THE BOY AT THE KEYHOLE

Joel Froomkin is an exceptional narrator for this eerie tale of a decaying house and a boy abandoned to the care of his housekeeper. Froomkin moves deftly between the older housekeeper, Ruth, and 9-year-old Samuel. We sympathize with young Samuel and his longing for his mother; his musings come to us in tender, vulnerable tones. This is in contrast with Ruth, whose personality comes in a rough, older voice and working-class accent. They are equally believable, and their credibility increases the intensity of this mystery. Is Samuel's mother truly abroad in America, or has something sinister happened to her? Listeners will hang on every word through the explosive ending. Froomkin takes us on a wild journey, and we love every second. M.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2019]