PLACE OF COOL WATERS

Lee Goettl masterfully portrays 27-year-old Jude Wilson, who travels to Kenya to pay homage to Robert Baden-Powell, who founded the world Scout Movement. Goettl joyfully recounts details of Wilson's outdoor experiences with his dad, a Scoutmaster. As the story moves to Africa, Goettl excels at depicting Nairobi and remote villages, which he brings alive with his Kenyan and Somali accents, and Swahili words. When Wilson meets Qadir Mohamed, who runs the hostel where Wilson stays, the two discover they're both orphans, and an enduring friendship that will prove valuable is formed. Vividly described 2013 terrorist attacks make the nation of Kenya seem like a living character. Goettl skillfully creates a "you-are-there" ambiance when Wilson is kidnapped while unwisely traveling to a remote cemetery. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2023]