Inspection: A Novel

Josh Malerman

Mar 2019 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Michael Crouch and Brittany Pressley

About this audiobook

Boys are being trained at one school for geniuses, girls at another. Neither knows the other exists—until now. The New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box invites you into a world of secrets and chills in a coming-of-age story like no other.

NOMINATED FOR THE BRAM STOKER AWARD • “Josh Malerman is a master at unsettling you—and keeping you off-balance until the last page is turned.”—Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of Blackbirds

J is a student at a school deep in a forest far away from the rest of the world.

J is one of only twenty-six students, all of whom think of the school’s enigmatic founder as their father. J’s peers are the only family he has ever had. The students are being trained to be prodigies of art, science, and athletics, and their life at the school is all they know—and all they are allowed to know.

But J suspects that there is something out there, beyond the pines, that the founder does not want him to see, and he’s beginning to ask questions. What is the real purpose of this place? Why can the students never leave? And what secrets is their father hiding from them?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, in a school very much like J’s, a girl named K is asking the same questions. J has never seen a girl, and K has never seen a boy. As K and J work to investigate the secrets of their two strange schools, they come to discover something even more mysterious: each other.

Praise for Inspection

“Creepy. . . a novel whose premise is also claustrophobic and unsettling, but more ambitious than that of Bird Box . . . Inspection is rich with dread and builds to a dramatic climax.”—The Washington Post

“This unlikely cross between 1984 and Lord of the Flies tantalizes.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Malerman builds a striking world. . . . As he did in Bird Box, Malerman’s crafted an irresistible scenario that’s rich in possibility and thematic fruit. . . . Where [Bird Box] confined us behind a blindfold, Inspection rips it off.”  —The A. V. Club

“A must read . . . It’s a wonderful thing, digging into a new Josh Malerman novel—no idea what to expect, no clue where his twisted mind is going to take you.”—Cemetery Dance

Ratings and reviews

This book is well worth your time and money. It's an incredible concept and it truly grabs you and pulls you in the further you read. It has a great set up, which may seem slow but is still integral and interesting. By the time it gets going a few chapters in, prepare for a rollercoaster (as cliche as that sounds - it's true!) Scary, intense. My only gripes are not always distinguishing each character as clearly as I would hope. This may be due to the naming convention used in the book. But the main characters are very easy to recognize, thanks to the wonderful narration by the two performers. Second, there is a lot of repeating of phrases, words, and sentences which can become slightly irritating. It's not completely overbearing but it happens enough that it's noticeable. Clearly, it's a symptom of the writers style and need for impact but some could have been cut. Overall, I highly enjoyed my time and it will be with me for a while. I may even re-read which I don't do often.

About the author

Josh Malerman is a New York Times bestselling author and one of two singer/ songwriters for the rock band The High Strung. His debut novel, Bird Box, is the inspiration for the hit Netflix film of the same name. His other novels include Unbury Carol and Inspection. Malerman lives in Michigan with his fiancée, the artist/musician Allison Laakko.