THE ARCHIVIST

This is a very long audiobook that features unnecessarily complicated vocabulary, but those who stick with it will find it a dark, compelling listen. Emily Snow is hired by Regents University to finish archiving the works of author Raymond West after the drowning death of archivist Nadia Fontaine. Emily finds there's much more to the story of Raymond and Nadia than is generally known, including an illicit love affair. Narrator Caroline Hewitt keeps the listener engaged despite the fact that Emily is often unlikable. Hewitt perfectly voices her sarcasm and elitism, as well as her focus and determination, which lead her to suspect that Nadia was murdered and keep her working to get to the bottom of Nadia's death. Hewitt's narration also perfectly paints pictures of the settings and scenes as they unfold in both Nadia's past and Emily's present. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2021]