BLACK DOG SUMMER

Narrator Jilly Bond immediately draws the listener into this story, which is told by the ghost of a woman named Sally. Her tone is conversational, warm, and rambling as she attempts to make sense of her death—and why she’s trapped on earth, not heading toward the white light. Bond’s narration is breathy and intriguing. Sally says she has no choice but to pursue the story of why she remains among the living. Neither does the listener, under the spell of Jilly Bond's expert style. Bond juggles cadence, pitch, and pace to build the suspense at the heart of this story. She’s an excellent choice to voice the questions that drive the plot forward: Who killed Sally? And is her daughter safe? This is an excellent example of how audio can make for riveting fiction. M.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2015]