Narrator Lorelei King is on familiar ground in her eighth outing as reaper Charley Davidson and her wide circle of friends and enemies. The very pregnant Charley can’t leave the sacred shelter in which she’s hiding from a pack of hellhounds, but she still manages to find a mystery to keep her busy—along with several shocking surprises that will have lasting consequences for her and her husband. King handles the many revelations and surprise cameos with aplomb. She doesn’t skimp on Charley’s trademark snarky humor, while still allowing a glimmer of her humanity to shine through. Overall, King provides a well-rounded heroine and a fully immersive listening experience. B.E.K. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
This week’s new books feature a long-awaited book by one of the biggest names in sci-fi, the return of a horror master, and an exciting new fantasy that is already being hailed as an instant classic.