Loony Town

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the premise at first—elderly witches causing havoc in a retirement home? But *Loony Town* won me over with its sheer *commitment* to the bit. Paula Lester balances the absurd (a sentient broomstick protesting labor conditions) with genuine stakes (Zoey’s fear of losing her job, the witches’ fading magic), and that tension keeps the story from feeling like a one-note gag. The mystery itself is lightweight but satisfying, with clues tucked into the witches’ bickering and Zoey’s exasperated internal monologues. Where it stumbles slightly is in the romance subplot, which feels tacked on and underdeveloped—like the audiobook equivalent of a last-minute dessert no one asked for. Ashley Music’s performance is the secret weapon here. She nails Zoey’s dry humor, delivering lines like *“I don’t get paid enough for interdimensional knitting incidents”* with perfect timing. The elderly witches are a masterclass in vocal variety: one sounds like a chain-smoking librarian, another like a sweet granny who might hex you for fun. My only critique is the production’s occasional uneven volume—some of the witches’ louder outbursts made me jump for the volume dial. Still, at four hours, it’s a lean, fun listen that doesn’t overstay its welcome. If you love cozies with a side of anarchy (and a narrator who sells the chaos), this is your next road-trip companion.