THE LIST OF UNSPEAKABLE FEARS

North Brother Island was not a place where anyone in New York City wanted to go in 1910. But that is where listeners find themselves in this haunting middle-grade historical mystery, narrated by Angel Pean. Essie O'Neill, the daughter of impoverished Irish immigrants, is forced to move to this formidable island when her widowed mother marries the director of its quarantine hospital for infectious disease patients. Angry and anxious, Essie must conquer her growing list of fears--a list that now includes her new stepfather (who she believes is a murderer), the infamous Typhoid Mary, and a terrifying ghost child. Sadly, Pean's awkward pacing, inconsistent accents, and struggles to create engaging personalities compromise what could have been a captivating listen. A compelling story perhaps better enjoyed in print. S.A.A. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2021]