The Dying Breath

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at first: *another* YA thriller about a vengeful ex? But *The Dying Breath* disarmed me within chapters. Ferguson’s real strength is making Cameryn’s fear *specific*. This isn’t vague ‘he’s watching’ paranoia—it’s the way her ex weaponizes *inside jokes* from their relationship, or how he times his threats to her class schedule. The forensic angles (Cameryn’s mom is a coroner, and the details show) elevate it beyond typical teen suspense. I found myself Googling ‘how to trace a burner phone’ at 2 a.m.—that’s how effectively the stakes hook you. Veronica Taylor’s performance is *mostly* excellent. Her Cameryn sounds like a real, exhausted 17-year-old—snarky with friends, brittle with her mom, and increasingly raw as the threats escalate. My one critique? The male voices (especially the stalker) sometimes veer into *too* smooth, losing the unhinged edge the text suggests. And while the 5.5-hour runtime keeps things brisk, the final act rushes a bit; a slower burn on the climax’s emotional fallout would’ve hit harder. Still, the audio production nails the atmosphere—subtle background noise (a distant car engine, a text alert) that grounds the terror in reality. If you’re tired of YA thrillers where the heroine waits to be saved, Cameryn’s mix of vulnerability and forensic cunning will satisfy. Just maybe don’t listen alone at night.