Through the Mist

I’ll admit, I picked up *Through the Mist* expecting another cozy historical with a dash of atmosphere, so Candice Moll’s first few minutes of narration—delivered in a voice that’s equal parts honey and steel—should’ve been my first clue that I was in for something darker. Moll doesn’t just read the words; she inhabits them, especially when the story pivots to the perspective of Morwenna, the younger of the two women at its heart. Her voice for Morwenna is younger, more brittle, but with an undertone of steel that hints at the resilience beneath her fear. The older woman, AG, gets a timbre that’s rougher, more weary, like someone who’s spent a lifetime carrying secrets—and Moll nails the exhaustion in her pauses. The story itself is a masterclass in tension, though I’ll confess the middle section dragged for me a bit. Ashford’s prose is undeniably sharp, but there’s a moment where the mystery’s reveals feel just a touch too deliberate, as if the story’s pacing is more concerned with atmospheric dread than narrative momentum. That said, the final third is so propulsive and devastating that it more than makes up for it. The production is crisp, with no distracting background noise, and Moll’s performance ensures that even the quietest scenes feel charged. If you’re looking for a gothic tale that’s less about jump scares and more about the slow unraveling of a community’s sins, this is your audiobook. Just don’t expect to sleep well afterward.