Woke Up Lonely

Thurlow Dan is the founder of Helix, a prominent cult that promises a cure for loneliness. But Dan has a problem: he is lonely—for his covert CIA agent ex-wife, Esme, who has spent much of her life spying on Dan in an effort to shield him from the police. But when one of Esme’s surveillance missions goes awry, Dan starts taking hostages. Maazel’s novel is enhanced by narrator Bernadette Dunne’s winning performance in this audio edition. With an older voice and slight rasp, Dunne offers up clear, clean narration. Equally important, her reading is well paced and demonstrates great timing. A Graywolf hardcover. (Apr.)