Cat's Paw, Inc.

Ron Verela doesn’t just read *Cat’s Paw, Inc.*—he inhabits it. His portrayal of Zack Smith is so vivid I could taste the bourbon on the man’s breath halfway through the first chapter. Verela nails the cadence of a guy who’s one step ahead of despair and two steps behind a bullet, his voice dipping into a growl when Zack’s sardonic mask slips, then lurching into exhausted sarcasm when the lies start piling up. The production is crisp, with no muddiness in the sound despite the nonstop action, and the music cues—subtle, noir-tinged synths—add atmosphere without overpowering the narrative. That said, there were moments where the dialogue rushed together in the audio mix, particularly during rapid-fire exchanges, forcing me to rewind. And while Zack’s constant wisecracking is part of his charm, I occasionally craved a moment of stillness to catch my breath—this story doesn’t let up, and neither does Verela’s performance.