Listeners will be engaged, intrigued, and kept guessing till the twisty end.
Ari Fliakos and Brittany Pressley narrate alternating chapters from the viewpoints of Quinn Riley, a boy from a working-class family, and pretty, popular Jules Delaney. The plot structure provides listeners with a window into their lives on one day each year, from high school onward, for more than a decade. Quinn’s birthday, May 1, coincides with the anniversary of annual attacks and disappearances of young women in midwestern towns. Jules is one of the few survivors of these attacks by the May Day Killer. Listeners get to follow Jules and Quinn as their stories evolve and converge. Both narrators masterfully convey their protagonists as well as the other characters, young and old, good and surprisingly evil.
Listeners will be engaged, intrigued, and kept guessing till the twisty end.Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 7 hrs, 38 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250445636
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
Halstead handles moments of unease with restraint as Nicholas gets closer to the truth.
Graham Halstead delivers a hair-raising performance in this classic whodunit, which takes place on the remote tip of Cape Cod. Halstead makes the most of a familiar setup as Nicholas, a ghostwriter, arrives during the holidays to help a famous writer finish a book. Halstead gives the various guests and family members distinct vocal identities, which helps the listener clarify their relationships and competing motives. He plays up the raucousness in scene after scene, including the drunken evening that ends in two deaths. Halstead then switches to a measured pace that allows suspicion to build gradually as Nicholas gathers clues.
Halstead handles moments of unease with restraint as Nicholas gets closer to the truth.Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 34 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063433694
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
Howard maintains tight suspense until the very end.
Florence Howard gives this period mystery a poised, atmospheric performance that suits its glittering, dangerous setting. On the opening night of a grand hotel in 1926 London, Diana Gold welcomes an eclectic crowd while awaiting two influential figures from her past. Howard creates a confident, commanding persona for Diana, with subtle undertones that suggest unease. Howard ratchets up the tension when a guest is discovered dead. Howard plays up the whodunit staples as the celebration turns into a search for answers when hidden motives emerge among those gathered. She distinguishes the vast cast through changes in cadence and vocal texture, keeping the listener grounded. Her pacing gathers momentum as revelations surface and suspicion jumps between the guests and staff.
Howard maintains tight suspense until the very end.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 10 mins
DD ISBN: 9781488237980
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 13, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
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