SLEEPWALK

John Pirhalla's performance is a little disturbing yet funny and touching, a combination that is perfect for this audiobook. Chaon creates a dystopian environment with just the right amount of detail. Suggestions of a catastrophic event or societal breakdown, unexplained, put the listener in an off-putting place. Billy, a mercenary, traverses the U.S. highways carrying out contract hits while pondering, well, the meaning of it all. Into his life comes Cammie, a daughter he never knew existed. It's unclear whether she's real or a bot, as they don't actually meet in person, and it's possible Billy is being tracked by nefarious forces. Pirhalla gives the story's setting a light, off-center touch. S.P.C. 2023 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]