One Good Time

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the premise at first: *A CIA agent takes vacation in Tennessee?* But *One Good Time* subverts expectations by making Titus Ray’s hometown feel more volatile than any overseas op. Newman’s narration sells it—his voice is like gravel-coated honey, rough enough for a spy but warm enough to make you believe he actually *has* a family. His Titus is a masterclass in restrained exasperation, especially in scenes where his sister’s drama forces him to ‘improvise’ (read: lie through his teeth). The production is clean, though I’d have loved a touch more atmospheric sound design during the road-trip sequences to heighten the claustrophobia. The story’s real hook is how Ehrlich weaponizes mundane details—a diner’s pie recipe, a neighbor’s gossip—to build tension. Titus’s spy skills make him *terrible* at small talk, and watching him fumble is darkly funny. That said, the romantic subplot feels tacked on, like Ehrlich wasn’t sure whether to lean into thriller or women’s fiction. And while the climax delivers, the resolution wraps up a tad neatly for a guy who’s spent his life in moral gray zones. Still, Newman’s performance elevates even the weaker beats, particularly his delivery of Titus’s internal monologues, which oscillate between sarcasm and genuine vulnerability. If you love spy stories but are tired of globe-trotting car chases, this is the audiobook equivalent of a slow-burn fuse—lit by a lighter fluid of family secrets and dry humor.