★Due, Tananarive. The Reformatory. S. & S. Audio. Oct. 2023. 20:51 hrs. ISBN 9781797160139. $29.99. HORROR

Due (The Wishing Pool and Other Stories) revisits Gracetown School for Boys in her horrifying new novel. While it’s true that Gracetown is particularly haunted, and most of its students come across haints on campus, the real horror Due communicates is the cruel racism of 1950s Florida. Robbie Stephens Jr. is sentenced to six months at this particularly hate-filled and abusive institution after kicking a white boy to protect his sister Gloria. He immediately catches the attention of Warden Haddock, whose cold, barely concealed violence makes it no surprise that the grounds are haunted by countless children. Meanwhile, Gloria fights in to secure her brother’s release. Narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt voices Gloria’s strength and despair alongside her chilling performance of Robbie’s terror. Her narration leaves no doubt that behind the siblings’ soft voices and fear is an unshakable strength born from their family and community bonds. An afterword lets listeners know that Due based the novel on actual events and family history, which deepens the horror even further. VERDICT Incredibly written and performed historical horror that, though heartbreaking, might give modern readers a spark of hope.—Matthew Galloway

★Fussner, Nora. The Invisible World. Books on Tape. Sept. 2023. 9:13 hrs. ISBN 9780593789971. $65. HORROR

Fussner’s spellbinding debut follows the crew of Searching for…the Invisible World, a paranormal investigations TV show reluctantly led by overworked producer Sandra. When their new house shows signs of supernatural activity, Eve and Ryan Hawthorne reach out to the ghost-hunting show. Upon arrival, none of the Searching For… crew members think the house is actually haunted, until they too witness strange, unexplainable occurrences. As the week continues and the phenomena intensify, Eve is desperate for the show to find answers, Sandra tries to create something watchable from the chaos, and young ghost hunter Caitlin is simply eager to touch the other side. Fussner wisely eschews the tropes of bleeding walls and jittering spectral entities, going instead for slow-build tension and character development. Transcripts of interviews from the show give listeners a pretend peek behind the curtain, lending an air of authenticity. Stellar vocal performances by a large cast, including Samantha Desz and Cynthia Farrell, incorporate multiple points of view, communicating the personal truths that haunt each character. VERDICT Outstanding narratorial performances take this novel to the next level. Fussner doesn’t offer easy answers but allows listeners to ponder the existence of the invisible world.—James Gardner