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- Title: Pit Stop: (This Stop Could be Life or Death)
- Author: Carmen DeSousa
- Narrator: Austin Walp
- Length: 01:05:59
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 21/01/2019
- Publisher: Findaway Voices
- Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Paranormal
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
There’s something about long drives through desolate landscapes that makes the perfect setting for a supernatural thriller. I remember crossing the Atacama Desert years ago, the cracked earth stretching endlessly under a sky so vast it felt like another world entirely. It was during that journey that I first discovered how audiobooks could transform a solitary drive into a shared experience with characters who feel as real as the dust coating your windshield. That’s exactly the sensation Carmen DeSousa’s “Pit Stop” delivers – a story so immersive you’ll forget you’re listening and start believing you’re riding shotgun with Detective Gino Canale as he navigates visions that blur the line between psychic connection and mental unraveling.
DeSousa crafts a narrative that feels like finding an old family photograph with unsettling details you never noticed before. Detective Canale’s struggle with recurring dreams about his grandparents’ deaths resonates deeply with anyone who’s ever questioned their own memories or intuition. The author’s background in anthropology shines through in how she constructs Canale’s world – every family dynamic, every police procedural detail, every supernatural hint feels meticulously researched yet effortlessly woven into the story. It reminds me of evenings spent with that Oaxacan grandmother I mentioned, how the best storytellers make the extraordinary feel personal and the personal feel extraordinary.
Austin Walp’s narration is nothing short of masterful. He captures Canale’s Jersey accent and world-weary cynicism without ever veering into caricature, and his timing during the dream sequences creates this perfect, unsettling rhythm that had me gripping my steering wheel during my commute. There’s a particular scene where Canale realizes he might be channeling actual victims – Walp delivers the mounting panic in such gradual increments that you experience the dawning horror right along with the detective. The audio production deserves special praise too; subtle reverb effects during supernatural moments enhance rather than distract from the performance.
What makes “Pit Stop” stand out in the crowded paranormal detective genre is how DeSousa balances the procedural elements with the psychological ones. The crime elements unfold with satisfying precision (fans of “True Detective’s” first season will appreciate the slow-burn reveals), while the supernatural aspects raise profound questions about grief, legacy, and how trauma echoes through generations. It’s not just about whether Canale is truly connecting with the dead – it’s about what we inherit from our ancestors, both genetically and emotionally. These themes hit particularly hard during a late-night drive I took while listening, when Canale visits his grandparents’ old neighborhood and the narration made the past feel palpably present.
If I had one critique, it’s that some supporting characters could benefit from deeper development – particularly Canale’s police partner, whose skepticism about the supernatural sometimes feels more like a plot device than a fully realized perspective. But this is a minor quibble in what’s otherwise a thoroughly engaging listen. The story’s pacing, especially in the final third, had me taking the long way home just to keep listening, and the resolution satisfyingly ties up the mystery while leaving room for philosophical questions to linger.
For listeners who enjoyed “The Outsider” by Stephen King or “The Sun Down Motel” by Simone St. James, “Pit Stop” offers a similarly compelling blend of detective work and paranormal unease, with DeSousa’s distinctive voice adding fresh layers to the genre. Walp’s narration elevates the material significantly, making this one of those rare audiobooks that might actually be better experienced through headphones than on the page. Whether you’re a longtime paranormal fiction fan or just dipping your toes into supernatural mysteries, this is a journey worth taking – preferably during a late-night drive when the world outside your window starts feeling just slightly unreal.
May your travels – both literal and literary – always lead you somewhere unexpected,
Marcus Rivera
