THE HIKE

Imogen Church's spirited narration brings the protagonists alive in this suspenseful mystery and helps make this a standout listen. Two couples, each with unpleasant character traits and backstories that influence their behavior, head into the Swiss Alps for a hike. However, of the four people, only two return. Church's strong characterizations differentiate the key personalities, emphasizing their flaws and making them almost a pleasure to dislike. In particular, Church's presentation of Ginny's spiteful, whiny voice is spot-on. Church is careful not to give away important plot points with her narration, and she uses just the right creepy tones to help build the tension as the story moves towards an over-the-top climax. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2022]