But the dual narration works in the story, with its class-system clashes and race to find the truth.
Young’s YA thriller pits blue-collar locals (“Chasers”) against wealthy visitors (“the Collective”) in a coastal Florida community. Teens of both groups clash, though Jamie and Noa find themselves embroiled in what turns out to be a murder mystery involving their relatives. Ali Andre Ali and Kimberly Woods perform Jamie and Noa’s narratives. Ali in particular captures the assortment of characters well, with a good mix of voices on both sides of the Chaser/Collective divide. Woods has a very young-sounding voice, and she doesn’t distinguish between older and younger characters as deftly.
But the dual narration works in the story, with its class-system clashes and race to find the truth. (Thriller. 13-18)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 25 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668160039
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2026
This thriller’s tension never lets up thanks to Amoss’ attentive performance.
Listeners unearth a small town’s sordid past. After spending 10 years trying to escape the shadow of her father, infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn, 17-year-old Ryan Shipley is forced back to Starling, Tennessee. Narrator Sophie Amoss captures Ryan’s guarded, cynical point of view with an uneasy detachment, while also populating Starling with a full range of Southern small-town folk and true-crime obsessives, all of whom are harboring secrets of their own. Amoss shifts convincingly among them and delivers a tense performance that keeps listeners on edge throughout.
This thriller’s tension never lets up thanks to Amoss’ attentive performance. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: June 30, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 24 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217295289
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2026
A stellar, immersive auditory experience.
Stunning. Brilliant. Vulnerable. Righteous. Zeno Robinson’s dynamic narration makes this clever political and environmental thriller a tour de force. Benton Young, a love-struck high school senior, posts an earnest and passionate online plea for young people to stand up and demand better for their future. His post galvanizes a youth revolution, and Benton is elected president of the United States. As the movement spreads across the world, more young people are elected to lead nations. As Benton faces roadblocks from problematic adults in government and complicated geopolitics, he realizes that building a new world order is hard—and deadly. Robinson’s nimble and dynamic performance is accompanied by newscasts, social media posts, and intelligence reports, all delivered by a full cast. Listeners will have lingering thoughts about the role we play in our own future.
A stellar, immersive auditory experience. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 15 hrs, 44 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217171972
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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