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The Good Children Audiobook
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(3.33) - 18 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
It started with a promise, a pact. It became a secret that no one must tell: that their parents were dead and gone, including the one they'd buried in the backyard.
When they move to a new home in Oregon, the McNair family knows they’re where they belong. But when tragedy strikes the family, the children face the prospect of being separated by the state. Rather than being sent to different foster homes, the four children decide to lie. And it’s a big lie. The sort of deceit that can hold a family together or tear it apart.
Now the McNair children are growing older, discovering love, college, and careers. But their lie haunts them. Their home holds them captive. Only the horrifying truth of their mother’s death can set the children free. And only the truth can destroy them all.
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"Read this by happenstance. Found it on the shelf of my in-laws, both of whom love to read. It's quite short but very enjoyable. Love a book about secrets! "
— Connie (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Seamless storytelling and believable characters caught in a bizarre, inescapable situation make this latest psychological thriller from three-time Nebula Award winner Wilhelm taut and satisfying…Wilhelm’s spare, unsentimental style contributes nicely to the mood of this well-told gothic tale.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Calling Kate Wilhelm a born storyteller is like calling Frank Sinatra a born singer: it’s necessary but not sufficient to explain the genius that lies just behind the apparent facility. Whether Wilhelm is writing her prizewinning science fiction, her best-of-the-bunch legal thrillers, or an emotionally charged psychological thriller such as The Good Children, Wilhelm instantly brings her characters to life and roots them in a landscape both familiar and formidable…Wilhelm adds modern touches of paranoia and political correctness to produce a story and characters that you'll have trouble forgetting.”
— Amazon.com Review -
“Three-time Nebula Award winner Kate Wilhelm creates an unsettling account of a family of four children who are trying to stay together under devastating circumstances…Carrington MacDuffie is convincing as Kevin, 15; Amy, 14; Liz, 11; and Brian, 6, attempt to hide their mother’s death, hoping to avoid the foster care system. MacDuffie's treatment of Brian’s slide into a psychological nightmare is especially chilling. Wilhelm’s finely crafted thriller is made even more memorable by MacDuffie’s sensitive performance.”
— AudioFile -
“This is a superb story of death, love, and deception. Wilhelm is a master of psychological fiction. Her characters are sensitively and believably crafted and her plots are taut, compelling, and insightful. Essential for all popular fiction collections.”
— Library Journal -
“Brilliantly plotted, lyrically written, alluring and magical, mesmerizing, terrifying, and heartbreakingly funny, Wilhelm’s story is a wrenching masterpiece about love, loyalty, and lies that will lodge itself in readers’ psyches long after they’ve finished the last, stunning chapter.”
— Booklist
The Good Children Listener Reviews
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" This book started out slow, and picked up a bit during the middle. It never really hit it's stride until the last few chapters of the book, and even then it slowed down after the climax. "
— David, 5/13/2011 -
" not mystery but well told story, page turner "
— Helen, 3/31/2011 -
" Interesting story, can't say I can identify with the characters, all kids, who's parents die (different circumstances) and they do not want to be split up so the story goes... little twists in this and some suspense but overall an easy read and interesting enough. "
— Dusty, 12/24/2010 -
" Kate Wilhelm is a great story teller, keeps my attention. Her books border on the psycho-thriller genre. "
— Linda, 12/7/2010 -
" a fascinating book and i cannot rave about it too much. "
— annemarie, 5/24/2010 -
" Who really knows the truth? "
— Elsie, 2/25/2009 -
" I started it for a second time because I didn't remember reading it a first. Not a good sign... "
— Colleen, 2/15/2009 -
" This is really a ghost story. V.G. "
— Shirley, 1/12/2009
About Kate Wilhelm
Kate Wilhelm (1928–2018) was the bestselling author of dozens of novels and short-story collections. Among her novels are the popular courtroom thrillers featuring attorney Barbara Holloway. Her other works include the science fiction classic Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang.
About Carrington MacDuffie
Carrington MacDuffie is a voice actor and recording artist who has narrated over two hundred audiobooks, received numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards, and has been a frequent finalist for the Audie Award, including for her original audiobook, Many Things Invisible. Alongside her narration work, she has released a new album of original songs, Only an Angel.