Audiobook Sample

Listen to the sample to experience the story.

Please wait while we verify your browser...

Hey story lovers and audio aficionados, Sophie Bennett here – ready to dive deep into an audiobook that’s been haunting my earbuds for days.

Let me tell you why Lisa Scottoline’s “Someone Knows” isn’t just another thriller – it’s an audio experience that redefines what psychological suspense can do when paired with brilliant narration. As someone who’s analyzed hundreds of audiobook adaptations for my ‘Future of Stories’ podcast, I can confidently say this is one of those rare cases where the audio version might actually surpass the printed page.

“”The Story That Claws Under Your Skin””
Scottoline crafts a narrative that’s part coming-of-age tragedy, part forensic examination of guilt, and entirely impossible to pause. The story follows Allie Garvey returning to her hometown for a funeral, forced to confront a horrific secret from her teenage years. What begins as a straightforward mystery evolves into a profound exploration of how unprocessed trauma shapes our adult lives. The way Scottoline peels back layers of memory and consequence reminds me of my BookTok series on unreliable narrators – except here, the unreliability isn’t a gimmick, but an authentic portrayal of how trauma distorts recollection.

“”Audio Alchemy: Fliakos and Pressley’s Performance””
The dual narration by Ari Fliakos and Brittany Pressley creates a remarkable dimensionality. Pressley’s delivery of Allie’s present-day anguish had me pausing the audiobook during my morning commute just to catch my breath – her ability to convey decades of suppressed pain through subtle vocal cracks is nothing short of masterful. Meanwhile, Fliakos handles the male perspectives with such nuanced differentiation that I never needed dialogue tags to know which character was speaking. Their performances made me recall my analysis of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” – how voice acting can reveal character depths that even the most attentive readers might miss on the page.

“”The Cultural Resonance of Secret-Keeping””
What struck me most was how Scottoline taps into our current cultural moment of reckoning with past actions. In an era of true crime podcasts and social media confessions, “Someone Knows” asks uncomfortable questions about accountability that linger long after the final chapter. The audiobook format intensifies this effect – there’s something profoundly intimate about hearing these confessions whispered directly into your ears during a solo walk or late-night listening session.

“”Technical Brilliance Meets Emotional Depth””
Penguin Audio’s production values shine here. The subtle shifts in audio quality between past and present scenes create an almost cinematic effect without ever distracting from the narrative. It’s a far cry from the early audiobooks I used to analyze in my MIT days – this is next-level auditory storytelling that uses the medium’s full potential.

“”Who This Audiobook Is For””
• Psychological thriller fans who want substance with their suspense
• Anyone fascinated by narratives about memory and guilt (if you loved “The Secret History”‘s audio version, take note)
• Listeners who appreciate when narrators become true collaborators in storytelling

“”The Only Drawback””
At times, the transitions between timelines can be slightly disorienting in audio form – I found myself occasionally rewinding 30 seconds to reorient. But honestly? This minor challenge made the experience more immersive, like piecing together a puzzle alongside Allie.

“”Final Verdict””
“Someone Knows” represents everything I champion about modern audiobooks – it’s not just a reading of the text, but a reimagining of the story for the auditory medium. Scottoline’s razor-sharp prose combined with Pressley and Fliakos’ performances create that rare alchemy where the format elevates the material. It’s moved into my personal top 5 audiobook experiences, alongside “Project Hail Mary” and “The Dutch House” – works that redefine what audio storytelling can achieve.

Keep listening deeply, Sophie Bennett | Exploring stories at the digital frontier