It starts smoothly, hurtles along unexpected twists and turns, only to end on an unexpected revelation- all under the run time of 5 hours. Just plug it in and listen to this fast-paced audio book narrated by the talented duo- Julia Whelan and Mia McKenna-Bruce. These voice actors are really the soul of this thriller ride of an audiobook.
The story begins with Erin, narrated by Julia Whelan, who is visiting the Amalfi coast in Italy on a family vacation. It is literally a last ditched attempt to save their family from themselves. Each family member, including Erin, her husband, and their two children, desperately needs this time-out for mending their fractured family dynamics. So, it’s just going to be four of them without any distractions like cellphones, to recapture the fading family magic.
Alas, their much-needed family time is encroached upon by their next-door neighbors called Triston and Bea, who are occupying the villa next to them. No sooner than the family is settled, Triston and Bea invite them for lunch as a friendly gesture.
What starts as a gala time with family and friends soon turns into a maddening unpredictable sinister chaos, thanks to the intrusive neighbors from hell. As the plot unravels, so does Erin’s life. Her familial bonds, which were already in tatters, come to a breaking point due to the diabolical incidents.
Mia McKenna-Bruce handles it well from the other spectrum by narrating Bea’s side of the story. Between these two narrators, the story gallops forward with unpredictable ferocity, only for it to end with a slight dampener. It’s not their fault per se, but this thriller becomes a bit predictable once it reaches the 80% completion mark. The last revelation feels like an afterthought rather than a necessary addition, unless it could be an opening for a follow-up story.
Still, I would recommend it as a perfect binge-listen suitable for those days when you don’t want to invest a day or two in a particularly heavy tome. Good for strictly a one-time listen.