DEADBEAT

Narrator Chris Henry Coffey affects a gravelly rumble as Peyton, a deadbeat dad, is presented with an unimaginable opportunity that will make all his legal and financial problems go away. All he has to do is kill a guy. As Hamdy explores Peyton's unease at the prospect of becoming an assassin, Coffey's dour tone and precise pacing give Peyton's deadly mission emotional weight. Coffey gives his voice hints of guilt as Payton accepts the job, providing his ex-wife and daughter a financial cushion. As a game of cat-and-mouse ensues, Hamdy creates a noir character with a brain and heart--which isn't so easy to do in the hard-boiled genre. R.O. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2024]