It's not uncommon for childhood friends, no matter how close they once were, to eventually grow up and grow apart. But for Nora and Charlotte, the sudden disappearance of their beloved babysitter Rose prevented them from ever cutting ties completely. Years later, Rose's body has been found, and Nora is en route to visit Charlotte in their hometown of Waverly, Connecticut, to try to put the pieces together once again. Being the last person to see Rose before her disappearance, Nora feels the weight of the tragedy and finds herself questioning every member of the community, even those she always believed she could trust. Khristine Hvam narrates Emily Arsenault's In Search of the Rose Notes, giving voice to a myriad of characters, all of whom could be suspected of killing Rose.

While Arsenault lays the groundwork for an investigative, gripping murder mystery set in an idyllic Connecticut suburb, Hvam gives a chameleon-like performance of multiple characters of varying ages and backgrounds. Arsenault's novel jumps back and forth through time from 1991, just before Rose's disappearance, to 2006, when Nora and Charlotte must confront the tragedy once again. Hvram's ability to translate the deep, soothing voice of adult Nora into a vibrant childlike tone of the 11-year-old Nora is particularly enjoyable. As they begin to unearth dark details surrounding the event, Hvam's tone becomes increasingly investigative, discerning, and severe. Her versatile characterizations elevate the novel in a positively alarming way.

In Search of the Rose Notes wraps you into its addictive "whodunit" narrative quickly and deliberately, with Hvam as a valuable guide. Arsenault's tightly wound crime novel is a triumph in its own right, but Hvam's delivery will make the experience all the more pulse-pounding. —Suzanne Day