The quotidian quest to chase elusive answers can be quite a satisfying and rewarding experience. Below are 22 recent mysteries that are not only of the expected genre but also titles that readers may find shelved in other sections—contemporary drama, fantasy, horror, even history—that also happen to feature buried truths and hidden secrets just waiting to be shared and exposed. Young patrons can listen at their own risk. . . and beware the body counts!

Early Elementary

Gemeinhart, Dan. The Gingerbread Monster. narrated by Fred Berman. 13 min. Macmillan Young Listeners. Jul. 2025. $1.99. ISBN 9781250395436.
K-Gr 2–Frank N. Stine is in need of a sugary fix. Lacking enough gingerbread mix, he throws together moldy biscuits, pizza crust, old croissants gathering dust, and inadvertently adds some of his bubbling experiment. What crashes out of the oven snarling “Frrr Frrr Frrruh!” causes Frank to flee, repeatedly shrieking “Run, run, run, if you want to survive, this horrible Frankenbread Monster’s alive!” Despite Frank’s warnings, the Monster’s delicious eau d’cookie entices the neighborhood werewolf, vampires, and the local mob. Before the villagers capture their just desserts, Frank must figure out what the Monster’s been trying to tell him all along. Enhanced with sinister soundscapes from start to finish, narrator Berman is an energetic marvel, mixing the perfect blend of scary, comical, and comforting. Even the ending recipe (adult assistance required) is a toothsome adventure. VERDICT Berman’s performance is an aural delight but works best as a read-along. Hugo L. Cuellar’s enthralling art shouldn’t be missed and could be even more satisfying.

Middle Grade

Brosgol, Vera. Return to Sender. narrated by Michelle H. Lee. 6:04 hrs. Macmillan Young Listeners. May 2025. $19.99. ISBN 9781250395726.
Gr 3-5–Mega-award-winning graphic novelist Brosgol makes her prose debut with a magical, madcap mystery about the consequences of fifth grader Oliver’s wishful thinking. Over the last year since his father passed, Oliver and his mother ran out of places to stay—until Aunt Barb died and left the peripatetic pair her seventh-floor walkup. In the living room, Oliver discovers a mysteriously interactive mail slot that happens to deliver wishes. Miserable in his latest new school—a tony private academy he’s able to attend because of his mother’s custodian job there—Oliver’s requests become exponentially grander with increasing ramifications. Lee is a tireless cipher, imbuing wonderfully distinctive personalities in yearning Oliver, hopeful mother Annie, mischievous new friend Colette, overprotective Jimmy, weasley neighbor Eliza, and bewildered, otherworldly Frank. VERDICT Brosgol fans devoted to appreciating her memorable illustrations might opt for print, but Lee’s engrossing performance ensures an aural enhancement not to be missed.

Downing, Erin Soderberg. What Happened Then. narrated by Kate Coventry, Pete Cross & Cassandra Morris. 5:27 hrs. Scholastic Audio. Sept. 2025. $20.99. ISBN 9798225027049.
Gr 3-7–Aunt Robbie calls her estranged siblings and their families back to Crooked Lake for a “last-chance summer” with grim news: she wants to prepare the island with its ramshackle cabins for quick sale before she succumbs to recently diagnosed ALS. Cousins Avery and Jax may be near-strangers, but both recognize this rare reunion could be their only chance to understand why their extended family shattered. Coventry gloriously captures every beam of Avery’s “full-strength laser lemon and shocking pink” energy, even when she longs to be “quiet, tan, and soft cornflower blue” so she could “just blend.” Cross poig-nantly embodies observant, thoughtful Jax, silenced by his father’s disappointed surveillance. Between their “she said/he said” dynamic are the scattered diary pages the cousins discover, tenaciously voiced by Morris, revealing the fateful “Then” that broke the family—until now. VERDICT A virtuoso trio who connects then and now with gratifyingly healing results.

Jackson, Tiffany D. Blood in the Water. narrated by Keylor Leigh. 4:34 hrs. Scholastic Audio. Jul. 2025. $24.99. ISBN 9781546176909.
Gr 4-7–Ominous music opens bestselling Jackson’s propulsive middle grade debut, as versatile Leigh immediately grabs readers with 12-year-old Kaylani falling “deeper into the dark, bottomless, ice-cold ocean.” That summer, Kaylani just wanted to stay home in Brooklyn, where Dad could easily call her from prison. Besides, she really needs to study for the upcoming pre-law camp entrance exam to help prove Dad’s innocence. Instead, she’s sent to Martha’s Vineyard—Jackson seamlessly intertwines the island’s Black history—to stay with family friends. “Your only job is to be a kid,” Dad insists, which isn’t easy with the hosts’ two entitled granddaughters, teen Cassie and same-age London. And then Cassie’s ex turns up dead in the water. Beyond ensuring Kaylani’s impressive full range—awkward, determined, obedient, defiant—narrator Leigh expertly enlivens an extensive cast, including nurturing Dad, bratty London, rules-insistent Mrs. Watson, cluelessly friendly Mr. Watson, affable Miles, and his furious mother. VERDICT Libraries should be prepared for significant demand in all formats.

Kelly, Erin Entrada. At Last She Stood: How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom. narrated by Ferdelle Capistrano. 3:45 hrs. HarperAudio. May 2025. $27.99. ISBN 9780063218932.
Gr 4-8–Two-time Newbery Medalist Kelly returns to her journalism roots for an excellent foray into nonfiction, rescuing from obscurity “a diminutive Filipino woman who walked through war zones, carried secret messages for the Allied Forces, [who] spent much of her time in forced quarantine.” Born in 1917, Josefina Guerrero died in virtual anonymity in 1996, “but the pieces she left behind are enough to leave us in wonder,” Kelly promises. She impressively delivers a remarkable story of an orphan girl with Joan of Arc aspirations, who miraculously used her Hansen’s disease to her advantage as a World War II spy, and earned a Medal of Freedom from President Truman, only to pawn it to survive in a racist America that didn’t recognize her courage. Fellow Filipina American Capistrano thoughtfully and empathetically embodies Kelly’s clever use of present-tense prose, underscoring an immediate timelessness to Joey’s phenomenal accomplishments. VERDICT Author and narrator jointly honor an extraordinary American hero.

Kuyatt, Meg Eden. The Girl in the Walls. narrated by Kira Fixx. 3:53 hrs. Scholastic Audio. May 2025. $24.99. ISBN 9798225002145.
Gr 4-6–“Neurospicy” V (don’t call her Valeria because that sounds too close to malaria) usually spends just a week at her grandmother Jojo’s perfect house, where following the stifling rules is never easy. This year, V is trapped for the whole summer because Mom insists V needs “a change of scenery” after what happened at school. “You two are more alike/ than you might think,” Mom encourages. When V discovers a resident girl ghost, their otherworldly mischief is initially (sorta) harmless fun until long-hidden secrets emerge to threaten the living family’s safety. Fixx, who is also autistic, narrates Kuyatt’s novel-in-verse with empathic nuance, perceptively capturing the exhaustion of “masking.” Fixx embodies V’s struggles, her admiration for her vibrant cousin Cat, and her uncertainty as the ghost grows increasingly unpredictable. Jojo gets a higher, stiffer voice, while Cat is infused with vivid warmth. VERDICT Fixx expertly, convincingly enlivens the living and the (un)dead.

Mackay, Jack. Gloam. narrated by Charlie Sanderson. 5:52 hrs. Listening Library. Aug. 2025. $17.95. ISBN 9798217074099.
Gr 3-7–What might be just scary on the static page of British writer/theater-maker Mackay’s debut transforms into true terror, thanks to Sanderson’s glorious aural range, as she effortlessly encompasses six-year-old twins, an ancient tree, and worst of all, an ailurocidal and arboricidal maniacal monster. To late grandmother’s house on Gloam Island, Sanderson takes listeners, where, after the death of their beloved mother, 13-year-old Gwen, 10-year-old Roger, and the above-mentioned “identical to the pore” Hazel and Hester have moved with their stepfather Henry. Henry, to whom parenthood is still relatively new, hires Esme Laverne as their seemingly perfect babysitter. But, of course, she isn’t. Only Gwen seems to recognize Esme’s simmering evil, leaving Gwen to be her own—and everyone else’s—lifesaving hero. Sanderson is a marvelous cipher, completely embodying bold Gwen, sensitive Roger, gullible Henry, and concerned Tree; especially noteworthy are the heart-pullingly frightened twins and the skin-crawlingly treacly Esme. VERDICT Sanderson gifts readers with a brilliantly distinctive, hair-raisingly convincing performance of Mackay’s brilliant debut.

Medina, Meg. Graciela in the Abyss. narrated by Elena Rey. 5:49 hrs. Listening Library. Jul. 2025. $20.95. ISBN 9798217170838.
Gr 4-7–Graciela’s 13th birthday picnic on the bluffs with her older sister turns tragic when she falls into the water below. A hundred years later, she awakens to Amina’s gentle guidance: “You are part of the deep now.” Graciela settles into her aquatic eternity, “making transformations” by turning broken glass into sparkling treasures. Nearby on land, gentle Jorge, too, prefers to create beauty, but his abusive parents demand he follow his ancestors’ blacksmith trade in forging weapons for watery destruction. When Jorge finds a long-missing harpoon made to murder, he attempts to shatter its power but instead triggers cataclysmic confrontations. Jorge and Graciela become an unlikely dynamic duo to purge evil and restore safety. Rey empathically follows Graciela’s growth from mischievous youth to brave and honest hero, and Jorge’s metamorphosis from bullied victim to selfless champion. She’s also energetically and notably affecting as Jorge’s acidic mother, dramatically shrill Elizabeth, and thieving brothers Afonso and Bernardo. VERDICT Rey deftly complements Medina’s first fantasy with graceful fluidity.

Ransaw, Rosalyn. Smoke & Mirrors. narrated by James Fouhey. 5:17 hrs. Recorded Books. Jun. 2025. $15.99. ISBN 9798896792307.
Gr 4-6–Debut novelist Ransaw and nearly 500-credits audiobook veteran Fouhey prove an auspicious pairing, enlivening 12-year-old Andy through a “ruined” summer that thankfully isn’t. With his dad in prison, Andy’s stuck living with Aunt Nonie. As the only Black kid in town, he’s easily (and wrongfully) blamed for burning down Mr. Gilbert’s barn. The mean old man offers Andy a deal: “Cleaning up some old mansion was better than juvie,” Andy admits. Known as “the murder house,” it once belonged to the magician Red Nave, who, at his final performance, killed a man and vanished. “How hard could it be to find a magician?” Andy rashly thinks and wagers a bet: if he can solve the crime, Mr. Gilbert promises to release Andy from months of hard labor. Fouhey adroitly voices the angry tween and distrustful grump, bullies, bad cops, nurturing Aunt Nonie, and unreliable witnesses. VERDICT Fouhey expertly misleads listeners with a marvelously convincing performance.

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. El Niño. narrated by Timothy Andrés Pabon & E.J. Lavery. 3:46 hrs. Scholastic Audio. May 2025. $24.99. ISBN 9781546151319.
Gr 3-7–Ryan’s lyrical combination of otherworldly myth and contemporary narrative gorgeously explores a family’s overwhelming grief. As the primary narrator, Pabon voices thoughtful, slightly distant young Kai, who is getting back into competitive swimming. Two years ago, his older sister Cali disappeared while surfing—like their father, Cali was a “legend,” destined for the Olympics. Kai, once the “up-and-coming golden boy,” is committed to a summer of “Eat. Sleep. Swim.” with the elite team Aquarius that was once Cali’s. Interwoven with Kai’s aquatic journey is the story of Amazonian island queen Califia—Cali’s namesake—and her mysterious underwater kingdom. Announced with mystical bells and drums, Lavery solemnly narrates the mythical interstitials. Ryan reads her author’s note, adding provenance and history. Three additional voices—Oscar E. Fabella, Kim Ramirez, and René Ruiz—are credited at the recording’s end as supporting characters, including a fisherman, radio announcer, and newscaster, respectively. VERDICT Mourning has no easy antidote, but this notable lineup provides insight and comfort.

Tremblay, Paul. Another. narrated by Ramón de Ocampo. 5:18 hrs. HarperAudio. Jul. 2025. $23.99. ISBN 9780063396388.
Gr 5 Up–Tremblay, an award-winning expert in horrifying adults, turns to frightening younger readers with his middle grade debut. Veteran narrator de Ocampo impressively embodies Tremblay’s claustrophobic setting of a single house and the small family within, which is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The isolation exacerbated Casey’s anxiety, which manifested in uncontrollable twitches and tics—an excuse for his so-called friends to disappear. Until now. Casey doesn’t know who, but apparently, a friend has called for an extended sleepover. The next day, a mysterious man delivers Morel in a burlap bag—more mannequin than boy, not quite fully formed. The man leaves with two instructions: “No food. No bed.” The strangeness is just beginning. Casey’s parents seem inexplicably unconcerned about the impending invasion of this body snatcher intent on becoming their son. VERDICT De Campo expertly captures Tremblay’s creepfest, adroitly building momentum as Casey’s alarm—and Morel’s transformation—accelerates.

YA

Ancrum, K. The Corruption of Hollis Brown. narrated by Andrew Gibson. 8:19 hrs. HarperAudio. Apr. 2025. $24.99. ISBN 9780063285859.
Gr 8 Up–In Ancrum’s utterly intriguing premise, titular Hollis is stuck—bullied and beaten at school, trapped in a small town without opportunities, and facing a predictably bleak, going-nowhere future. For now, his BFFs Annie and Yulia are his only bright lights. And then he meets enigmatic Walt, who needs his help—food and shelter for six months—in exchange for putting Hollis “on the straight and narrow.” What Walt doesn’t explain is that he’ll also be sharing Hollis’s body. The initial, invasive nightmare cautiously evolves as the two teens start to understand each other—and Hollis realizes Walt also needs the support to resolve personal challenges and find some semblance of peace. Despite a significant, volatile cast—high schoolers, ineffective parents, violent rivals, suspicious best friends, serial abusers, and the undead—Gibson ensures listeners recognize every character even in the most rapid conversations and exchanges. VERDICT Gibson single-voicedly transforms an already electrifying read into a polyphonic marvel.

Brooks, Nick. Up in Smoke. narrated by Aubrey Joseph & Megan Sousa. 6:04 hrs. Macmillan Young Listeners. May 2025. $19.99. ISBN 9781250395481.
Gr 8 Up–Multi-hyphenate author/filmmaker/rapper Brooks undeniably reflects his celluloid experience with a cinematic murder mystery set in Brooks’s native Washington, DC, complete with enhancing soundscapes, including helicopter blades and buzzing cellphones. That two Hollywood actors make their audiobook debuts here seems fitting, taking turns voicing the “he said/she said” solution team. Still reeling from his mother’s death, Cooper (brash, concerned Joseph) relies much more on his big-brotherly relationship with Jason, even if that means occasionally doing the wrong thing. One bad decision—carrying Jason’s stolen loot during a BLM protest—triggers life-changing consequences when a protestor is murdered and Jason is arrested for the crime. Jason’s sister Monique (confident, determined Sousa, especially affecting when she performs Mo’s resonating poetry) knows her brother is innocent. Coop joins his forever crush to clear Jason’s name—and hopefully his own. VERDICT Brooks’s all-too-timely, aurally proven, close-up ready thriller just needs that studio contract.

Bruno, Anna. Fine Young People. narrated by Imani Jade Powers. 10:05 hrs. Hachette Audio. Jul. 2025. $27.99. ISBN 9781668650417.
Gr 9 Up–Bruno’s second novel introduces not-yet-18 Frankie, a Princeton-bound senior at St. Ignatius near Pittsburgh, where academic prestige has been eclipsed by decades of hockey victories. Frankie’s mother is a teacher there, allowing Frankie to attend the elite institution. During Frankie’s last semester, a senior hockey player takes his own life, sparking renewed interest in two past suicides of St. Ignatius hockey players. Pairing with her BFF Shiv for their journalism final project, the duo reexamines the older death of hockey star Woolf Whiting, whose corpse was found in the school chapel 18 years ago. Unexpected truths abound. Perennially youthful Powers is a careful Frankie, who looks in from the outside at the privilege that surrounds her. Powers easily lowers her registers for male characters—solemn Father Michael, mostly amiable Woolf, and quietly questioning Vince. VERDICT Clearer distinctions between Frankie’s narration and the 18-year-old interstitials of what happened then would have elevated Powers’s performance.

Davis, DeAndra. All the Noise at Once. narrated by André Santana. 9:50 hrs. S. & S. Audio. Apr. 2025. $25.99. ISBN 9781668139042.
Gr 8 Up–Santana wondrously captures the timely drama on an uneven playing field in Davis’s stupendous debut, spotlighting two brothers who just want to play football together. The novel’s core belongs to Aiden, an autistic Black teenager whose dream of joining his quarterback older brother Brandon’s team finally comes true. Their first shared victory ends in shocking horror as a teammate’s bullying of Aiden leads to police intervention, then Brandon’s wrongful arrest for allegedly assaulting an officer. Brandon’s always taken care of Aiden; it’s Aiden’s turn now to figure out how to free his brother. Santana resonantly infuses Aiden with an extraordinary balance of overwhelming discomfort and undeterrable tenacity; Brandon is considerably more fluid, socially deft, and personable. Santana transforms Mom’s “Do you know what it means when I say we’re Black?” into a wrenching cri du cœur. Also memorable are bubbly Isabella, churlish Carter, and conflicted Marsha. VERDICT Santana endows all-star treatment on Davis’s remarkable debut.

Jones, Stephen Graham. Killer on the Road. narrated by Isabella Star LaBlanc, Richard Brake & Stephen Graham Jones. 8:45 hrs. S. & S. Audio. Jul. 2025. $24.99. ISBN 9781797197920.
Gr 10 Up–Deeply eerie Brake has just 11 minutes of airtime, but that’s long enough to set up the frightfest ahead—and to remind readers that hitchhiking is a fatal mistake. After introducing Bucketmouth, LaBlanc picks up the mic as 18-year-old Harper, who disregarded the warning and is trying to thumb her way away from her controlling mother. She’s bypassed by preachy holy rollers (at least they leave her three sandwiches) before she’s serendipitously picked up by Kissy and Jam, just returning from Yellowstone. They’ve also got Harper’s ex, Dillon, and Harper’s tween sister, Meg, is just ahead—neither would let Harper run off alone. The quintet thinks they’re headed to freedom only to come face-to-face with insatiably hungry Bucketmouth. Someone must stay alive to tell the tale. LaBlanc unflappably narrates through paralyzing fear, murderous adrenaline, and determined control. Jones appears at the recording’s end to offer personal provenance. VERDICT Once on, listeners won’t exit this fatal highway until the bitter end.

Kaur, Xan. When Devils Sing. narrated by Jennifer Pickens & others. 12:30 hrs. Macmillan Young Listeners. May 2025. $26.99. ISBN 9781250395498.
Gr 10 Up–A fabulous foursome takes on the titular devils in the remote Georgia town appropriately named Carrion, although they aren’t nearly as evil as some of their (in)human counterparts. Sam (a desperate, resigned Jennifer Pickens) makes the first bargain after a fatal car accident: “a lie for [her] brother’s life.” Neera (a still hopeful, blindly determined Anjali Kunapaneni) is next: her music for silence that could be called upon anytime. Reid (an achingly youthful Michael Crouch), the founding family’s youngest, plots his freedom just like his vanished mother. Harvard-bound Isaiah (an inquisitive, investigative Landon Woodson) is on his way out, but he can’t stop exposing Secrets of the South on his pseudonymous podcast. The quartet is bound by their various relationships with Dawson, a missing boy presumed dead. But he’s left clues everywhere—and to find him is to uncover a legacy of inescapable decay. VERDICT When these devils sing, audiences will have to keep listening.

Manansala, Mia P. Death in the Cards. narrated by Dominique Salvacion. 9:04 hrs. Listening Library. May 2025. $25. ISBN 9798217069378.
Gr 9 Up–Manansala takes a break from delectable “Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries” for her YA debut, sharing her love for her Filipina culture, extended family, and satiating dishes with younger audiences. Relative newbie Salvacion—a versatile Filipina Italian American voice actor with comedic stage training, quickly racking up audio credits—vibrantly infuses 17-year-old Danika with tenacity, charm, exasperation, and ingenuity. Solving conundrums is clearly in Danika’s genes: Mom runs a detective agency; Dad’s a mystery novelist. Her prescient tarot talent underscores a successful side business at school. Gaby, the sister of client Eli, who recently drew the dreaded Death card and disappeared, seeks Danika’s help. Gaby’s parents hire Mom’s firm, finally giving Danika the opportunity to officially work her first case. With spirited dedication, Salvacion convincingly bounces between family, friends, strangers, and suspects in search of satisfying solutions. VERDICT Manansala has maintained aural consistency with her adult titles; hopefully, YA listeners can expect to hear Salvacion’s in future pairings.

Moulite, Maika & Maritza Moulite. The Summer I Ate the Rich. narrated by Melinda Sewak & others. 9:53 hrs. Macmillan Young Listeners. Apr. 2025. $26.99. ISBN 9781250383310.
Gr 9 Up–So many narrative threads get tangled into 17-year-old Haitian American Brielle Petifour’s hungry zombie coming-of-age—racism, socioeconomic divides, generational entitlement, broken healthcare—and haute cannibalism. Brielle’s mother’s American Dream has devolved into an excruciating nightmare—she can’t even afford the pain meds manufactured by her billionaire employer. While waiting for Mummy at the Banks mansion, Brielle witnesses the hit-and-run of the Banks patriarch, which she happens to record on her antiquated phone. A convoluted path conveniently leads to a Banks Corps internship, where Brielle falls for heir-apparent Preston. Meanwhile, Brielle feeds her culinary dreams by catering to the insatiable appetites of the über-rich on weekends. Of course, there’s more, and chameleonic Sewak impressively takes full control, adding and dropping accents, decades, genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds with seamless ease. She’s aided by Brielle’s quintuply voiced “very own Greek Haitian chorus judging their ungrateful, Americanized sister from afar.” VERDICT Despite uneven wobbles, Sewak’s distinctly elevating performance will impel listeners to the final track.

Muñoz, Lauren. Very Dangerous Things. narrated by Elena Rey. 11:13 hrs. Listening Library. Jul. 2025. $27.50. ISBN 9798217071142.
Gr 7 Up–In Muñoz’s second faux-murder-gone-real, Rey practically takes on a whole school to get to the howdunit, whodunit, and whydunit. Welcome to J. Everett High’s annual Grand Game in which teams of would-be criminologists compete for the hefty $30K prize. This year, best friends Dulce and Emi are determined to win. With an imminent corpse discovery looming, Sierra’s screams that her ex-boyfriend Xavi is dead aren’t initially alarming, except Xavi’s not faking it. When Sierra becomes the prime suspect, she insists only Dulce can prove her innocence. Sierra and Dulce were the original BFFs, but after what happened two years ago when Dulce’s mother died, Sierra became Dulce’s hated nemesis. Emi eventually convinces Dulce to change her mind—from the hospital bed. Dulce wades through endless lies, but she uncovers every necessary truth. VERDICT Murder, of course, is highly dangerous, but Rey ensures it’s also twisty-turny deadly fun.

Romasco-Moore, Mar. Deadstream. narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. 6:54 hrs. Listening Library. Apr. 2025. $20. ISBN 9798217019298.
Gr 9 Up–Surviving the car crash that killed her best friend has since kept 17-year-old Teresa agoraphobically trapped in her room. Technology gives her opportunities to connect beyond her four walls, particularly via livestreaming, where she’s built a growing community. Then, a popular streamer goes catatonic and is seemingly murdered on camera. Attacks escalate, with Teresa becoming a prime target. Romasco-Moore’s latest integrates narrative storytelling with all manner of social platforms and contemporary communication modes—livestreaming, posting, commenting, group chats, texting, online news, and newsletters—which appear easily distinguishable on the page, but perhaps not so much with a single voice. Even so, Hutchinson-Shaw gamely engages, technically enhanced with occasional help from sound designers who tune her narration to reflect various screen exchanges. She effortlessly tracks Teresa from apprehension to desperation and distinguishes various livestreamers, including initially dynamic Brick and British Indian KingCoal. VERDICT What’s most aurally notable here is not so much distinct characterizations, but the range of media contained within.

Van Ness, Jonathan & Julie Murphy. Let Them Stare. narrated by Jonathan Van Ness & Jeremy Arthur. 10:05 hrs. HarperAudio. May 2025. $24.99. ISBN 9780063346277.
Gr 9 Up–Of course, Queer Eye’s Van Ness had to read his and Murphy’s first fabulous collaboration—who else could transform simple words like “cute” into multisyllabic declarations?! When Sully gets unceremoniously dumped from their fancy NYC internship, they’re stuck again in tiny Hearst, PA, where living as their “full Sully Self” gets exhausting. Now they’re both carless (they sold Olivia Newton-John to their mayor mother’s summer assistant, Brad) and jobless (they’ve already been replaced). They head back to Yesterday’s Today hoping they might pick up a few hours but instead go home with a bag so potentially priceless that it could be their ticket out of town. That is, if they can exorcise Rufus, the 1950s once-upon-a-time rising star “impersonator” who calls the Butler home. Ghostly amnesia seems to have erased most of Rufus’s memories; Sully needs to figure out who, where, what, and why to earn their freedom. Deeper-voiced Arthur (mysteriously uncredited in the recording) achingly interrupts the spirited dramas with timeless love letters. VERDICT Van Ness gloriously elevates these pages into empowering, enlightening entertainment.

Terry Hong writes SLJ’s quarterly audio column.