ABSENCE OF ALICE

As this audiobook opens, Sarah Winston is busy with her garage sale business when an unidentified phone caller announces that her landlady, Stella, has been kidnapped. To locate her, Sarah must follow a series of strange directions. And she must not, under any condition, say anything to law enforcement. Narrator Hillary Huber helps listeners connect with this threat, which is more complicated than it first sounds because Sarah is dating the DA and Stella is engaged to a police detective. Huber provides verisimilitude through the use of effective pacing and strong expression. She excels at making listeners feel Sarah's turmoil as she tries to save the life of her friend while lying to loved ones about what's going on. V.M.G. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2020]