THE SECRET NEXT DOOR

Libby McKnight provides a nuanced narration for this fast-paced drama. Alyson is intent on giving her son a happy childhood, but she struggles with debt and her son's difficult behavior. These are problems she thinks the neighborhood matriarch, Bonnie, doesn't have to deal with. But Bonnie has her own problems, which include mounting tension over the development of an open space and a teen who is found dead near the neighborhood lake. Soon all the residents are questioning their safety and flinging accusations at each other. Listeners will be kept guessing over who can be trusted. McKnight's vocal variety highlights familial relationships: A mother growls commands to her whiny son; an anxious child speaks in a rush; his mother responds in a reassuring tone. A.L.C. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2021]