A Q&A with Florence Browse, the Narrator behind The Neighbour

With The Neighbour now available on audiobook, I thought it would be fun to introduce you to the voice behind the story.

I asked narrator, Florence Browse a few questions about life as an audiobook narrator, what drew her to The Neighbour, and how she approaches bringing suspenseful stories and complex characters to life.

Florence also shares a little about her podcast, so, grab a cup of tea and enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at the world of audiobook narration.

1. Tell us about yourself, and what first inspired you to become an audiobook narrator?

Well, the short answer is definitely very simple: I love books! I think that’s a prerequisite for the job! But to go into more detail, I have always been an avid reader, and I love reading everything from non-fiction to thrillers to romantasy. Adult life catches up with you though, and I no longer have as much time to read as I would like. That’s where my love of audiobooks came in – they help me multitask while still getting to enjoy a good book.

2. What makes a thriller work particularly well as an audiobook experience instead of print alone?

The ability to create suspense through performance as well as through the words on the page is unmatched in Audiobooks.

In print, tension is generated by the author's pacing and storytelling, and in audio, the narrator becomes an active part of that experience. The use of timing, silence, emphasis, and characterisation can really heighten moments of uncertainty, danger, and revelation in a way that feels immediate and immersive.

Audiobooks also create anintimate relationship between the listener and the story. Because the narrator's voice is literally in the listener's ears, the experience can feel more personal and intense, particularly in psychological thrillers where the audience is closely aligned with a character's thoughts and emotions.

There were even moments while recording The Neighbour where I scared myself a little (no spoilers though)!

3. Domestic thrillers rely so heavily on tension and emotion. How do you approach building suspense through narration alone?

I definitely say that this is the hardest part of my job when it comes to narrating thrillers, but in my opinion, it all comes down to pacing. The most effective tension comes from what is left unsaid, so my job as a narrator is to create a sense that something isn't quite right without revealing too much too soon.

I pay close attention to pace, rhythm, and breath.

One of my favourite techniques is to begin slowly building up the pace as we approach a key high-tension moment in the story, before pausing completely once I have reached full speed, right before the tension breaks. To me this creates a literal feeling of building up to something and then highlights the important moment that we eventually reach.

4. What kind of mood does The Neighbour audiobook create while listening?

The Neighbour creates an atmosphere of constant unease—one where everyday settings and familiar relationships gradually become unsettling.

While recording, I felt it from the get-go, but it definitely only builds and gets more unsettling as you go on. You get the feeling that there is always more happening beneath the surface than first appears.

5. As a narrator, what stood out to you most about the tone and atmosphere of The Neighbour?

What stood out to me most when recording The Neighbour was the way it creates tension through atmosphere rather than relying solely on dramatic events.

The story is really rooted in a recognisable, everyday world, yet there is still a persistent sense of unease running beneath the surface. That contrast between the familiar and the unsettling gives the short story its distinctive tone and makes it particularly effective as a thriller.

6. Some characters in thrillers can be unreliable, manipulative, or emotionally layered. How do you reflect those subtle differences in your performance?

One of the most rewarding aspects of narrating thrillers is bringing those layers of complexity to life without making them too obvious. With unreliable or manipulative characters, the key is subtlety. If you signal too much too soon, you risk giving away the very tension that drives the story.

I start by understanding each character's perspective and motivation. Before any job, I read the whole manuscript in full so that I know what’s going to come up with each of the characters.

On my second read-through, I highlight the dialogue for each character in a different colour. This gives me a visual cue when recording for where the tone or vibe might need to shift. Even when a character is withholding information or behaving deceptively, they rarely see themselves as the villain of their own story, and this needs to come through in the narration of their dialogue.

Approaching those kinds of characters with empathy allows me to create a performance that feels authentic rather than exaggerated.

Ultimately, my goal is to give every character a distinct emotional presence while allowing listeners to make their own judgements. In a thriller, uncertainty is part of the experience, and the narration should support that by keeping the audience engaged, curious, and questioning.

7. What’s the hardest part of narrating an audiobook that listeners probably never think about?

I would argue that one of the hardest parts is consistency over long stretches of time, and it’s something listeners rarely notice when it’s done well (I hope)!

The Neighbour took many hours to record across multiple sessions—sometimes days apart—yet every character still has to sound exactly like themselves, with the same emotional logic, the same vocal “position,” and the same rhythm of speech. If a character had a slight edge of sarcasm in chapter 3, or a quieter, more fragile tone in chapter 12, that needs to remain coherent throughout, even if those chapters were recorded on different days when I might not be in exactly the same physical or vocal state.

8. For listeners who love dark, twisty, emotionally charged stories, what do you think they’ll enjoy most about The Neighbour?

Honestly, I think there’s so much to love that it’s hard to chose! But if I had to, I would say the way it keeps them constantly questioning what’s really going on beneath the surface.

It’s a story that doesn’t rely on big, isolated shocks so much as a steady accumulation of unease. The tension builds through relationships, proximity, and the small fractures that appear in what initially seems like an ordinary domestic world. For listeners who enjoy that slow, creeping sense of doubt, I think there’s a real pleasure in being drawn deeper into the uncertainty, piece by piece.

9. If you could describe the atmosphere of The Neighbour in just three words, what would they be?

Oof that’s tricky... probably Chilling, Uneasy and Nail-biting.

10. Are there any projects or authors that listeners may already recognise your voice from?

I think my voice is most recognisable from my podcast, Equality in Elevation where my friend Lily and I cover everything Feminism and Architecture related. Alongside my work as an audiobook narrator, I am also completing my Masters of Architecture, so I love a good yap about anything Architecture related.

Our podcast is now in its 5^th season and 3^rd year of recording, and we have been recognised by Deborah-Francis-White on an Episode of ‘The Guilty feminist.’

Where to find Florence Browse

 

If you’re interested in hearing more about Florence's audiobook narration process specifically, you can find her on Instagram at @flossiereadsbooks .

For everything podcast related, head to @equalityinelevation on either Instagram or Tik Tok.

The Neighbour audiobook is available now on Audible, Amazon, Apple Books, and soon to Amazon's new All You Can Listen (AYCL) catalogue.

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