PAYBACK

Cynthia Darlow gives a clear and well-articulated narration of Gordon's new novel. In spite of the exciting premise--two women share a terrible secret from their past--the audiobook struggles to give the listener the drama that it promises. Darlow's colorless narration does little to improve understanding of the characters or to increase tension. There is no discernible vocal distinction between Darlow's renderings of the chapters, which switch between the points of view of Agnes, an art teacher, and her creative student, Quin. An incident during a field trip to a museum haunts both women for years, yet much of the emotional fallout does not ring true. D.G.P. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2020]