THE CHALK MAN

Euan Morton deftly narrates this psychological thriller as it shifts back and forth in time. In an English tourist town in the 1980s, tween Eddie and his friends create a game involving writing secret signs in chalk. They find themselves on the periphery of increasingly violent incidents until their game leads them to a body. Morton portrays young Eddie with soft vulnerability and a measured cadence; in contrast, his adult Eddie carries the weight of years in a hardened, sardonic voice as an old friend stirs up the past. Morton's skill lets the listener know where the story is at all times. His performance grounds the disjointed plot and captures the pathos of Eddie's search for answers in his murky past. S.T.C. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2018]