A Hopeless Journey

Tavia Gilbert’s narration is the reason this audiobook soars—she doesn’t just read the words, she *becomes* Hope Walker, from her exhausted sighs to her razor-sharp wit. The moment she delivered Hope’s dry retort about ‘another small town with too many secrets,’ I was sold. The pacing is relentless, the kind of thriller that keeps you toggling between chapters like a caffeine addict. But here’s the thing: the Nebraska setting isn’t just atmospheric, it’s oppressive. The heat, the isolation, the way Carson describes a diner that smells like decades of fryer grease—it’s all too vivid, and by the midpoint, I felt like I needed a cold drink. My only critique? The final act’s resolution wraps up a little too neatly, like Carson couldn’t bear to leave us in the dark with these characters. Still, Gilbert’s performance elevates the material so much that even minor flaws fade into the background. If you loved *Knives Out* but want something with a quieter, more personal sting, this is your next obsession.