A talented ensemble cast narrates a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller set at a prestigious Miami public school. When newcomer Melody Howard arrives from Kansas, she is swept into the glamorous world of PTA moms at her daughter's new school. Andi Arndt's portrayal of Melody as she slowly unravels due to the high-stakes pressure of her new environment is compelling. Other stand-out performances include Helen Laser as Darcy Resnick, a sarcastic and cynical lawyer; Saskia Maarleveld as Charlotte Giordani, a powerhouse player in the PTA; and Robin Miles as Jude Carol Lawson, the seeming voice of reason in the over-the-top world of Sunset Academy. Together, the cast creates a wildly entertaining yet deeply disturbing portrait of a school and a community in trouble.
Pub Date: July 30, 2024
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063312821
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Despite Powers' strong performance, Diaz’s fans may be disappointed.
Narrator Imani Jade Powers puts her all into Diaz's first novel since his Pulitzer Prize, but the story’s emphasis on philosophy, physics, and politics over personality works against her. Powers maintains momentum through the driest sections, though it may be nearly impossible to put a great deal of passion into a speech about Heraclitean philosophy. The story is about a pincher (electricity thief) who gets involved with an orphan and a scientist possibly suffering from dementia. Nearly all the characters come from the same unnamed city, so accents are not an issue, but Powers clearly distinguishes characters and does what she can with the often restricted emotional ranges.
Despite Powers' strong performance, Diaz’s fans may be disappointed.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 48 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217406203
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2026
Aleman relates Rey’s story with humor, compassion, grumpiness, and authentic accents.
In a month, 75-year-old widower Reyes Miguel Calderón must leave his apartment for the retirement village he and his wife chose a decade earlier. However, Rey is still grieving her eight years after her death, and he doesn’t want to leave the neighborhood that’s been home for so long. Narrator Zac Aleman lets us hear Rey’s grief, isolation, and frustration with an uncaring bureaucracy. The friendship that slowly develops between Rey and Q, a troubled teenager he’s known all her life, sounds real as attitudes of impatience, snark, and disrespect slowly evolve into empathy, respect, and a new lease on life.
Aleman relates Rey’s story with humor, compassion, grumpiness, and authentic accents.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 19 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668659526
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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