The Cuckoo’s Cry

One of the things I like about the mystery/suspense genre is the age equality in main characters. Action, romance, and horror tend to star young, fit adults in their 20s and 30s, or 40s tops. Here, Don Barlow is a 70s retiree hunkering down in his beachside Australian pad during COVID-19. Nice to see that old folks can star in good fiction too. (I say that with love from the mid-century mark). Riding out COVID in the U.S., I found the Australian treatment of it interesting. The writing really brought the culture and the characters alive and I learned some new terms, like budgies (Speedos style swimsuits) and milos (chocolate malted drinks). I very much enjoyed the narrator’s Australian voice. Several of the month’s free Audible selections feature outstanding female narrators capable of great range in voicing genders, ages, and accents. Bravo. As the title suggests, the central mystery is whether the 19 year old appearing at his door is really who she claims to be. The suspense builds gradually, with enough twists along the way to make me doubt my predictions. I did bump the speed to 1.3x, but this was a nice simmering suspense. Mild touching on topics of crime, violence, and teen pregnancy, but not in any graphic or profane way. 162 people found this helpful

I didn\’t expect to see a deep family drama exploring the many types of social isolation in the Covid19 era published quite so soon! The Cuckoo\’s Cry is a moving revelation of family secrets and personal tragedies within the confines of class, sex, and social mores. The characters are appealing and finely drawn. The plot grabs your attention and doesn\’t let go. I laughed and cried–sometimes at the same time. All this in an absorbing drama running under five hours. Bravo! (P.S. Thanks, too, for the new, softer female voice instead of Audible\’s former explosive tagline at the end!) 65 people found this helpful

I did not expect the ending. Liked the narration by all the different characters. A good story. 46 people found this helpful

I loved the story and the performance. Not trite or predictable. It kept me listening. I like this author. 38 people found this helpful

I had to give a review for this audible original. It was quite a pleasant surprise to listen to this one. A well written story with great personalities and a few twists and turns. An enjoyable 4 hour escape. 36 people found this helpful

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