The Hoarder

Author: Jess Kidd;
Genre: Mystery;
Format: Audiobook;
Narrator: Aoife McMahon;
Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks (2018);
Rating: (4 / 5).

Another fun listen from Jess Kidd, this one narrated by Aoife McMahon. The story is contemporary, but uses flashbacks, and includes dysfunctional people, much like the author’s 2017 novel, Himself. The writing is lyrical, with absolutely wonderful descriptions and sharp, clever dialog.

I turn to him, breathing like Darth Vader through my mask, and shrug. I hope my shrug communicates a profound respect for his discarded possessions (twenty refuse sacks of empty sardine tins) combined with the regretful need for practical living.

He narrows his gimlet eyes. ‘You’re a little shit, aren’t you?’

The protagonist, Maud, has some mysteries in her past and now she finds herself immersed in a current one. Chapters alternate between time periods, and I was a little confused by character names, but it wasn’t a story that I had to concentrate on to enjoy.

Most Americans love Irish accents, and McMahon’s narration is wonderful; she differentiates between characters very well. I did listen to most of the book at 1.25 speed because it was a little slow for me.

Themes include hoarding (obviously), family secrets, caretakers, friendship, greed, and morality.