Suma, Nova Ren. The Walls Around Us. 8 CDs. 8:45 hrs. Recorded Books. 2015. $87.75. ISBN 9781490664613. digital download. Gr 9 Up–In alternating narratives that ultimately converge in supernatural ways, two girls share a connection, though, ostensibly, their stories are separated by three years. Violet is an 18-year-old ballet dancer, recently graduated and soon to start at Juilliard. Amber is incarcerated at a juvenile detention center for allegedly killing her abusive stepfather. Tying them together is Orianna, Violet’s best friend, who was found guilty of a double murder three years earlier and becomes Amber’s cellmate at Aurora Hills. As their stories unfold, listeners learn the truth of what happened the night Orianna was arrested and the grisly tragedy that unfolded at Aurora Hills shortly after she arrived. Dual narrators bring this haunting tale of guilt and innocence to life. Georgia King gives Violet’s voice an edge that perfectly conveys the sense of superiority she displays. Sandy Rustin utilizes a more matter-of-fact voice that reflects Amber’s observational nature and her tendency to use first-person plural, speaking for the inmates of Aurora Hills as a whole, which, paradoxically, both obscures and foreshadows future events. VERDICT This psychological thriller also explores the rigorous and competitive world of ballet, inequities in the criminal justice system, and life in a juvenile detention center; it is utterly engrossing right up until the shocking conclusion.–Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL