There Is No Ethan: How Three Women Caught America’s Biggest Catfish

When Akbari (Startup Your Life) met Ethan Schuman on an online dating platform, they had an instant connection. Though their plans to meet in person kept falling through, his reasons and remorse were always convincing, and his intelligence was irresistible. Soon, however, what started as a flirtation becomes an “emotional wrecking ball” that consumes Akbari’s thoughts, as affection turns into invective and abuse. Eventually, Akbari realizes that Ethan’s claims aren’t adding up, and she uses her sleuthing skills to connect with his other acquaintances and find the truth. Read primarily by the author, Akbari’s audiobook employs dramatic flair that dazzles. Narrator Justin Price reads Ethan’s side of the email exchanges, texts, and chats, enhancing the air of deception. Akbari’s claims are often facile, such as the assertion that Ethan obviously “had good taste” and that his prey weren’t “easy or obvious victims.” Even the subtitle’s claim that Ethan was “America’s biggest catfish” is unfounded, but the story is an engaging emotional rollercoaster, captivating as any fiction.