EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Scott (All Of US Strangers) and George MacKay (1917) have been set to lead the voice cast in Russell Tovey‘s (American Horror Story: NYC) debut novel Starlings, which is being published as an Audible Original.

Set in the heart of Clapham in London, the drama will explore family estrangement and queer identity. Release is set for July 1st.

The synopsis reads: “Starlings introduces Donald (Andrew Scott), a forty-something aspiring drag queen, who has spent years masking deep bitterness behind sharp wit and painted nails. Exiled from his northern hometown after his father discovered him wearing women’s clothes, Donald has avoided confronting his past for decades, surrounding himself with an unruly group of friends as he navigated his identity. 

“When Donald’s enigmatic younger brother, Owen (George MacKay) unexpectedly appears at his door due to their father’s death, Donald is forced to reckon with old wounds as the brothers reunite after years apart. From visiting drag shows, to dive bars, the novel follows Donald and Owen as they attempt to reconcile their shared history and heal past trauma.”

The ensemble voice cast also includes Michele Austin (Hard Truths), Julian Kostov (The White Lotus) and Jason Patel (Unicorns), alongside drag performers Dosa Cat, Gigi Zahir and That Girl, with Tovey himself appearing in the production.

Tovey shared: “It’s been the biggest privilege to bring this story and these characters alive with the best team at Audible and the most perfect and gifted cast of actors. This is a world and a community that I admire and love so much and hope in turn listeners will fall in love with too.”

The Being Human actor has previously opened up about how his own parents struggled to accept his homosexuality. When the actor came out at age 18, his father initially did not understand and suggested his son take hormone treatments to “cure” him.