Bitter cold temperatures and the darker days of winter find me drawn to horror, post-apocalyptic and suspenseful tales, so I settled in with The Night Parade by Ronald Malfi. Narrated by Joe Hempel, the story has us following a father and his young daughter on the run after the world is turned upside down by a virus known as Wanderer’s Folly. A gripping listen.
by Ronald Malfi
Series: 11 hours and 53 minutes
Narrator: Joe Hempel
Genres: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic
Source: Purchase
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm *affiliate
Narration: 4.5 cups Speed: 1.4x
In the tradition of Stephen King's The Stand , acclaimed horror writer Ronald Malfi takes listeners on a nightmarish journey through a post-pandemic landscape, as a devoted father seeks a safe haven for his young daughter, who may hold the key to humanity's survival . . .
First the birds disappeared.
Then the insects took over.
And the madness began . . .They call it Wanderer's Folly—a disease of delusions, of daydreams and nightmares. A plague threatening to wipe out the human race.
After two years of creeping decay, David Arlen woke up one morning thinking that the worst was over. By midnight, he's bleeding and terrified, his wife is dead, and he's on the run in a stolen car with his eight-year-old daughter, who may be the key to a cure.
Ellie is a special girl. Deep. Insightful. And she knows David is lying to her. Lying about her mother. Lying about what they're running from. And lying about what he sees when he takes his eyes off the road . . .
Malfi throws the listener into the story of the Night Parade as David Arlen drives across country with his eight-year-old daughter, Ellie. As we travel, we get a sense of danger and wrongness with the world. David is trying to protect Ellie from the truth of what is happening. As she learns, so do we. The tale that unfolds kept me on edge.
The story is told both in the present and in flashbacks to events that occurred from strange events involving birds to deaths in humans. The virus becomes known as Wanderer’s Folly. This plague involves delusions, daydreams and nightmares before the victim succumbs to the disease. But Ellie is special, and as the story evolves, so does she.
While this is definitely a post-apocalyptic tale, it has a firm place in the horror genre, from the creepy masks to the growing number of insects. Malfi gave me chills, and the next time I hear an ice cream truck driving down the street, I am certain it will give me pause. He paints an atmospheric tale as David fights to get his daughter to a safe location and protected from the men in suits who want her.
The story highlights the emotional and unwavering need of a parent to protect its young and the horror of an unexplained pandemic in search of a cure as we travel through towns, some abandoned and others unaffected by the horror that is unfolding. Danger is everywhere, but even in darkness there are those who will step forward and aid you. Twists and turns kept me listening into the wee hours, and I regret nothing.
Joe Hempel narrates and does a stellar job of conveying the tone of the story, from David’s desperation to protect his daughter, to Ellie’s keen awareness that her father isn’t sharing the truth.
The Night Parade is a must-listen for fans of horror and post-apocalyptic tales.
About Ronald Malfi
Ronald Malfi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several horror novels and thrillers. He is the recipient of two Independent Publisher Book Awards, the Beverly Hills Book Award, the Vincent Preis Horror Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award for Popular Fiction, and is a Bram Stoker Award nominee. In 2024, the Maryland Library Association presented Malfi with the prestigious William G. Wilson Award for Adult Fiction. When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER.
About Joe Hempel
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, award-winning narrator Joe Hempel, a total eighties' kid, had a fascination with an eclectic array of shows that would later shape his performances in the audiobook world. For over a decade, Joe honed his acting skills as a referee in WWE's Developmental professional wrestling schools. Combined with his animated personality and a love for reading, becoming an audiobook narrator was a natural step. Best known for his captivating, rich narrations and uncanny ability for pulling listeners into an immersive experience, Joe has entertained listeners with over 600 audiobooks, carving a path to being the most in-demand narrator in the horror genre. He also frequently narrates mystery, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and nonfiction titles. Joe is a 2018 Independent Audiobook Award winner for best horror, a 2021 Independent Audiobook Award winner for best horror as a publisher, and a 2022 SOVAS award winner for best voice-over in an anthology for the thriller Hotel California. Joe also runs the award-winning extreme horror audiobook company Fright Night Audio.
Stay Caffeinated!
Never miss a post by adding Caffeinated to your Inbox
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Lark@LarkWrites
I really like the sound of this one!