STRANGE BUT TRUE

Part mystery, part suspense, this domestic drama is enhanced by Matt Godfrey's gift for cross-gender narration. Particularly convincing are Godfrey's renderings of Charlene, the grieving mother, and Melissa, the young, pregnant woman who claims she's the subject of a mysterious conception. Phillip, Charlene's son, is bestowed with a weary tone that conveys his frustration (he's sick of his job at Olive Garden) and foreshadows his dark secrets. Actually, just about everyone involved in this audiobook has a dark secret, and the reveals appear like labor pains in shortening intervals. As expected, the audiobook climaxes with the baby's birth, and the only mystery that remains is why it took 16 years to make an audiobook out of this gripping novel. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2020]