LITTLE ONE

Helen Laser tells the story of protagonist Catharine West with emotional restraint through her tempo and pacing. West's mysterious past on a commune in central Florida run by her unstable dad unspools in alternating chapters entitled "Then" and "Now." West's pathological father created and ran a utopian farm community--a misbegotten cult--that he controlled totally and dangerously. His daughter's coming to terms with her history provides the context. Laser dramatically performs the moments of dread that thread through this startling audiobook. Laser's youthful tone and careful timing create the novel's atmosphere of secrets concealed and revealed. This audiobook shows a character's courage to confront the dark corners of the past. [Published: JANUARY 2026]