THE SCOURGE BETWEEN STARS

Bahni Turpin's performance raises the emotional stakes in this claustrophobic space thriller. Jacklyn "Jack" Albright's mother and sister recently died, and her father has gone mysteriously silent in the spaceship he captains. Suddenly, Jack is forced to become the CALYPSO's acting leader, navigate a mounting mutiny, and battle bloodthirsty aliens that have been secretly living in the ship's walls. As Jack fights for her crew's lives, she fosters an uncanny connection with a robot named Watson, and together they risk everything to kill the onboard beasts and save the CALYPSO. Turpin's balance of Jack's external authoritative leadership and interior self-questioning shines, and her vocal pacing sets this performance apart, giving listeners both the heart-pounding speed and eerie calm that bring the thrills to life. A.A.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]