The China Doll

I’ll admit, I approached *The China Doll* skeptical of yet another ‘kid vs. ghost’ story, but Kelly’s novel disarmed me within chapters. This isn’t *Coraline* with a Depression-era paint job; it’s a story where the real horror is the slow unraveling of a family, and the ghost—while genuinely creepy—is almost a mercy compared to the human predators circling the Alder farm. The pacing is deliberate, almost languid in the first act, which might frustrate listeners craving immediate scares. But the payoff is worth it: when the supernatural elements finally surface, they feel like an organic extension of Jack’s despair, not a cheap jump-scare insert. Pam Dougherty’s narration is a masterclass in restraint. She resists the urge to ham up the Southern accents or the ghost’s dialogue, which keeps the story grounded. Her reading of Jack’s internal monologue—especially his guilt over resenting his ailing grandmother—is heartbreakingly raw. That said, her delivery of the adult male characters (like the banker) occasionally veers into caricature, a rare misstep in an otherwise flawless performance. The audio production is minimalist, which suits the story’s bleakness, though I wished for a touch more atmospheric sound design during the doll’s appearances to heighten the unease. Still, this is a standout listen for families who want their ghost stories to carry weight, not just shivers. Just be warned: the ending lingers like a half-remembered nightmare, and not all the hauntings are the kind that fade with daylight.