Carey Mulligan makes The Midnight Library feel like a whispered secret

Mulligan has a voice made for intimacy, and that suits a book that begins on the worst night of its heroine's life. She lets Nora sound tired and flat in the opening chapters, then lifts slightly with each new life she tries on.

Mrs Elm, the librarian, is the standout. Mulligan gives her a brisk warmth that is quietly funny and makes the library feel safe rather than spooky.

Haig's short chapters keep things moving, and the audiobook is a smooth eight hours. A few philosophical passages repeat themselves, but Mulligan's reading carries them.

Content note: the novel deals with suicide and depression directly, though with great care and a hopeful ending.