The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen @sarahpekkanen @saskiaaudio @macmillan.audio @macmillanaudio.bsky.social #TheWomenInWhite

the setup…
Riley Bell steps into the home of Betty Sadler to interview for the position as her caretaker and it’s like a step back in time to the 1960s. There’s no WiFi, television or other modern technology. It appears that Betty has lived in isolation, frozen in time for 60 years until the recent death of her husband, Douglas. Riley eventually learns that in 1964, Betty was part of a parapsychology study at Virginia’s Marquis University, led by Dr. Silas Trimble. She was Girl Number 4 and Betty wants to reconnect with the other three young women in the program who became her best friends…Ivy, Kathleen and Helen. As Riley begins investigating, old secrets start to unravel, along with an element of danger.

the heart of the story…
It’s a dual timeline and Betty’s story goes back to 1964 when she becomes part of the program. In that era, research studies were proliferating but with none of the standard oversights required today. It was equal parts fascinating and horrifying. And, what happened to Ivy, Kathleen and Helen? And why was Betty stuck in time for 60 years?

the narration…
Saskia Maarleveld is on my top ten list of favorite narrators and her performance here illustrates why. I loved her storytelling style and she made each character standout distinctively.

the bottom line…
This was one of my most anticipated books and it still surpassed my expectations. I believe we’re all gifted with a sixth sense but there are those who are given more. It’s not exploited here but carefully presented in a way that’s plausible, most probably because of the author’s excellent research. It’s an outstanding blend of paranormal and reality elements that make for a creepy yet riveting story that feels firmly planted in truth.

Book Info

• Release Date: August 4, 2026
• Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
• Audio Length: 7 hours, 57 minutes
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio

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(Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)