THE HOUSE OF DOORS

One of this year's finest novels is also one of its most satisfying audiobooks. Set in colonial Malaya (now part of Malaysia), it marks this author's third nomination for Britain's Booker Prize. These narrators convey the full grace and subtlety of his prose. David Oakes narrates the chapters in the third person, which depict author W. Somerset Maugham's visit to Penang in 1921 with his secretary and lover, Gerald Haxton. In alternating chapters, Louise-Mai Newberry narrates a first-person account by his hostess Lesley Hamlyn, which describes a 1911 murder trial that will become Maugham's story "The Letter." Lesley has her own story, which unfolds in counterpoint to the one she tells. Both narrators are outstanding as they convey atmosphere, character, and the author's postcolonial perspective with confidence and sensitivity. D.A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2023]