THE GETAWAY

Karl T. Wright takes the mic, supported by Imani Parks and P.J. Ochlan, in this tale of a haven turned hellscape. For teen protagonist Jay and the other resident workers—mostly people of color—the Karloff Country theme park and resort has been an oasis from the destabilizing effects of climate change. Wright expertly evokes Jay’s growing horror, shared by listeners, as he realizes they are now effectively enslaved, subject to the often brutal whims of the Karloffs and their billionaire friends. Ochlan dials the unction up to 11 in the interspersed snippets of Karloff PR that provide ironic counterpoint. Parks, voicing Jay’s female friends, is less effective, enunciating individual phrases as discrete declamations with little emotional nuance. In the end, Wright carries this masterful work of Black horror. V.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2022]