DON'T SLEEP WITH THE DEAD

Subterfuge is the theme of this production, which is based on an earlier novella of Vo's titled THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CHOSEN. That 2021 novel was a reimagining of THE GREAT GATSBY. Now narrator Greg Barnett again faces the challenge of bringing Nick Carraway to life, but he's actually a poser who's been pretending to be straight and even human for the past two decades. Barnett's performance highlights Nick's anxiety as he feels his existence slipping away on the eve of WWII. Barnett smoothly animates all the characters who come in contact with Nick as he assesses each of their motivations. Vo's tale is a bizarre but memorable twist on a familiar narrative. Barnett deserves much of the credit for how engrossing this strange audiobook becomes. D.E.M. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2025]