PARIAH

Narrating his thriller, author Dan Fesperman captures all the momentum and sly tension between comedy and suspense that animates it. Hal Knight, a disgraced comedian/movie star/congressman, is drawn out of seclusion by an invitation from his one enduring fan, a notorious Eastern European dictator. Soon after, he's approached by an American intelligence team with a plan. Part social satire, part spy-jinks, this propulsive story is topped by an expertly staged scene that plays on the lyrics of the Beatles' song "Paperback Writer." As narrator, Fesperman is more than equal to his task, with a gravelly newscaster's voice that gives his storyline heft and a mastery of character voices the equal of most professionals. As a storyteller, he's at the top of his craft. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2025]