New Reviews: Mystery & Suspense

Narrator Karen Ziemba once again portrays Ali Reynolds, cybersecurity investigator, as she is drawn into a case that began with her last broadcast as a TV reporter years earlier. Ziemba effectively ages the characters as the story moves from past to present. The plot revolves around an unscrupulous fertility doctor who deceives his patients by using own sperm for artificial... Read More

This delightful audiobook, the fifteenth in the series, takes place in London of 1940. Catherine Saxon is a well-connected young American broadcast reporter hoping to become one of "Edward R. Murrow's Boys," making the Blitz real for the audience back home. When Saxon is killed, and not by a bomb, Maisie Dobbs must sort through a snarl of possible motives, including American... Read More

Narrator Sophie Amoss introduces crime reporter Harper McClain, who is hardworking, passionate, and complex. While she has her own complicated relationship with the police and unsolved tragedies from her past, Harper is always committed to telling the whole story, regardless of who is involved. When a beautiful, young law student is murdered in downtown Savannah, the city wants... Read More

The latest mystery from author David Rosenfelt is a wonderful weave of twists and unpredictability, ably narrated by Fred Berman, whose joy at narration is evident from the beginning. The procedural features New Jersey State Trooper Doug Brock, who is suffering from amnesia after having been shot in the line of duty. Brock must solve a murder while retracing his investigation... Read More

Simon Prebble's deep knowledge of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series, which he has long narrated, serves listeners well in this 19th addition to the canon. In it, Rutledge is asked to find out more when the prime suspect in an old murder case reportedly resurfaces. Soon Rutledge is caught up in a confounding case that's complicated by every interviewee's habit of lying... Read More

Narrator Lauren Ezzo fluctuates between gentle storytelling and suspenseful dialogue in this audiobook thriller. Charlotte Rowe was raised by the killers who murdered her mother. Book 2 of her story features her latest hunt for predators. Backed by a drug that gives her super strength and healing abilities, Charlotte unknowingly partners with the same pharmaceutical company... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Barbara Rosenblat once again portrays the indomitable Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cooper in the 20th audiobook in the series. Rosenblat masterfully conveys Alex's independent, fighting spirit as she returns from a leave to deal with a "#me too" situation involving a prominent figure. Using her considerable acting talents to differentiate the many... Read More

Narrator Julie Teal delivers Tyce's debut thriller with precise depictions and authentic expression. She smoothly takes on the role of Alison, a solicitor, whose life becomes chaotic as she deals with her marriage, an affair, and her first murder case. Teal communicates Alison's thoughts and emotions with credibility and finesse. Her husband and lover are polar opposites of... Read More

This audiobook is a unique, fast-paced thriller full of intrigue and unexpected humor. Narrator Lisa Flanagan creates a remarkable portrayal of its protagonist. Listeners will be drawn in by Maud Warner, a 50-something New York socialite on a mission. She is out for revenge against those she believes destroyed her family and stole her inheritance. As Flanagan depicts a large... Read More

Narrator Ray Porter depicts Art Keller's turmoil with tenderness and compassion as the DEA agent turned director exposes the corruption associated with America's addiction to illegal drugs.The final installment of this sprawling trilogy about America's drug war in Mexico and Central America moves to the marbled corridors of Washington DC, ending in blood, death, and,... Read More

Former detective Cass Raines's persistence and wittiness make this audiobook a great experience from start to finish. What's more, narrator Shari Peele gives an excellent reading. At its core, Tracy Clark's mystery focuses on Raines's search for the murderer of Father Ray, whom she called Pop, who was found dead along with a gang member with no apparent connection to the... Read More

Narrator Christina Delaine effectively captures the strength, confidence, and smarts of Elle Stowell, the burglar at the center of Perry's latest audiobook. In the course of her well-planned burglary of a wealthy Los Angeles home, Elle comes upon a brutal murder scene and suddenly finds herself the target of a militaristic security force. She decides that she has to solve the... Read More

The Lady Hardcastle Edwardian-period mysteries are lots of fun, especially for avid anglophiles and especially on audio. Narrator Elizabeth Knowelden portrays the aristocratic detective and her trusty maid, Flo. With the help of an eclectic group of Lady Hardcastle's friends, they work to solve a fatal case of arson and save the life of a suffragette who is falsely accused of... Read More

Those who listen to this marvelous audiobook discover quickly that Bienville is not a sleepy Mississippi town. Rather, Scott Brick's masterful narration highlights every nuance of Greg Iles's captivating novel about Marshall McEwan, a Bienville native who left the town and became an award-winning journalist. When McEwan returns to care for his ailing father, he renews... Read More

This audiobook begins on an exciting note as baker Hannah Swenson informs all in her church that her wedding was invalid. Hannah has just learned that Ross, her groom, was already married and has returned to his wife. However, despite narrator Suzanne Toren's valiant efforts to keep the momentum going when the audiobook offers recipes at the end of almost every chapter, the... Read More

Narrator Megan Tusing portrays the sassy and often abrasive Rainy Dale, a young upstart horseshoer in a Central Oregon town. Tusing employs a Texas twang, which initially seems overdone but turns out to be a good match for the colorful phrases and dropped consonants of Rainy's dialogue. When one of Rainy's clients turns up dead and she becomes a suspect, she pokes around town... Read More

Narrator Henry Levya and author David R. Dow combine to deliver an emotional wallop with this first-person mystery focused on retribution. Levya convincingly inhabits the mind of Rafael, an Everyman who is thrust onto a Texas death row only to be spit out six years later. Dow's knowledge of Texas's death penalty system and its inhabitants is mind-blowing--a lawyer, he has... Read More

Narrator Thom Rivera plays up the danger running through this thriller. His tense tone keeps listeners in suspense as antique expert Jota accepts a commission to find a rare clock. Listeners who love a complicated plot that is constantly raising the stakes will hang on Rivera's every word as Jota and Laura, the daughter of his former partner, who joins him on the hunt, are... Read More

The famed trial lawyer's first novel, about a life-and-death courtroom fight in 1950s Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is narrated with excellent pacing by Adam Grupper. The court battle revolves around Judge John Murray and his nemesis, Prosecutor Haskins Sewell. Murray and his wife have no children of their own but have "adopted" Lillian Adams, a talented artist with anger issues.... Read More

Narrator Antonia Beamish provides the three main characters of this mystery with unique personas. Her skill helps listeners absorb a complex story that focuses on the intersection of past and present. At its core, this is a psychological thriller set in England and told from the perspectives of a single mom, Lisa; her daughter, Ava; and Lisa's best friend, Marilyn. As secrets... Read More

The narration flows quickly as Nan McNamara portrays divorced couple Sam and Haley, who reunite during a hurricane and also end up dealing with escaped convicts and hidden loot. Dallas private investigator Sam Quaid and his former wife, the love of his life, do a pretty good job of rescuing themselves. Haley, a gun-toting realtor in Houston, is given a vibrant yet velvety low... Read More

In this audiobook sequel to the enjoyable BIG GET-EVEN, antiheroes Glen and Stan concoct another scheme to get rich. Clearly, they have not learned their lesson about the consequences of dealing with mobsters. Narrator Keith Szarabajka has a way with dialogue that draws listeners into the story, making them worry about the main characters, even if they have slipped closer to... Read More

In fighting to save their bakery in Eastport, Maine, two women get wrapped up in a murder mystery--which leads to plenty of drama in this audiobook. When Toby Moran, a notorious womanizer, is murdered by a poisoned milkshake from The Chocolate Moose, best friends Jake and Ellie become alarmed. Further, they learn that the bride whose catering order they are counting on to save... Read More

Narrator Antonia Beamish's delightful performance highlights the fun of this new mystery series set in a small French town. Middle-aged, newly divorced Penny buys a country house in Provence, looking forward to a relaxing retirement from the forensics lab of the British Home Office. When a body is discovered floating in her pool, the police say it was an accidental drowning,... Read More

Narrator David Rintoul uses his considerable acting talents to deliver this "Scandi blanc" parody of Scandi noir (also known as Nordic noir). Author Alexander McCall Smith introduces us to Swedish detective Ulf Varg and his colleagues in the Department of Sensitive Crimes through three cases in which no one gets killed or even seriously maimed. Rintoul effectively... Read More

Julian Rhind-Tutt narrates this horrific story of serial killers who are inhabited by the devil. It's 1935 in German-occupied Prague. Jungian psychiatrist Viktor Kosárek is working at the infamous Hrad Orlu Asylum for the Criminally Insane, where he is interviewing six serial killers. At the same time, police investigator Lukas Smolak seeks the serial killer dubbed Leather... Read More

From the first few haunting notes of the opening music, the supernatural setting of this audiobook is set. There's something strange happening in the small woodlands town of Four Paths, New York. In this debut audiobook narrated by Sarah Beth Goer, newcomer Violet Saunders becomes deeply enmeshed in the paranormal phenomenon that has been plaguing the town for centuries. Goer... Read More

Narrator John McLain effectively channels storyteller Big Red, who teams up with his brother, Old Red, to serve as private investigators, Sherlock Holmes-style, in the Old West. McLain's delivery calls to mind the world of nineteenth-century cowboys as the new Double-A Western Detection Agency gets its first case, which involves cattle rustlers in New Mexico. The situation... Read More

The Texas-based setting of this audiobook makes everything about it just a bit different, from its twangy style to its unusual, but engaging, Southern charm. Narrator Christopher Ryan Grant recognizes the need to include a downhome accent and wit in every scene, ensuring that Joe Lansdale's relatively short audiobook is enjoyable listening. The investigative duo of Hap and... Read More

A small village in Ireland, classical music, and a garden show may appear harmless; however, listeners will find the body count soon starts to rise in this audiobook. Helen Duff narrates with confidence and brings to life the wide cast of larger-than-life characters, including Gethsemane Brown, an African-American classical musician, and Eamon, a friendly ghost. Duff's talent... Read More

Heather Wilds delivers an intense narration that never slows down. Emmeline St. Germaine, in the guise of the "Avengeress," sneaks through nighttime London of 1810 to rescue a 13-year-old scullery maid from being raped at knifepoint by her master, Sir Henry Claybourne. The next morning Emmeline awakens to the news that Sir Henry has been murdered--with the Avengeress as the... Read More

Carrington MacDuffie's narration of this audiobook is first-class. Carys, a rare-book authenticator, seeks to uncover clues hidden in the ancient journal of a monk that may lead to the location of King Arthur's grave. Add to this an appearance by said monk, and listeners know they are joining a fast-paced adventure. MacDuffie's pacing allows the interweaving plots to unfold... Read More

Narrator Brittany Pressley delivers this oddly tangled story of archaeology, mystery, and hidden identities. Archaeologist Richard Mathis, who specializes in Etruscan culture, is portrayed in a smoky voice. His young assistant, Angela Chase, helps Richard unearth an Etruscan settlement on Crete. The pair stumble into an unanticipated affair. Pressley adopts a variety of husky... Read More

More than anyone, it's up to narrator David Colacci--not the protagonists--to keep the many characters in this political thriller straight for listeners. As the characters come and go, subterfuge is taking place at the highest levels in Washington. Colacci does a decent job as political fixers Peter Rena and Randi Brooks are charged with getting to the bottom of a deadly... Read More

Richard Armitage offers an emotionally nuanced and atmospheric narration of the fourth book in the Jackman & Evans detective series, set in England's fen country. The plot hits close to home when Jackman's sister-in-law tries to protect her family from a killer by committing suicide. Soon there are two more suicides, and Jackman, Evans, and the team are chasing a sadistic... Read More

Narrator Alexander Cendese is a great match for smart, arrogant Miami defense attorney Tatum Graham. Disillusioned by his success at getting a guilty client off, Graham returns to his hometown in Utah and becomes a prosecutor. When a teenage girl in the Hallows, an isolated park area, is murdered, Cendese's tone and tempo are in sync with the investigation that follows. He does... Read More

Victorian London is the setting as listeners join newspaper photographer Sarah Bain and her two sidekicks as they set out on a race against the police to solve the mystery of a murder disguised as suicide. The strong narration by Alex Tregear helps to create the atmosphere of the murkier side of London and its secrets. Her clear portrayals of all the characters from the upper... Read More

Narrator Laura Jennings believably delivers the intonations of a number of Native American characters in this mystery. What appears to be a straightforward missing persons case involving members of a local Pueblo tribe takes on a supernatural twist when police sergeant Nicky Matthews has a vision of an old woman who may or may not be the Wind Mother, or "kachina." Jennings... Read More

Molly Parker Myers returns to narrate the second book in the Ilke Jensen trilogy. Myers effectively portrays the Danish protagonist with a slight foreign accent to distinguish her from her Midwest family, friends, and enemies. However, the many personalities in this audiobook, who might seem interesting in a Nordic noir (like Blaedel's Louise Rick series), seem flat in the... Read More

Narrator Stephanie Racine masterfully keeps the listener's attention even as this story gets stranger and more uncomfortable with every second. When actress Aimee Sinclair's husband goes missing, she is sure a past stalker is responsible. But she can't prove it to the London police. Racine skillfully moves between a posh English accent and the Irish accent of a scared child as... Read More

Three talented narrators team up to bring the dysfunctional MacAllister family to life. The MacAllister siblings are back at the summer camp owned by their late parents for the reading of their will. While there, the siblings are forced to do a little sleuthing into the murder of a camp counselor who worked at the camp 20 years earlier. Amazingly, through tone, breathing, and... Read More

Listeners join Detective Cat Connolly as she investigates the disappearance of her best friend in contemporary Dublin. Narrator Aoife McMahon's soft Irish accent combined with the story's grittiness and sense of urgency adds to the tension in this police procedural and complements the toughness of its lead character. McMahon's timing is a perfect match for the twisting plot,... Read More

Narrator Amanda Carlin is perfect in her very minor role in this frustrating audiobook, expressive and with the subtlest hint of a Vermont accent. Justine Eyre, who performs the lion's share of the story, has a lovely voice and is quite good at dialogue, but she has performance tics that muddy the author's intention and weary the listener. Still, this story of the afterlife of... Read More

He's done it again--narrator Barry Eisler has reprised his impressive author/narrator double role for a superbly delivered audiobook. This thriller continues with the professional killers from the preceding books, but even listeners new to the series will relish the personalities and plot twists. As the assassins form an unlikely team to eradicate a child pornography ring,... Read More

Adam Verner narrates this thriller with emotions that fit its action and humor. Ian Ludlow and his sidekick, Margo French--who turns out to be much more than a sidekick--stumble onto a nefarious plot. Verner seems to be having fun using a variety of accents and voices for a myriad of characters: villains in China, not-so-bright actors, and a few politicians. He shapes a hit... Read More

Matthew Lloyd Davies provides an expert narration of Bradley Harper's first outing in an exciting new series. It's 1888. After A STUDY IN SCARLET, Arthur Conan Doyle swears off writing anymore crime stories. He is summoned to London by Prime Minister Gladstone to assist in solving the Whitechapel murders and finding Jack the Ripper. Doyle calls upon his mentor, forensic expert... Read More

Most of this twisty psychological thriller is performed by Emily Rankin, whose careful pacing amps up the creep factor. Marian loves her job: training dogs to help with wildlife research under the tutelage of her new boyfriend, Tate. After he dies in an accident, Marian discovers that Tate harbored secrets, but surely he wasn't involved with a series of unsolved murders. Hoping... Read More

Narrator Crawford Logan skillfully transports listeners to 1980s England to join the eccentric, witty Detective Inspector Jack Frost as he takes on the police hierarchy of his town--and crime. This is a prequel to the series created by the late R.D. Wingfield. Logan's Frost is his usual rule-bending self as he investigates Denton's horse-racing world to find out who shot... Read More

This riveting thriller is narrated by Laura Aikman and Nancy Carroll. They convey the fast pace of this audiobook while creating distinct and appropriate identities for its characters. Parallel, and closely related, storylines involve a counseling appointment between Susanna and a teen boy who has a horrifying motive for his therapeutic session. Carroll crafts creative voices... Read More

Narrator Anne Hancock convincingly renders this Victorian horror story, which was written just 20 years after the Jack the Ripper murders. Mr. and Mrs. Bunting, retired domestic servants, hope to rent rooms in their modest home to make ends meet. Hancock skillfully captures their poverty and worries until a lodger, Mr. Sleuth, presents himself. Sleuth, who has a hissing,... Read More

Narrator John Lee presents the iconic Bernie Gunther in a compelling origin story. At the beginning of his tenure on the Murder Commission, Gunther is focused on pursuing a serial killer who is targeting disabled war veterans. To uncover the killer, Gunther agrees to follow his boss's revolutionary idea of going undercover. Lee imbues the entire production with gravitas and... Read More

In this vivid and clever new audiobook, Kit Carradine is a spy novelist who is asked by (he thinks) MI6 to do some real undercover work while at a writer's conference in Morocco. The plot is like the souk, full of unexpected alleys that leave you unsure where you are, with plenty of exotic sights and smells, trip wires, and betrayals. Almost no one besides Kit himself is who he... Read More

Malk Williams deftly narrates an engaging Victorian mystery featuring the poor man's Sherlock Holmes. William Arrowood despises Holmes, yet he serves a similar role in the poorer parts of London. His newest case is more violent and grittier than any Holmes ever tackled. Along with his trusted assistant, Arrowood descends into the darkness in hope of finding a missing bride.... Read More

In this audiobook, Kelly Quinn has inherited a consignment shop from her grandmother. Listeners puzzle right along with Kelly when local psychic Bernadette Rydell has a vision of someone being murdered when she tries on a dress in the shop. Then, Bernadette's doppelganger cousin is found murdered. Narrator Amy Melissa Bentley creates distinct voices for the characters, making... Read More

Narrators Emily Woo Zeller and Richard Ferrone alternate chapters, engrossing the listener in this intelligent thriller about a series of murders in Los Angeles. Zeller's appealing voice captures the emotionally fragile mind of Dylan Cross, a tall, beautiful architect--who is the murderer. As Dylan, Zeller masterfully walks the line between sanity and insanity, self-control and... Read More

Narrator David Pittu's smooth, soft delivery is the perfect contrast to the unnamed protagonist in this domestic thriller about a happily married couple whose hobby is killing innocent women. The story is told mostly through the voice of the husband, who describes his relationship with his wife and problems with his kids, as well as details of the couple's secret life and... Read More

Narrator Jem Matzan exuberantly presents Key West's ex-Mafioso, Bert the Shirt, and his trusty chihuahua, Nacho. (They wear matching flashy outfits.) Lively descriptions of the locale, residents, food, and drink, along with diverse accents, add to the fun. When newcomer Rita Janneau lands a job serving at Wrecker's Rum, locals are concerned about the bar's legitimacy. Bert uses... Read More

It is only fitting that a story about a family told in three parts should involve more than one narrator. Emily Watson, Georgia McGuire, and Richard Armitage complement each other's depictions of a dysfunctional household that is hiding secrets. Adam, a pastor, and Ulrika, a criminal defense lawyer, are stunned to hear that their teen daughter, Stella, has been arrested and... Read More

Narrator Peter Berkrot is the perfect match for this story. Against his better judgment, the professional thief Junior Bender undertakes a questionable assignment only to find that he was probably correct in his initial assumption that it was too good to be true. Berkrot allows the smart and funny writing to shine and doesn't force the humor. In particular, his narration of the... Read More

Amber Benson offers a solid narration of this audiobook--a blend of archaeology, action, and horror. Ben Walker works for the National Science Foundation, investigating the world's strangest phenomena for their potential for weaponization by the U.S. Walker is summoned to an archaeological dig, where Sophie Durand and her team appear to have found Pandora's box. When a... Read More

Narrator Tavia Gilbert expertly creates an atmosphere of suspense as she delivers a story of the complicated entanglement of two people who have plenty of dark secrets between them. Susannah is a young widow who is happily remarried to Max, a darling of the New York art scene. When they begin a new life together on a teaching fellowship in Vermont, everything seems perfect... Read More

Listeners travel to Regency England in the company of Bow Street Runner John Pickett and his new wife, Julia, through the excellent narration of Joel Froomkin. Summoned to the countryside by an anonymous letter, the Picketts take the honeymoon they never had as cover for John's activities. Soon after their arrival, listeners experience Julia's horror as she witnesses a man... Read More

David Thorpe's narration enlivens this sixteenth outing of Edward Marston's Elizabethan theater series. After a tragic fire nearly destroys their performance venue at the Queen's Head, company book-holder (prompter) Nicholas Bracewell and troupe sail to Denmark with their patron, Lord Westfield. Westfield has agreed to marry a Danish woman he has seen only in a painted... Read More

With a remarkable ability to subtly distinguish myriad characters, Lucy Patterson masterfully narrates this thriller, the second featuring Detective Huldar and child psychologist Freyja. Ten years ago, a child wrote a series of initials on a letter for a school time capsule. Somehow, those letters are tied to a series of grisly murders. In a crisp British accent, Patterson... Read More

A star performance by Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy should push this audiobook to the top of every thriller fan's must list. As a result of being hit on the head, Amos Decker, portrayed by Brewer, can remember everything that ever happened to him, complete with emotions. Brewer owns Decker's intensity. He gives the character great focus and a steely resolve to find out whether... Read More

The tension in Elizabeth Knowelden's voice is palpable as she narrates the story of Stephanie Patrick, a young woman seeking revenge after her family dies in a horrific airline bombing attack. Knowelden maintains an ominous tone with an intensity that does not let up as Stephanie evolves from a drug-addicted prostitute to a terrorist operative named Petra who is recruited by a... Read More

Narrator Steven Weber is the perfect match for this thriller, which blends plot twists and suspense in equal portions. Simon and Ingrid Greene, a successful and apparently perfect couple, find their lives falling apart in the most dramatic of ways when their drug-addicted daughter disappears after dropping out of college. With seeming ease, Weber voices the cast of characters,... Read More

Narrator January LaVoy introduces listeners to Nikki Griffin, the unforgettable, multidimensional heroine of a new action-packed series. Griffin is complicated--on one hand, she owns a bookstore and quotes literature; on the other, she's a private investigator and occasional vigilante best known for teaching men who hurt women a lesson. She is both the best friend you could ask... Read More

The ruthless world of academic scholarship rears its head in this gripping audiobook, narrated in an intense but gentle tone by Aoife McMahon. The story focuses on Detective Inspector Cormac Reilly, whose girlfriend, Dr. Emma Sweeney, discovers the body of a hit-and-run victim whose identification says she is the heir to Ireland's most successful pharmaceutical company.... Read More

Rory Kinnear returns to narrate the meta-detective series by Anthony Horowitz, which also features the author as one of the characters. To start, Horowitz is roped into writing another book about consulting detective Daniel Hawthorne. Kinnear's take on this Holmes-and- Watson relationship is spot-on. As Horowitz, Kinnear's tone reflects exasperation. As Hawthorne, he sounds... Read More

Susie Berneis narrates this mystery involving a community of Shakers in 1790s Maine. After having sent his pregnant wife, Lydia, and their six adopted children to a Shaker community for refuge, Will Rees now hurries to their sides. Once there, he is faced with a death he views as suspicious and Shakers who view him as an unwelcome outsider. When he discovers another body, also... Read More

An ensemble of four narrators brings this gripping tale to life. The disappearance of Aurora while on a camping trip with her sister and friends remains a mystery until a body is found 30 years later. The story is told through flashbacks of the events leading to the disappearance and through the investigation following the discovery of the body. Narrator John Hoskins portrays... Read More

Narrator Derek Perkins handles members of a wide cast, giving a subtle characterization to each one. When 12 guests sit down to dinner in an English country house and only 11 survive to the following morning, all the ingredients of a classic British whodunit are neatly lined up. Perkins's portrayals of the slightly world-weary Inspector Sloan and his eager young sidekick... Read More

Troubled teens, disturbed adults, and a twenty-year-old secret--all come full circle when Allie Garvey returns to her hometown for a high school friend's funeral. Narrator Brittany Pressley portrays Allie and the chapters from the points of view of the female characters. Pressley renders Allie's clinically depressed mom with a sometimes frenetic monotone, and Allie's queen bee... Read More

Narrator Gabra Zackman takes on the challenge of voicing the many characters from diverse backgrounds who form a team of rookie Israeli secret agents. While Zackman succeeds in differentiating male and female, young and old, her slow pace seems mismatched to the narrative. Jonathan de Shalit, a pseudonym for a former Israeli intelligence agent, has written a multifaceted plot... Read More

Saul Reichlin continues his narration of Kepler's Joona Linna series, set in Sweden. Detective Margot Silverman and her colleagues in the Swedish National Crime Unit track down a serial killer who posts voyeuristic videos of his victims. Silverman is joined by Detective Joona Linna and psychiatrist-hypnotist Erik Maria Bark as they search for the sadistic killer by hypnotizing... Read More

Narrator Marie Hoffman's portrayal of Kasey Chance reflects the energy and enthusiasm of the actress-turned-investigator. When Kacey walks into the Booker Brothers Detective Agency on her first day, she's plunged into an art theft that threatens the very existence of the company. After having given up her dream of becoming a Hollywood actress, Kacey thinks she has finally found... Read More

Here's everything listeners want in an audiobook: a twisted, compelling plot, unique characters, red-hot romance, and a storyline that grabs and doesn't let go. Narrator Tavia Gilbert introduces Sara Lockhart, a forensic anthropologist who is called in on a case involving the discovery of human remains. The investigation pairs her with small-town police detective Nolan Hess,... Read More

Four narrators are featured as murder comes to a British seaside town in this contemporary gothic tale. Clare, portrayed by Esther Wane in a confessional tone, discovers a chilling note scrawled in her diary following the death of her friend and teaching colleague. Anjana Vasan portrays Harbinder, a lesbian Sikh detective who is skeptical of Clare. Moments of cheek aside,... Read More

Narrator Christina Delaine expertly weaves the web of Anne Hillerman's latest mystery, which continues Hillerman's father's popular detective series featuring Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito. Delaine is required to to pronounce Navajo words and to distinguish a variety of voices; she capably portrays male, female, young, and old and also skillfully depicts Leaphorn's struggles to... Read More

James Patrick Cronin is an excellent choice to narrate this thriller focused on veteran Max Anger, a hardened former special-ops soldier who is trying to move on with his life. As the war-weary man is thrust into a hunt for a serial killer, Cronin gets the tone exactly right. His terse, gravelly style fits the villain's increasing brutality. We listen breathlessly, hoping that... Read More

Narrator Janina Edwards gets the listener's heart thudding with her dramatic performance of an Agatha Christie-like thriller. Single-mother Miriam Macy attempts to leave behind a wealth of troubles--emotional and legal--to participate in a reality TV competition set in Mexico on a luxury estate with no connection to the outside world. But what is supposed to be a friendly... Read More

Many audiobook listeners may know the haunting children's rhyme about accused murderer Lizzie Borden, but many may not know the intimate details of her sensationalized criminal trial. After being accused of the ax murder of her father and stepmother, Borden was subjected to defamation in Boston papers and criticized by the media. Narrator Amanda Carlin's sober tone captures the... Read More

What a pleasure it is to listen to narrator Elizabeth Knowelden as she navigates this story of matriarchal terror. Her diction, tone, and use of accents are all top tier. Best of all is her ability to inhabit the characters, whether it's troubled DI Amy Winter or her birth mother, Lillian, a manipulative incarcerated serial killer. Knowelden's narration is so convincing that... Read More

Narrator David Colacci's rambling pace is just right for the 28th mystery featuring the ever-philosophical Commissario Guido Brunetti. This time the Venetian police detective reluctantly agrees to investigate an old family friend, the wealthy and gay Gonzalo, who is about to adopt a much younger man as his heir. When Gonzalo dies and his close female friend is then murdered,... Read More

Narrator Amanda Leigh Cobb portrays Winter Meadows, a meditation therapist, and Jack Lancaster, an investigator of cold cases who is her client. Jack is hunting the man who murdered his mother, and Winter assists him in his quest. Cobb brings the story to life as Jack and Winter grow closer romantically during the investigation. Cobb gives Winter's voice a steady, even rhythm... Read More

Narrator John Rubinstein draws listeners into this Alex Delaware mystery as layer upon layer of complications falls away. A beautiful unidentified young woman dressed in red is found dead in an upstairs bathroom at a wedding reception. Listeners hear the distressed bride and groom lamenting their choice of an unconventional theme and location for their wedding, which caused... Read More

Narrator Rachel Atkins uses a no-nonsense style when delivering this mystery, rarely relaxing her tense grip on the story. When GP Alexandra Inglis is accused of sexual misconduct by 17-year-old Jonathan Day, she knows her patient is in trouble. As the drama unfolds, misspoken truths and a tangle of distorted truths become part of the story. Told from multiple perspectives,... Read More

Audiobook lovers will be drawn to Miller's latest mystery because of its catchy title; its seasoned narrator, Nancy Wu; and an engaging premise. An ex-wife, the current wife, and her daughter join together to uncover malfeasance and murder. In a story of guns, gangsters, ruthless lawyers, and money laundering, the three women become caught up in violence. Wu narrates in a cool... Read More

Joe Pickett--game warden, conscientious dad, and general defender of justice in tiny Saddlestring, Wyoming--returns through the steady voice of David Chandler. Chandler's workmanlike, subtly embellished narration is suitable for Pickett's unflappable persistence as he investigates a mysterious drone that is chasing herds of elk and deer until they drop dead of exhaustion.... Read More

Narrator Moira Quirk takes listeners on a tour of L.A.'s Chinatown, home of police matron Anna Blanc, in 1908. Anna is either spunky and courageous--or merely annoying and reckless--depending on your point of view. Quirk gives Anna a high-pitched voice and the petulant tone of spoiled child. Nonetheless, Quirk's narration guides listeners through a racially charged environment... Read More

Narrator Anne Crowe's appealing voice captures California graphologist Claudia Rose, who travels to Maine to find a manuscript about female serial killers after professor and author Madeleine Maynard is murdered. As Rose searches for the document, she encounters "Maynard's Maniacs," a group of grad students selected by the professor, who are outstandingly portrayed. Crowe... Read More