Forewarned

A Daphne Ann Post Novel

De: Tracey S. Phillips

Narrado por: Tracey S. Phillips

For 15-year-old Daphne Ann Post, the summer of 1976 at Lake Carlson should be filled with new friendships and carefree late-night parties. But something darker lurks beneath the surface—her chilling premonition that someone is going to drown.

Wishing she could escape the shadow of her fractured family and her mother’s too-soon rebound relationship, Daphne reluctantly heads to the family lake house in Northern Indiana. The tension with her mother is thick—especially when Daphne is the only one who knows her mom's boyfriend is hiding a dangerous secret. But Daphne’s burden is far heavier than family drama. She harbors an unsettling gift—an ability to know the hidden truths of anyone she touches.

Last year that same intuition failed her when her best friend ignored Daphne’s warning before a tragic accident. Now everyone at school blames Daphne for what happened. Haunted by guilt, Daphne is determined to keep her ability a secret.

When she meets the Vaughans—cool, popular, and effortlessly perfect next-door neighbors—Daphne is drawn into their world, seduced by the thrill of fitting in. Over the summer, whispers of danger from the lake grow louder. Her intuition screams someone will die, and not even the haze of weed can numb her fear.

The clock is ticking. Daphne knows that to save a life, she’ll have to confront her darkest secret and risk losing everything she’s worked so hard for. Can she stop the inevitable without exposing her truth? Or will the lake claim a victim—this time, someone she loves?

©2024 Tracey S. Phillips (P)2025 Tracey S. Phillips

Like flies on the wall, we can’t stop watching

Audiobook & eBook Review. Set in 1976, FOREWARNED places readers deep into what seems to be an idyllic Indiana lakeside summer getaway. But just a scratch at the surface, and it’s clear it’s far from ideal. Several subplots keep us curious and engaged and anxiously awaiting for what’s promised in the book’s description.

“I can’t drink; quaaludes are the only things that stay down.”

More than anything, FOREWARNED is a coming-of-age story with a splash of paranormal. It’s a summer-long snapshot of the lives of messed-up and misguided teens and their dysfunctional families – and all the associated drama surrounding that. FOREWARNED is a juicy read that unfolds much like a daytime TV drama. Think of an HBO’d version of One Life to Live or As the World Turns but with profanity-slinging sexualized primary characters, ages fifteen to twenty-four years old, using and abusing drugs and alcohol. Like I said, juicy, right? Yet, that’s also what makes FOREWARNED one of these books that I struggle to blanket-recommend for young adults. (I’d categorize it as mature young adult / new adult and older.)

“Icy dread laced with a sense of danger crept up my arms.”

Author Tracey S. Phillips shines in writing descriptive and evocative scenes that make the reader feel the sense of time and place and mood. Though the issues and problems depicted sadly span the ages, the 1976 touches accurately remind readers that FOREWARNED is not a modern book. For those of us who grew up in the ‘70s, the blasts from the past bring sentimental smiles: the freedom of roaming around, needing a dime for a phone call, hanging out at the A&W, playing Ouija, listening to Casey Kasem on the radio, the introduction of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and the country’s bicentennial celebration. For younger readers, the blasts from the past will likely be jaw-dropping and lead to Google searches and Amazon purchases.

In addition to crafting authentic depictions of scene, Phillips writes realistic characters to love and loathe (I’m talking to you, Tony. GRRR! ICKKK!). Though it seems like FOREWARNED will be Daphne’s story, there are just as many chapters told from Lara’s point of view, and a few from the oldest in this otherwise teen group, twenty-four-year-old Mark. Daphne is the most intriguing of characters and seems a bit of an old soul in how she speaks and thinks. For example, she says things like, it “warmed my buttocks,” which is odd-speak for a fifteen-year-old who hangs out with the fast kids. Yet, as she’s thinking through piano concertos, it also strangely fits. Add to this that Daphne has the gift of clairvoyance (which definitely takes a back seat to the kids-gone-wild plotline) and is riddled with anxiety and anger, she’s fascinating. Fascinating for entirely different reasons is Lara, and watching her make horrible choices and desperately needing attention and affection is like watching a trainwreck. The addition of Mark to the story allows the author to bring yet another subplot to the mix. Through it all, there’s an underlayer of dread that drags on readers as we just know none of this can turn out well.

ABOUT THE NARRATION: I intended to read FOREWARNED only with my ears because I love audiobooks, but those narrated by the author, like this one, usually have another layer of authenticity. My listening preference didn’t sync with the very slow, steady pace of narration, and I had a hard time finding the right speed to work. I ended up at 1.5x, which made the faster-talking teenagers sound even more natural. However, I discovered an audiobook glitch that left out a significant portion of the book, so I switched to the eBook. I did see a sprinkling of typos and errors in the eBook, which is distracting for me, so I went back and forth between formats, and I’m glad I did. For one, I think the author became more comfortable with her audiobook narration, and the caliber of her delivery was greatly improved and enjoyable by mid-point, making listening at 1.5x perfect. But also, had I just stuck with the eBook, I would have missed hearing the wonderful “End Credits” where the author herself performs Chopin's “Trois Nouvelles Études," No. 1! I slowed the listening speed back to 1x for that, and then the audiobook referenced a playlist, and that information sent me back to the eBook. There readers find the “FOREWARNED Soundtrack,” which ranges from Hall and Oates, The Who, and Steely Dan to Beethoven and Chopin. BONUS: The eBook has a hyperlink to an Amazon Music Playlist. Score!

Though the countdown to an eerie ending is slow in coming around, with just less than twenty percent left, the suspense really starts building and like flies on the wall, we can’t stop watching the stories unravel. Some questions are answered and some situations are neatly or messily resolved, but there are also some loose threads hanging about, along with new information that could take Daphne’s life in a new direction. With FOREWARNED’s subtitle being “A Daphne Ann Post Novel,” I’m guessing there will be future installments where lingering questions are answered and new adventures await. I’ll be there for it.