All the Dark Places

The day after the 40th-birthday celebration for her much-loved husband Jay, Molly discovers him dead in his home office with his throat slashed. Molly is devastated, not only because of the brutality of the crime but because Jay was the one person who knew the truth about her traumatic past. The scene suggests that Jay’s death could have been a crime of opportunity, but detective Rita Myers is skeptical, as something about the case seems personal. Narrators Stephanie Cozart and Christina Moore provide solid performances of Parlato’s twisty debut. Cozart offers a nuanced portrait of Molly, depicting her growth from fragile and fearful to self-confident and strong—a woman ready to reconcile her past with her present. Moore represents Rita, portraying her as shrewdly capable and a bit cynical, though she is not indifferent to Molly’s circumstances. Both narrators effectively narrate the large supporting cast of friends and relatives as well. Although the story is set in Boston, there is little sense of place; listeners looking for deeper connections to the Boston area may want to look elsewhere.