RECURSION

Because scientist Helena Smith and detective Barry Sutton relive certain events in their lives repeatedly but slightly differently, narrators Abby Craden and Jon Lindstrom get to create "alternative takes" of their performances in this audiobook. Happily for listeners, both the characters and the narrators' performances grow more nuanced with repetition. Helena's mother has Alzheimer's. In a failed attempt to create a tool to capture her mother's memories, Helena has instead developed a chair that sends a person back to a memorable event in their own past. Predictably, it falls into the wrong hands. The plot tropes can require listeners to suspend disbelief so long they may get tired of holding on. However, the story grips listeners through the strength of its human relationships, a strength the narrators also share. K.W. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2019]