The Cliffs

Sullivan’s (Friends and Strangers) much-anticipated new novel follows Harvard archivist Jane Flanagan, who has returned to her childhood home in Maine after making an awful mistake that may spell the end of her marriage and her career. As a teenager, Jane was drawn to a large Victorian home in her neighborhood. Genevieve, the current owner, has been remodeling the house and is convinced that her son is seeing ghosts. Jane agrees to help Genevieve research the history of the property, and in the process, she makes intriguing discoveries about her own mother and grandmother. She also learns about past figures connected to the house and its grounds, including Hannah, a sailor’s wife in the 1800s, and her housekeeper, Eliza, who was raised in a Shaker orphanage. An ensemble of five talented narrators accompanies listeners through the novel’s adeptly interwoven time periods and nested stories. The narrators offer expressive performances, capturing each character’s distinct personality with sensitivity and nuance. Cassandra Campbell is particularly affecting as she embodies Jane’s character as well as Jane’s sister and childhood friends.