Unique, strange and utterly compelling

The Listeners

Maggie Steifvater

416 pages, Hardcover, expected publication 3 June 2025

It is 1942 and World War 2 has landed in the United States. The diplomats and dignitaries of unfriendly nations are being rounded ready for deportation. The Avallon Hotel and Spa is an institution of opulence and discretion where the needs of the guests are foremost. The Avallon Hotel is nestled in the hills of West Virginia and fed by the magical power of the local sweet water. The Avallon is for 'people so high on the social ladder they' have 'to duck for the sun to go overhead', it is an oasis in troubling times. June Porter Hudson, Avallon Hotel General Manager is determined of retaining that status despite the drum beats of war. When June is advised, in no uncertain terms by the owner that the hotel will host potential enemies of the US, June does what she is best at adapts. She focuses her staff to retain high levels of service, even if it is for Nazis and the Japanese. With the guests, comes the FBI and the State Department who are hell bent on running the Avallon to meet their requirements. This causes tension with staff, the guests and the hotel itself. June who maintains an air of professional distance but finds herself being drawn to the enigmatic Special Agent Tucker Rye Minnick and concerned over the welfare of Hannelore Wolfe, the daughter of a German diplomat. As the stay of the diplomats continues, the waters that feed the Avallon become temperamental requiring more from June and forcing her to make a decision on who or what should be saved.

I have to be honest, trying to capture the essence of this story without giving anything away is hard, for the joy is in the glorious discovery of the characters, their backgrounds, their motivations and their journey.

The story centres around June Porter Hudson and what a wonderful character she is. There is nothing cliched about June, she is a delightful conundrum. June runs the poshest of hotels, has a mountaineer accent with short clipped vowels and verbs, dresses unconventionally, wears slacks with a jacket and is attended to by three obedient dachshunds. June is a force, she is aware of everything and everyone, runs a tight ship and seems infallible but there are weaknesses. The hotel and June are intrinsically bound together, for it is the sweet water that fuels the Avallon and key to its success. The maintenance of the sweet water is June's responsibility, as the story unfolds you learn of the imposition this costs and it is an interesting dynamic.

The relationships that swirl around June are all complete with their own challenges, regrets, doubts, fears and hopes. All these characters are beautifully realised and how they interact with June. Tucker Minnick, is one of the primary relationships and you are never sure whether you should loathe or empathise. He is driven to atone and driven to be efficient in getting the job done. He and June undertake a slow dance over the course of the story with a few heated moments and plenty of complications. The Wolfe family is an interesting problem that June is faced with and becomes central to the outcome. I am not giving that away.

The cleverness of Stiefvater is in how she melds, balances, and develops all these relationships so that you want to know how everyone will all fare. She takes you on a journey that is unexpected and rewarding. The history is well researched, compliments and folds seamlessly into the story. The sweet water brings in a healthy dose of magic realism but it is the characters and in particular June who make the story. Maggie Stiefvater has crafted an intricate story that is unique, strange and compelling. I was never really sure where the story was going, it is not predictable, it is highly inventive and captivating.

I was kindly provided an ARC by Hachette Australia & New Zealand.

Oh, if you don't follow Maggie Steifvater's Facebook account, you are missing out on daily updates on the dachshunds, well worth it. If you head over to Maggie's website, you will find all the links you need.