The Reincarnation of Douglas Kavanaugh

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at the title. *Another* reincarnation story? But *The Reincarnation of Douglas Kavanaugh* disarmed me within chapters. This isn’t about chirpy past-life regression or karmic justice—it’s a story about a man who *hates* mysteries being forced to live inside one. Douglas is a fantastic protagonist precisely because he’s insufferable: a smug, rationalist journalist who treats spirituality like a bad joke, until the joke starts laughing back. Haynes’ writing excels in the details—like the way Douglas’ first ‘memory’ of a past life isn’t some grand revelation but a mundane, *embarrassing* moment that cracks his armor. Warren du Plooy’s performance is masterclass restraint. He resists the urge to over-dramatize the metaphysical elements, which makes them land harder. His Douglas is all clipped vowels and exhausted sighs, the kind of guy who’d scoff at an audiobook about reincarnation—until he’s narrating his own. The pacing stumbles slightly in the middle during a political subplot that feels *too* grounded compared to the surreal stakes, and the romance, while well-written, occasionally veers into convenient territory. But the final act’s ambiguity? *Chef’s kiss.* This isn’t a book that ties up neatly, and the audio production mirrors that unease with a subtle, disquieting score that hums beneath key scenes. If you like your metaphysical fiction with teeth—and a narrator who sounds like he’s suppressing a panic attack—this is your next listen.