DISPATCHES FROM PARTS UNKNOWN

The trials and tribulations of a young person’s senior year in high school can make for a gripping listen. Add the loss of a father at the start of high school, as well as the voice of a professional wrestler making occasional snide remarks that only our heroine, Julie, can hear, and you have the makings of an entertaining and heartwarming story. Joy Nash does a great job voicing both teen Julie, who is finding her way, and “the Masked Man,” a professional wrestler whom Julie and her dad were huge fans of. What could have been a schlocky listen is instead a chuckle-inducing performance that will certainly resonate with anyone who is in high school or who has survived those tumultuous years. J.P.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]