Audiobook review of The Barbecue at No 9 by Jenny Godfrey – Suburban Secrets and Lies | books

IIt happened in July 1985, two days before the historic Live Aid charity concert held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Goth teen Hannah Gordon was asked by her mother, Lydia, to distribute invitations to their neighbors to meet at their house to “help the kids.” Hannah suspects that Lydia’s intentions may not be entirely charitable and that she wants to show off her new barbecue. But Hannah’s long-suffering father, Peter, is not enthusiastic, complaining that “it would cost a fortune to feed the whole bloody street.”

Hannah, who is keeping a secret from her family, may be intimidated by her mother’s party plans, but she nonetheless does what she asks, delivering invitations around a suburban cul-de-sac while dimly aware of a mysterious figure lurking in the shadows. When Lydia noticed the same figure the next day hiding in her garden, it was clear that something was afoot in Delmont Close.

Barbecue at No. 9 is the follow-up to Jenny Godfrey’s hit List of Suspicious Things. Like its predecessor, it combines mystery with the fine details of everyday life shown in close-up. That the novel is told from the perspective of diverse neighbors makes it an ideal fit for audio. In this production, Hannah is voiced by Raffey Cassidy while her father is played by comedian Stephen Mangan. Josh Dillane is Steve, a Falkland Islands war veteran suffering from PTSD, and Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones) shines as Rita, an Australian in her forties who has recently joined The Close and is hiding secrets of her own.

Available via Penguin Audio, 8 hours 42 minutes

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