The Dredge

Flaherty debuts with a gripping tale of two estranged brothers whose grim secret is destined to come to light. After Cale and Ambrose Casey lost their father, their family fell apart. Cale left their hometown of Macoun, CT, for Hawaii to become a big-shot real estate mogul, while Ambrose stayed and worked construction. They have no contact for decades until news that Gibbs Pond, the locus of the family’s secrets, is about to be dredged. Developer Lily Rowe, who has secrets of her own, is the project lead. The three reunite in Connecticut, with Casey trying to stop the dredging of the pond and Lily trying to keep the project going. David Bendena narrates capably, offering affecting character portraits. Lily has a chip on her shoulder and is confused and determined. Cale is guilty over leaving his brother but is desperate not to lose his lifestyle. Ambrose is weary of shouldering the burden of the past. The characters’ conflicting emotions are captured with nuance, making listeners care for these damaged people.