RAINBIRDS

Ren Ishida's older sister, Keiko, has been brutally murdered in the small town where she chose to live, away from him and their parents. Narrator David Shih gives a thoughtful voice to this minimalist novel, which is one part murder mystery and two parts family drama. He helps listeners connect with Ren's interior life through the use of somber tones and a hushed pitch, making real the struggle of a younger brother to reconcile the last few years of his sister's life. Shih takes us along for Ren's ruminations on his childhood and the sister he realizes much too late he never really knew. This is a title that will appeal to those who appreciate a quiet style. M.R. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2018]