Among the Missing

A bridge collapse in Scotland brings three strangers together, and listeners will care deeply about each of them. Robin Sachs offers a gruff, guilt-ridden Ron, a former bus driver who once served prison time for his involvement in a fatal accident. Sachs is gravelly or velvet-voiced, strong or uncertain as needed. Kate Reading's deep, cultured tones ring with truth and intelligence. She provides a coolly introspective portrayal of Annabel, a 41-year-old newlywed whose unexpected pregnancy causes a rift with her new husband. Cassandra Campbell's bright and lively Silva, an illegal from a repressive European regime, brings an aching poignancy to the character, a young mother who waits for her husband and baby to return. Insightful prose and inspired performances make this psychological thriller about second chances worthwhile listening. S.J.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

May 30, 2011
In this haunting psychological thriller from Joss (The Night Following), a recently married middle-aged English couple staying at a Scottish Highlands hotel hit a wall in their new relationship: she's pregnant and he doesn't want kids. Desperate for cash, the unnamed woman manages to sell her car to Stefan, an illegal immigrant living in a rundown trailer with his wife, Silva, and their two-year-old daughter, Anna. Hours later, the nearby bridge to Inverness collapses. When the car is reported missing and the woman is presumed dead, she decides to begin life anew as "Annabel." Overcome with guilt when she realizes that Stefan and Anna died in her car, Annabel goes to Silva's trailer, and the two women become uneasy friends. Meanwhile, Ron, recently released from prison after serving five years for criminal negligence and the third major player in the drama, finds work helping the bridge salvage operation and soon forms an unlikely bond with Annabel and Silva, but one that may not withstand the weight of their shared past tragedies. P.D. James fans will find much to like.

Starred review from October 1, 2011

Edgar Award nominee Joss (Funeral Music) slowly but surely builds the tension in this tale of secrets, guilt, and jealousy. A bridge collapses in the Scottish Highlands, and a pregnant woman takes the chance to leave her sad life behind by pretending to be dead. An illegal immigrant waits for her husband and daughter to return, but, unfortunately, they never will. A boatman is riddled with guilt for an event of the past. Their relationships intertwine and ebb and flow, mixing love and suspicion, trust and distrust, and building to an unexpected conclusion. The narration from outstanding voice artists Robin Sachs, Kate Reading, and Cassandra Campbell is wonderfully subtle yet breathtaking. Recommended for all listeners.--Scott R. DiMarco, Mansfield Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib.

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