New Reviews: Mystery & Suspense

This first in a new series set in Little Caribbean, Brooklyn, is expertly performed by Janina Edwards. The day Lyndsay Murray fulfills her lifelong dream of opening a bakery in partnership with her Grenadian family, friends and neighbors line up to buy the shop's spiced, sweet, and savory treats. The joy sours when a rival bakery owner is murdered, and Lyndsay becomes the prime... Read More

Vidish Athavale draws listeners into this sweeping crime novel set in New Delhi. When a speeding Mercedes veers off the road and kills five people, Ajay takes the fall for his boss, Sonny, the son of a rich man with criminal dealings in the city. With his incredible range, Athavale's narration captures Ajay's tumultuous childhood of poverty. Athavale also illuminates the... Read More

Joe Knezevich is the perfect narrator to tell the story of the extreme rivalry between Cal and his brother, Frank. Knezevich creates believable characters in the two siblings, and his characterization of Cal reflects his decline from a highly successful and wealthy prospector traveling the world to a man who is virtually destroyed by his own brother as he becomes trapped in his... Read More

Told mostly in conversation, this novel about a toxic friendship hinges on the quality of its narration. Luckily for listeners, Lucy Scott and Antonia Beamish deliver terrific performances of women who really aren't good for each other. The loose plot follows Lucy Scott's Kate and Antonia Beamish's Bella from a beginning as childhood besties in an English village through... Read More

Miriama McDowell and Richard Te Are take listeners on a journey to present-day Auckland, New Zealand, where they follow Maori detective Hana Westerman as she races against time to solve a series of gruesome murders that are linked to the country's violent colonial past. The use of two narrators helps listeners differentiate the different viewpoints and strengthens the intensity... Read More

What a listening experience this is--one that grows more compelling chapter by chapter. Author Eleanor Catton and narrator Saskia Maarleveld are both at their peak here, and are perfectly matched in sensibility and skill. Catton's last novel was a historical picaresque, the 2013 Booker Prize winner THE LUMINARIES, memorably narrated by Mark Meadows. Here, in the contemporary... Read More

In Griffiths's third Harbinder Kaur mystery, Nina Wadia, Candida Gubbins, and Jane Collingwood offer top-notch narrations. At London's posh Manor Park School's 21st class reunion, a conservative MP is found dead, and newly appointed DI Kaur investigates. DS Cassie Fitzherbert, a former Manor Park student, is at the reunion, but she has secrets of those days she'd rather keep... Read More

Aimee Lilly's narration is ideally suited to a story structured around six different points of view. Each character offers their perspective on the theft of the Marchioness of Castlecourt's diamonds in early-1900s London. Lilly clearly delineates each character and cleverly delivers a variety of accents ranging from received English to broad rural brogues and generic American.... Read More

There's something special about this audio murder mystery, which takes place on a remote Alaskan island. Port Mettier is rocked by the discovery of body parts on the beach by local teens. The three performers bring beauty to the spoken word. Narrator Shannon Tyo truly sounds like the teenager who made the grisly discovery. Aspen Vincent is wonderfully believable in her role as... Read More

Narrator Karen Ziemba brings a matter-of-fact tone to this Ali Reynolds mystery. Ziemba lets listeners into the minds of its many characters on both sides of the law, starting with an ex-cop who's planning revenge on the people who helped send him to prison. Ziemba's delivery also illuminates the contributions of the law enforcement figures who prevent the contract killings the... Read More

Scottish actress Katie Leung employs a flawless American accent in this biting thriller involving the film industry. Sarah Lai is teaching introductory screenwriting at a small college in New York City when a famous reporter starts to interview her about her past with a billionaire film producer. Leung gives Sarah a drained tone that comes to life with naïve enthusiasm as she... Read More

MacLeod Andrews takes on this complex military adventure of good versus evil with a supernatural twist. Andrews uses his versatile gravelly tones to portray ex-Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson, platoon leader of an elite eight-person team of warriors dubbed The Shepherds, who exude honor, duty, and dedication to their mission to protect the world from evil. The gung-ho Shepherds... Read More

This engaging thriller, the first in a series, is narrated with panache by Robert Petkoff, who brings both humor and steely grit to his performance. P.I. Gabriel Praest, a former cop with an eye for fashion and a sense of irony, agrees to help his ex-girlfriend exonerate Yousef Ahmed, an Iraqi refugee who has been convicted of murder. Ahmed's victim, Sanne Melgaard, was an... Read More

Ell Potter portrays the queens who work at the drag club Trash. Among them are feisty and faithful Fiona "Fi" McKinnery and unpredictable, spoiled Mae B, who have been friends since childhood. Learning about the preferred terms for the queens, as well as the extraordinary effort they put into their body shaping and costumes, is interesting. Particularly well rendered by Potter... Read More

In this final installment of the Sean Duffy series, it's fitting that a Duffy regular narrates. Gerard Doyle has a fabulous brogue and the ability to deliver a sly joke and dialogue between an Irishman and a Scot with equal facility. The plot, set in Belfast during the Troubles, revolves around a missing girl and the men she seduced. The story also encompasses a Russian double... Read More

Narrators Megan Tusing and William DeMeritt swap chapters in this excellent updated take on L.A. noir. Tusing voices Mae Pruitt, a "black bag" publicist who covers up Hollywood dirt. DeMeritt narrates the chapters dealing with Chris Tamburro, an ex-L.A. cop who suffers from faux heart attacks. As their stories merge, the two narrators build on each other's performances to... Read More

Angela Dawe returns to perform the continuing saga of Finlay Donovan, a single mom who is a romantic suspense writer turned contract killer. Dawe is adept at providing distinct voices for Finlay; her somewhat shady sidekick, Vero; and the cast of quirky characters, good and evil, who come and go. Dawe magically transitions from voicing Finlay's little girl to delivering the... Read More

Narrator Zeno Robinson works hard to keep the listener engaged despite a static plot and a disappointing denouement, which are unusual for this series. He smoothly handles a variety of voices and accents and modulates his pacing as the story unfolds. Private investigator Isaiah "IQ" Quintabe's lover, Grace, is the victim of a revenge kidnapping, and everyone fears for her life.... Read More

Narrator David Pittu understands creepy--in a good way. He narrates this thriller, instilling so much doubt and suspicion that listeners may even question the loyalty of Elroy, the family dog. Pittu is particularly convincing as Matthew, the super-creepy 17-year-old nephew who moves in and wreaks havoc on his legal guardians, a college-town family of four. Pittu also adds some... Read More

Two talented narrators, Ulka Simone Mohanty and Timothy Andres Pabon, alternate chapters as they deliver the second in Priest's Booking Agent series. The result is an entertaining listen featuring Leda Foley, who has unpredictable psychic abilities, and Seattle homicide detective Grady Merritt. When Grady's dog is found with a human leg in his mouth, he consults with Leda. They... Read More

Jeff Harding clearly shows the passion he has for narration with this production, which includes two novels. In Portland, Maine, private investigator Charlie Parker is surrounded by criminals and supernatural forces. The plots are separate, though several of the characters are in both storylines. The first work centers around stolen coins, while the second revolves around a... Read More

This taut collection of psychological thrillers offers a wide variety of vacation settings. The short, sharp stories transport listeners to a consciousness-raising cruise on which honesty isn't necessarily the best policy, a family beach house haunted by generations of secrets, and a tropical paradise where a serial killer stalks the unwary. Each narrator in the ensemble is... Read More

Filled with unexpected twists and a cast of well-developed characters, this audiobook is an engaging listen. Twenty years ago, four friends traveling on the Devil's Corridor in southwest England get into a car accident. Three go missing afterward and are never found. The survivor, Olivia, has remained out of the spotlight since then. In the present day, journalist Jenna... Read More

Narrator Aimee Lilly inhabits the character of 17-year-old debutante Violet Strange, who leads a secret life as a private investigator for early-twentieth-century New York society. Here, Violet recounts nine of her cases, or "problems," which range from murder to missing heirs, from unsolved intrigues to long-forgotten rooms. Lilly adopts subtle accents for cultured and... Read More

Jessa Maxwell's engaging debut novel, narrated in individual sections by a talented ensemble, will especially appeal to those who love reality cooking shows. "Bake Week" is an American spin-off of "The Great British Baking Show," tent and all. The show's star, Betsy Grafton, "America's grandmother," has run the show for nine successful seasons, but the producers have hired a... Read More

Narrator Laura Kirman performs this contemporary mystery with aplomb. Listeners join Helen, who on the face of it has the perfect life, with a wonderful husband and the perfect Victorian home in a posh part of London. However, things begin to unravel with devastating consequences when she strikes up a friendship with Rachel, a lively and unpredictable person who is very... Read More

This audiobook begins with the suicide of Sylvia, the sister of journalist Val Ritter, who is portrayed by narrator Rachel Fulginiti. Val doesn't believe it. She is adamant that Sylvia was murdered and says so to anyone who will listen, including the police and P.I. Terry Martin, voiced by Curt Bonnem. He helps her uncover the truth. A third narrator, Kate Rudd, introduces... Read More

This story of money, sex, revenge, and murder with a satisfying twist is exquisitely performed by Ed Harris. His hour-long narration will grab listeners right away. They will feel as if he is in their presence, telling them a wild tale: A quiet man who reminds people of a heron because of his distinctive nose and walk falls in love with a woman who is attached to a dangerous... Read More

Narrator Chanté McCormick hits a home run in this police procedural. Harriet Foster, an African American seventeen-year veteran of the Chicago Police returns from bereavement leave after the death of her partner and jumps right into a murder case. A girl with red hair and red lipstick traced around her hands and ankles has been found stabbed to death. Then two more bodies are... Read More

Outcast American Grayson Hale follows in his father's footsteps to Scotland, where he allegedly kills in the name of Satan. An ensemble of narrators lends credibility to the illusion that this is a true story, along with the introduction and comments throughout by Toni Frutin-- but it is fiction. The first-person story is masterfully delivered by Graham Halstead as Hale... Read More

Natalie Naudus narrates with the emotion required for a Koontz thriller in which danger lurks around every corner. Katie, an artist who is recoiling from a past loss, lives on an island. She soon learns that a neighboring island houses a government research operation, but what goes on there is a mystery. When she discovers agents snooping around her own island, she teams up... Read More

Stephanie Willing is first-rate in her narration of this audiobook about marital strife and deceit. Her expressive work holds the listener's interest as she brings emotion without devolving into melodrama. Alyssa is still reeling from her husband's sudden need for a separation when she meets Bree and naïvely invites her to stay in her guesthouse. Then the FBI shows up with... Read More

Narrator Marisol Ramirez gives a pleasing steady performance in this story of love, manipulation, and death. Maya is 25 and a closet drug addict who is struggling to get clean. She also has an overfondness for alcohol. Maya is haunted by the death of her best friend, Aubrey, who died seven years earlier, when she was with Frank, a man Maya had been dating. When the older Maya... Read More

Harlan Coben could not ask for a better person than narrator Steven Weber to portray a man wrongly accused of killing his own son. Weber, known for his movies, television shows (like the long-running "Wings"), and top-notch audiobook performances, including several other works by Coben, has a natural ease and an ability to transport the listener into a world of panic,... Read More

Chris Humphreys gives a lively narration of this gripping WWII spy novel, set in Nazi-occupied Norway. Tore Haughland, a member of the Resistance, is a "jossing," a patriot who receives communications from England and relays them to a network of spies around the country. His cover story puts him in even more danger than his risky assignments. Humphreys enlivens the excellent... Read More

Geraldine Hakewill charms in Kovacic's "Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries" novel, based on a hit Australian television series of the same name. The story introduces Peregrine Fisher, long-lost niece of Phryne Fisher, the investigative heroine of Kerry Greenwood's bestselling mystery series. It's Melbourne in 1960. Phryne has disappeared in New Guinea. Her heiress, Peregrine,... Read More

Scott Brick returns to narrate the newest Cotton Malone thriller, which is steeped in the history of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and a questionable modern-day claim to a new kingdom. Brick's brawny voice depicts a still-robust Malone as he is called out of semiretirement as a favor to his mentee, Luke, who is voiced with occasional Southern charm. Extended conversations with King... Read More

Cassandra Campbell narrates this compelling story about murder in an affluent town in Massachusetts. When a teenage girl is found dead in a million-dollar house, it's obvious from her tattoos that she's an outsider. It doesn't take long for the police to focus on three of her friends, and soon they close in on one of them, the shy son of an immigrant. Campbell handles the... Read More

The pace, characters, and plot of this mystery are well done--as is Joe Jameson's expert narration. The author continues his dual-protagonist series featuring Cyrus, a forensic investigator, and Evie, a young woman who has been scarred by her past. Evie becomes involved as Cyrus tries to identify the link among women who are being attacked. As the crimes unfold, Cyrus's brother... Read More

Narrator Rachel Atkins delivers the final episode in Jessica Fellowes's Mitford Murders series with the necessary gravitas. Deborah Mitford invites the family to her Chatsworth manor home for the Christmas holidays. As the Blitz continues in London, Louisa Cannon, a former Mitford maid, now a private detective, and her 5-year-old daughter, Maggie, are invited to Chatsworth to... Read More

Elisabeth Rodgers narrates the latest installment in the Kendra Michaels series. This intense thriller opens with a group of FBI agents being led to a victim's burial site by serial killer James Michael Barrett. But when they get there, a bomb explodes, killing almost everyone. Kendra Michaels, an FBI consultant who used to be blind, is called to the scene. Her allies race to... Read More

David George complements this poetically written alternative history set in contemporary Scotland's Balmoral Castle. Listeners spend Christmas with King Eric, his family, and longtime chef Jon Alleyane during a raging blizzard. Fears arise when the King dies after ingesting his favorite whiskey. George's spirited descriptions of food, the castle, and the winter storm are... Read More

When former prosecutor Francis Melville discovers that he sent a wrongfully convicted man to death row and that legal technicalities prevent him from revealing the true killer's identity, he focuses on freeing the prisoner. Melville calls on attorney Robin Lockwood to assist, and her efforts highlight a gripping audiobook read flawlessly by Thérèse Plummer. Plummer's ability to... Read More

The narrative talents of Simon Vance and Neil Patrick Harris combine to present this unusual mystery set in a 1950s school that specializes in teaching how to "morally" murder and escape the consequences. Listeners meet three students: engaging Baltimore engineer Cliff Iverson (the standout), a sweet-natured English nurse, and a feisty Hollywood actress. Vance's more mature and... Read More

Narrators Rob Shapiro and Lisa Larsen superbly introduce this First State mystery, which takes place in Delaware. Listeners meet kleptomaniac/Episcopalian minister Candice Miller and grieving widower/journalist Brian Wilder at the murder scene of a shady real estate tycoon. Shapiro and Larsen's renderings of Miller and Wilder, including their contrasting perspectives, are... Read More

Angela Lin's spot-on accents conjure Singapore's eclectic culture and social hierarchy in this intriguing story about sleuthing maids. When their friend is accused of murdering her employer, three Filipina domestic workers in Singapore start their own investigation to clear her. Lin's portrayals of the maids and their employers bring out their very different personalities and... Read More

Sean Rohani narrates this story of two men, grandfather Ali Hassan and his grandson, Alex. Young and politically passionate, Alex abandons his goal of attending an Ivy League school and travels to the Middle East to join a holy war. Ali, having veered from the same path 60 years earlier, has traveled along with Alex, hoping to change his trajectory by sharing his own similar... Read More

Soneela Nankani returns to narrate the second installment of the Secret Staircase series. Secret Staircase Construction has completed their first job. Their client is eager to celebrate by hosting a mock séance to expunge all remnants of her ex-husband from her new life. All is going well until his dead body crashes the party. Tempest Raj needs to solve the murder to exonerate... Read More

Amanda Dolan, Sura Siu, and Lanna Joffrey share the performance of this multiple viewpoint mystery involving the board members of the Parent Booster Association of a Connecticut elementary school. Soon after TV writer Paige returns to her hometown and enrolls her daughter in school, the moms of the PBA talk her into attending a fundraiser. By morning, someone is found dead, and... Read More

Narrator Graeme Malcolm returns to perform this recently translated addition to the Kørner/Werner series. Malcolm engages listeners with an even-paced delivery that shifts among three points of view. Detective Jeppe Kørner is on leave, working as a lumberjack on Bornholm Island; Anette Werner, his partner, is tackling the case of a severed body found in two old suitcases in... Read More

Cryptocurrency and murder come to the fore in this engaging audiobook featuring elderly Ethel Fiona Crestwater as a feisty landlord and supersleuth. At its core, the novel focuses on the murder of a Secret Service agent, who is one of Crestwater's boarders. The story shines because of Crestwater's personality, which Patrick Lawlor brings to life with a superb performance.... Read More

Initially, this audiobook would seem to be a classic gothic romance with a remote crumbling manor; a forbidden east wing; an attractive governess with limited resources; a precocious, lovable child; and bumps in the night. Then listeners meet the sexiest gardener since Lady Chatterley's. Narrator Olivia Vinall adds to his appeal by giving him a firm but kind voice. Her... Read More

James Langton flawlessly presents the 21st entry--one of the best--in the Peter Diamond series. Listeners meet Detective Diamond of Bath, England, as he investigates a TV production's claim to have a "jinx" in its midst after yet another associate meets a bad end. Unforgettably rendered are Diamond's appealing team, the masterful text, and the relatable humor, part of which... Read More

Tudor's short story collection involves mostly persistent feelings of mounting dread rather than abject horror, although listeners will encounter terrifying moments. Her stories unfold in modern British spaces, and the narrators are consistently superb. Dakota Blue Richards captures an aching eeriness as a commercial cruise ship is forced to carry on its daily routine for... Read More

Chris Andrew Ciulla deftly handles the multiple voices in this audiobook. After his son is murdered in a New York City courtroom, a notorious Mexican drug lord seeks revenge. He orders the release of thousands of pounds over Central Park--it's literally dropped by aircraft, causing a mass casualty event. The NYPD is stretched thin, so a group of former police officers band... Read More

Tamika Katon-Donegal captivatingly narrates the second book in the Nena Knight series. Nena is a female assassin whose missions are intended to protect her high-ranking political family. Katon-Donegal narrates with precision and care. This plays well, given the nature of the main character. She is a protector who is extremely disciplined yet conveys warmth to loved ones.... Read More

Kevin T. Collins provides an even and engaging performance of this spy thriller. Sam Capra is a single father who maintains a covert identity as a spy. In the opening passages, Sam is directed to follow a trail left behind by Markus, another spy, who defected to Russia and who is now attempting a return to the U.S., possibly to reunite with his daughter. Sam's 13-year-old son... Read More

Eunice Wong's brisk performance perfectly suits this humorous yet poignant cozy mystery as she distinctively voices a variety of characters. The lonely existence of 60-year-old Chinese immigrant Vera Wong takes a wild turn when she discovers a dead body in her rundown San Francisco tea shop. Vera is a woman of strong opinions and decisive actions, and Wong's crisp, accented... Read More

Shiromi Arserio, Julia Whelan, and Kimberly Wetherell are the perfect trio to narrate this thriller about an Italian villa with a haunted past. Emily and Chess book a writing vacation at the villa and reignite their friendship in the process, but their competitive sides soon surface. The villa was the site of a grisly murder decades prior, which inspired a bestselling horror... Read More

Narrator Jacquie Brennan transports listeners to the Australian Outback with her easy-to-listen-to accent in this debut crime novel. Mina McCreery, still suffering from the disappearance of her twin sister years ago, is confronted by Lane Holland, a P.I. specializing in cold case investigations of missing girls. Everyone's secrets are slowly revealed as Holland digs into the... Read More

Julie Shreve narrates this dystopian love story set in a walled community run by controlling, corrupt overseers. Jayla and Ronin are misfits. Jayla just wants to take care of her little brother but gets into trouble with the law. Ronin is a "body taker" who is promoted to a security job he doesn't want. They meet, fall in love, and begin questioning their rulers' wisdom. Some... Read More

Each narrator presents one of the five novellas in this collection. The short thrillers place ordinary people in unusual situations. Edoardo Ballerini takes listeners to Philly in 2004 for Lisa Scottoline's memorable "Pigeon Tony's Last Stand." Reba Buhr convincingly narrates phone conversations between a female crisis counselor and a male caller in Lisa Unger's dark "Unknown... Read More

Karissa Vacker performs this thriller about Naomi, who as a child survived a brutal stabbing witnessed by her two best friends, Cass and Liv. Two decades later, after the attacker dies behind bars, Naomi returns home to see her friends and prepare for the inevitable media blitz. Vacker infuses her delivery with Naomi's PTSD symptoms and lingering doubts about exactly what... Read More

With her keen talent for British accents, narrator Orlagh Cassidy masterfully delivers this stand-alone from Jacqueline Winspear, which introduces powerful, brave heroine Elinor White. The story moves around in time from White's current life in Britain in 1947 to her recruitment in the Belgian Resistance as an adolescent during WWI and her work as an SOE agent during WWII.... Read More

This excellent mystery pairs an outstanding performance by narrator Peter Forbes and a riveting story set in a near-future Scotland. Forbes is extremely easy to listen to. His voice is deep and expressive and carries a pleasant Scottish accent. He handles both dialogue and narration with aplomb; his nuanced work with characters' voices is especially notable. In 2051, Detective... Read More

John Hopkins performs the fourth in the Midsomer Murders series with gusto, transporting listeners to 1990s rural England. He brings to life Chief Inspector Barnaby and his sidekick, Troy, as they seek to find the murderer of a retired civil servant whose violent death came after a seemingly harmless meeting of the local writers group. Hopkins's talent for characterization is... Read More