SOMETHING'S ABOUT TO BLOW UP

Róisín Rankin narrates this action-packed story set at an elite Dublin school. Listeners meet a group of 16-year-olds who are hospitalized after a bomb blast in their chemistry lab. Was it an accident or a deliberate act? Each chapter presents a different viewpoint, as well as a mysterious countdown hinting at a more sinister event to come. Focusing on classmates Jess and Frankie, Rankin deftly introduces the girls, along with boys from a neighboring school, as they all sort through the hazy events, hoping to determine what happened. Vivid accounts of friendships, secrets, possessive boys, and nude photos are compelling. However, the novel's characters are indistinct, and the plot is repetitious. Rankin's more individualized voices make audio the preferable experience. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2025]