PALACE OF THE DROWNED

Emily Pennant-Rea delivers a first-rate narration of Mangan's intense novel. After a scandalous public breakdown, middle-aged British author Frankie Croy flees to Venice to lick her wounds. Pennant-Rea's voice adds credibility to Frankie's paranoia when she meets 26-year-old Gilly, a bubbly fangirl who appears to be stalking her. At first, Frankie is flattered by Gilly's enthusiastic responses to her writing; then she starts to feel there's something "off" about the girl. But without the reassurance of her agent, Harold, or her husband, Leonard, she doesn't trust her instincts. As Gilly's stories keep changing, Frankie grows increasingly suspicious. When listeners learn Gilly is an aspiring writer, thoughts of ALL ABOUT EVE are inevitable. Pennant-Rea's subtlety and nuance keep the suspense high and the mystery edgy. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2021]