characters that will keep listeners engaged and invested until the very end.
Emotional, timely, and powerful, Picoult's latest is a must-listen.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2026
Duration: 15 hrs, 39 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217404483
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
This audiobook will likely disappoint Moriarty’s legions of fans.
In this sequel to Big Little Lies, the author fast-forwards 10 years to revisit the book’s familiar circle of Australian female friends. They are just entering their 50s (except for the younger Jane), raising teenagers, caring for aging parents, confronting health issues like cancer—and they are embroiled in several gender-based crimes involving their daughters. The author introduces the audiobook herself with a charming behind-the-scenes look at how the sequel was subtly influenced by the impactful performances of actors Meryl Streep and Laura Dern in the television adaptation. While narrator Caroline Lee is skilled at portraying the dense tapestry of emotions driving each character, her voice is too old to believably portray this tightly bonded group of middle-aged friends. Ella Le Fournour voices the teenaged characters and sounds appropriately youthful, but she often narrates at a breakneck pace.
This audiobook will likely disappoint Moriarty’s legions of fans.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
Duration: 15 hrs, 21 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217406821
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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