A GUIDE FOR MURDERED CHILDREN

Keith Szarabajka adds a fatherly tone to his gravelly voice as he narrates this wonderfully bizarre police procedural. Fresh out of rehab, detective Willow Wylde works cold cases near Detroit, where he finds himself investigating a support group whose members are possessed by the spirits of slain children. While the hard-boiled writing style and disturbing title are jarring, the book's premise, along with the voices of the child characters, is oddly tender and uplifting. Conveying paradox, Szarabajka's gritty voice sounds as though he's telling a bedtime story. He articulates the voices of the supporting characters, adults and children, but is strongest in the voice of Willow Wylde. This unforgettable novel with its mind-bending premise is, ultimately, a tale of redemption. S.E.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2019]