NOT BY BLOOD

Narrator Jennifer Jill Araya lifts this debut thriller to a higher level with her excellent performance. Her pacing is great, her ability to differentiate characters is top-notch, and she can hit some pretty deep notes when portraying men. The story is told from the point of view of New York City EMT Tina Evans, who gets a panicked middle-of-the-night call from her junkie brother, Bill. He's in trouble. Again. Tina looks for him but instead finds the murdered body of a private detective. Then her husband is hit by a car, and he's badly hurt. Coincidence? Not likely. Some listeners may find this story a bit predictable, but Araya's fine work makes it a worthwhile listen. G.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2023]