FIVE MIDNIGHTS

Almarie Guerra is wonderfully cast to narrate Cardinal's fabulously creepy murder mystery set in Puerto Rico and based on the El Cuco myth (a boogeyman monster). Guerra inhabits the multi-perspective story with distinguishable voices, particularly those of protagonists Lupe Dávila, a 16-year-old "GringaRican" living with her uncle, a police captain, for the summer, and Javier Utierre, a 17-year-old recovering addict who's trying to figure out why his childhood friends are dying on the eve of their 18th birthdays. Guerra's well-paced performance, including her perfect Spanish pronunciation, will keep listeners engaged with the suspenseful narrative, which is equal parts crime investigation, macabre ghost story, and slow-burn romance. For thrills and chills in a tropical setting, this is the ideal pick. S.A.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2019]