GOLDEN STATE

Kathe Mazur’s measured performance of this engrossing audiobook is understated to the point of being languid. Since the novel is set in California during a period inflamed by social unrest and an enraged stalker bent on revenge is on the loose, the laid-back narration may seem a risky artistic choice. However, Mazur’s control makes the chilling moments—and there are many in this ingenious novel—even more gripping. Listeners follow Dr. Julie Walker as she shifts between present-day chaos and the events that preceded it. Mazur makes her a sympathetic character whose familial, professional, and romantic relationships are too intense to switch off. A fantastic performance. L.B.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2014]