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Summer of Fear

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Summer of Fear

By: Lois Duncan
Narrated by: Ruth Ann Phimister
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About this listen

For 15-year-old Rachel Bryant, summer vacation promises to be fun. Her 17-year-old cousin Julia will be coming to Albuquerque, New Mexico to live with the Bryants, following her parents’ deaths. With two brothers, Rachel is looking forward to finally having a sister. From the moment Julia arrives, everyone is enchanted with the orphaned teenager. But Rachel finds her strangely disturbing. Soon an evil poison seems to seep into every corner of her life. Can she discover what Julia is trying to do before it’s too late?

Best-selling, award-winning author Lois Duncan has won high acclaim for her fast-moving thrillers for young adults - and Summer of Fear is one of her most popular novels. With her dramatic pacing, Ruth Ann Phimister’s skillful narration heightens each chilling moment of suspense. Don’t miss Lois Duncan’s other exciting title, Killing Mr. Griffin.

©1976 Lois Duncan (P)1998 Recorded Books Difficult Situations Literature & Fiction Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Thrillers & Suspense
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As a young teen, I was a huge fan of Lois Duncan’s writing, and as my daughter approaches the appropriate age, I ordered paper copies of my old favourites for her. In a nostalgic moment, I thought I’d download this audio copy as a treat for myself.
Without giving the story away, I’ll tell you it’s every bit as good as I remember! The main themes are absolutely the stuff of teenaged angst: identity; loss; alienation; insecurity; jealousy; love and friendship etc etc and Duncan describes the tumult perfectly, wrapped in just enough horror and thrill to make Summer of Fear a really gripping story for its target audience.
What got in the way, for me at least, is the narrator, whose voice (though lovely), is just too old for the characters. There’s something jarring about a middle aged actor putting on a squeaky voice to narrate in the first person. It’s a mismatch.

Good story spoiled by the wrong narrator

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