WHAT HAPPENED TO RACHEL RILEY?

A stellar full cast gives this hard-hitting middle school mystery incisive podcast vibes. New student Anna turns her curiosity about her ostracized eighth-grade classmate into the subject of her podcast application for a summer workshop. Narrator Ferdelle Capistrano as Anna leans into the slick cadence and tone of podcast hosting to differentiate the podcast sections from Anna's personal story. Alexandra Hunter's enigmatic moments as the titular Rachel give a heartbreakingly bitter contrast to the earnestness of Capistrano's Anna. The rest of the cast voice different kids, parents, and the school principal, bringing to life interview transcripts, texts, and emails that reveal schoolyard antics that morph into sexual harassment and a depiction of what happens to girls who don't just laugh along. This is a devastating and timely listen. S.T.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]