I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos Narrator: Emma Galvin
Length: 6 Hours 45 Minutes
Published by HarperCollins on January 26th 2016
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Family, Parents, Social Themes, Depression
Pages: 304
Format: Audiobook, eARC, ARC
Source: Library, Publisher
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The Mystery of Hollow Places is a gorgeously written, stunningly original novel of love, loss, and identity, from debut author Rebecca Podos.
All Imogene Scott knows of her mother is the bedtime story her father told her as a child. It’s the story of how her parents met: he, a forensic pathologist; she, a mysterious woman who came to identify a body. A woman who left Imogene and her father when she was a baby, a woman who was always possessed of a powerful loneliness, a woman who many referred to as “troubled waters.â€
Now Imogene is seventeen, and her father, a famous author of medical mysteries, has struck out in the middle of the night and hasn’t come back. Neither Imogene’s stepmother nor the police know where he could’ve gone, but Imogene is convinced he’s looking for her mother. And she decides it’s up to her to put to use the skills she’s gleaned from a lifetime of reading her father’s books to track down a woman she’s only known in stories in order to find him and, perhaps, the answer to the question she’s carried with her for her entire life.
Why Did I Listen To The Mystery of Hollow Places?
The Mystery Of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos was sitting on the bookshelf in my bedroom next to the bed and I love to rotate new books onto that shelf. Plus the audiobook of The Mystery Of Hollow Places is narrated by Emma Galvin. She’s one of my favorite narrators, no questions asked. And thus, when presented with the opportunity to get through this relatively quick read via audiobook and Hoopla, there was no way I could turn it down. OH! And the story is kind of a mystery-contemporary. This provides a nice balance to all of the fantasy I’ve been gobbling up.
What’s The Story Here?
Essentially, Rebecca Podos’s debut young adult novel is about a girl named Imogene who does not really know a whole lot about her mother. Imogene lives with her father who is a forensic mystery writer and her stepmother. One day, Imogene’s dad sort of disappears and Imogene decides to find him. Part of finding him is unraveling what exactly the deal with her mother is. And so, Imogene uses what she has learned from reading her dad’s books to find her mother which she thinks will lead to her dad.
What Did I Think of The Mystery of Hollow Places?
The Mystery Of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos is quite an enjoyable audiobook and book in itself. It is a fast read with a compelling main character. I am one who really does tend to like family dramas, so of course I was into this book. The dynamics between Imogene and her father as well as her absentee mother were superbly written. I do think that this book feels a bit under the radar, I do not recall it getting a ton of attention. However, I liked it well enough and feel pretty confident in recommending it.
How’s The Narration?
Of course, you know from the top that this book is narrated by Emma Galvin. Galvin excels in basically everything she narrates. I mean, she is the story of narrator whom I look toward as a go to listen. She’s read a lot of YA and Harper books. So, I trust her reading. The audiobook is well produced and not at all obnoxious to listen to. It’s also kind of short so if you have a challenge or a readathon, you might want to give this book a try.
Other reviews of The Mystery of Hollow Places by Rebecca Podos:
- Fully Booked Reviews – “the writing is so refreshing“
- It Starts At Midnight – “worth a read for the character/family development“
- Rebel Mommy Book Blog – “didn’t blow me away“
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