The Watcher in the Shadows

Zafon's YA gothic horror novel follows 14-year-old Irene Sauvelle as she moves with her destitute family to the coast of Normandy. There, her mother finds a job as a housekeeper at Cravenmoore, a vast estate owned by the mysterious toymaker Lazarus Jann and his wife. He seems like a kind, lonely eccentric, though his leering puppets populate the mansion. Jonathan Davis%E2%80%94who has read previous novels by Zafon%E2%80%94turns in an exceptional performance. His narration is eerie and full of with gothic menace, and his pacing slows as he describes the various set pieces that give the novel its atmosphere. Additionally, lends effective voices to a variety of characters (Irene, her younger brother, her mother, and the elderly Lazarus) without ever over performing. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. A Little, Brown hardcover. (June)