My boyfriend's mom lives a few hours away, and it was on a road trip to visit her that he introduced me to Peter Clines, a historic L.A. apartment building and all its wacky tenants, and the colorful cockroaches with an extra leg. With the setup of a classic horror story--there's a padlocked apartment in the building; what does it hide?--his novel 14 takes you from creepy thriller to freakish and dangerous mystery and then to places you never even thought of in your nightmares.
That being said, we laughed from the beginning to the end.
This is a fantastic read, and an even better listen. With well-drawn characters and a tight plot, this novel takes you to weird and disturbing places on a roller coaster of charm, wit, and fun. When we started the story, I had no idea where it would go, and I'm not going to tell you any more than that because I want you to discover the lovely, deeply disturbing surprises along the way.
That is why Peter Cline's 14 is my first choice in my new weekly post on audiobooks. Narrator Ray Porter reads this story with appeal and pizzazz. He is able to distinguish between character voices and doesn't giveaway the fun twists. Listening to this book is such a fun ride to take. It's like listening to a grown-up version of Scooby Doo, with a dash of unexpected adventure and twisty darkness. Shaggy and Scooby never went there. But you totally should.
After you've taken my advice and listened to 14, do yourself a favor and go directly to The Fold. While it's not a sequel to 14, it does exist in the same universe, and it's possible that a character or two crosses into its story as well. Have you heard of The Albuquerque Door? Yes, from Bugs Bunny. That door. That's what The Fold is all about. And again, it's a great novel to listen to. Head on over to Audible.com to check out those audiobooks! (And no, that is not a paid endorsement. Although it could be. Audible? Call me. I mean it.)