New Reviews: Mystery & Suspense

From the heart-stopping prologue to the well-drawn characters and mind-boggling plot twists, James Langton's performance is spot-on. In the 22nd Peter Diamond novel, Diamond and his partner, Paloma, spend a reluctant week in the Somerset countryside with Diamond's former deputy, Julie, who is now blind from macular degeneration. Langton deftly reveals Julie's ulterior motives.... Read More

Fiona Hardingham brings a dynamic presence to her narration of this caper story revolving around antiques. She balances intrigue and charm as Freya Lockwood and her aunt are thrust into another mystery. All the clues related to the disappearance of a valuable painting point to a cruise ship on which Freya was to give a talk. Hardingham gives each woman a distinct voice, making... Read More

Lauren Fortgang narrates this twisty new audiobook about a 1990s teenager who is forced to recognize that it may be better not to meet your heroes. Ten years ago, Kat McCann's mother was killed in cold blood, and famed detective Alik Lisser solved the case, discovering that the killer was Kat's father. Then, the real-life detective became a fictional one when he began turning... Read More

Richard Armitage and Tuppence Middleton breathe new life into this suspense novel. Armitage portrays Grady Green, who is married to Abby, portrayed by Middleton. On the very evening that Grady learns he's a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling novelist, Abby disappears. Grady frantically searches for her, finding her car with a door open, its headlights on, and her phone inside. A year... Read More

Narrator John Pirhalla sets a slow rhythm in this mystery. Mitt Fuller begins his surgical residency at Bellevue Hospital, where his father and ancestors began their careers. He is assigned to three patients who had routine surgeries, and all three die unexpectedly. Pirhalla infuses Mitt's voice with confusion and guilt as he tries to understand why. During his few catnaps,... Read More

Sharmila Devar's smooth narration is perfectly matched to this evocative mystery set in rural north India and the slums of Delhi. When the body of Chand's young daughter is found hanging from a tree outside their village, the religion of the main suspect raises the profile of the case. For that reason, local police officers Ombir Singh and Bhim Sain are joined by a senior... Read More

Small-town Louisiana detective John Bowie is convinced that a young woman's murder has been attributed to the wrong man. A maverick on the verge of losing his job, he persuades Beth Collins, a true-crime TV producer, to investigate whether the girl's disappearance might be connected to others. Narrator Kyf Brewer does well in portraying Bowie's gritty, uncompromising demeanor,... Read More

Eve Dallas has trouble finding out who Giovanni Rossi really was, why he was killed, and how. Susan Ericksen's portrayal of the tough-as-nails Dallas proves she hasn't lost her appetite for this futuristic suspense series. She projects Dallas as her snippy, sarcastic self. And now her family is being threatened. Her husband's majordomo, Summerset, alongside Giovanni, were two... Read More

Charles Johnston artfully narrates this lively look at witch hunts and trials in seventeenth-century rural England. Wealthy Jacob Standish and housemaid Abigail Harcourt are called in to help free diarist Samuel Pepys's sister, who is accused of witchcraft. Johnston portrays Jacob's insecure and often fumbling nature in contrast to socially inferior Abigail's determination to... Read More

Creepy, creepy, creepy. Narrator Kris Dyer pulls listeners into the mind of Joe Middleton, a serial rapist and murderer who is working as a janitor at the Christchurch, New Zealand, Police Station. Dyer masterfully voices the two sides of Joe: one, a seemingly kind, intellectually disabled man; the other, a calculating, twisted killer. Interspersed are third-person chapters... Read More

Rachel Music narrates this complicated murder mystery set in Silicon Valley. Mackenzie Clyde is good at making problems go away for her boss, a venture capitalist. But when the CEO of a hot tech start-up turns up murdered, all of his money is locked into a "dead money" clause and out of the hands of investors. To get the funds into her boss's hands, Mackenzie must team up with... Read More

Olivia Dowd performs a thrilling tale about a macabre teenager with a love of studying decomposition. Ava is only 13, but she has an intense interest in forensics, which includes studying the decaying bodies of animals along the road. When she discovers the bodies of a teenager and a child, Ava alerts the police and winds up assisting a detective in stopping a killer who is... Read More

Narrator Nicholas Boulton brings Detective Bob Willis to life perfectly. Set in the west of England in 1985, this story finds Bob on sick leave, facing forced retirement and battling self-recrimination following the murder of his partner. As the story is told in the first person, the listener feels increasingly drawn into it. Boulton's rich West Country accent mirrors the... Read More

When J.P. Beaumont (Beau) and his wife welcome their grandson to move into their home near Seattle because of intolerable volatility at home with his dad and new stepmother, Beau has no idea that his previous homicide detective skills will emerge when a fentanyl overdose strikes. Narrator Mike Ortega is a shoo-in for Beau's private investigator persona; he portrays Ortega's... Read More

Golden Voice January LaVoy applies her considerable narrating talents to elevate this novel from implausible to engaging. The story begins with the suspected suicide of a nasty real estate agent. Listeners then meet Maggie, the mayor of a small upstate New York town. The first three-quarters of the audiobook explore Maggie's past, including her mother's death at 43 from a rare... Read More

Justin Price narrates this story of a Montana town that is in the midst of a murder mystery. When George Blackwater is shot while working on a screenplay, the sheriff of Blue Deer assumes the attacker is Blackwater's put-upon wife. But when the number of killings climbs, it becomes clear there's much more to unravel. Price's narration gives this audiobook the tone of a noir... Read More

Narrator Emilia Fox does a fantastic job showcasing the range of emotions in this addictive thriller. It's Camilla's first day back at work after her maternity leave, and she's on edge from not being able to reach her husband, Luke. Police arrive to tell her that Luke has been identified as being involved in a hostage situation. She goes from scared to disbelieving as it's... Read More

Narrator Nancy Wu's pace starts off slow and steady--just like the search-and-rescue techniques depicted in this mystery set in the Pacific Northwest. Deputy Mattie Cob and her dog, Robo, are asked to join the team that is looking for a lost 9-year-old boy named River Allen, who wandered off from the trailer of his mother, a movie star named Crystal. Once the teams find an old... Read More

The second novel in Joseph O'Connor's proposed trilogy bristles with life. Superb performances from a talented cast reveal the thoughts and emotions of a group of righteous men and women who saved hundreds from Nazi brutality. In return for the Pope's agreeing to remain neutral, Vatican City is forbidden to the German occupiers. In this audiobook inspired by the true story of... Read More

Narrator Jennifer Robideau transports listeners to Waikiki to join former journalist Maya Wong as she returns to Hawaii to ghostwrite the biography of a controversial developer. When a member of his family is found murdered and Maya's ex-boyfriend, Detective Koa Yamad, heads the investigation, Maya soon finds herself embroiled in the twisting mystery. Robideau's use of Hawaiian... Read More

Shana Pennington-Baird narrates this historical true-crime story set in Washington DC and Baltimore during Reconstruction. Forthright Jane Gray's medical skills and familial ties are severely tested as friends and family members succumb to mysterious ailments and deaths. Pennington-Baird uses a variety of Southern and Northern accents for Jane's educated family, as well as for... Read More

Golden Voice narrator Gerard Doyle once again brings the quirkiness and erudition of D.I. Sean Duffy to life as he takes on a case that his boss, who is away on vacation, can't handle. It's 1992 in Belfast, and the murder of an IRA assassin means that Duffy must clock more time hunting for the killer despite his efforts to cut back as he nears retirement. Never mind that his... Read More

Whew, there's a lot going on in this work, which tells tawdry tales of the city of Houston, reported and written by a host of locally famous authors and performed by a talented ensemble of narrators. Some stories are longer than others, but all seem to be as long as they need to be. The many different performers do an excellent job, though the collection would be better served... Read More

This audiobook thriller begins with the Agarwal family's reunion. When the Agarwals gather at the island owned by eldest sister Myra, they expect Raj to announce his retirement and divide their company shares. What actually happens shatters everyone's expectations, and secrets begin to pour out. Avita Jay portrays Myra with clarity, delivering a strong performance. Zoe, voiced... Read More

Narrator Peter Ganim is outstanding due to his ability to deliver varied voices. Charlie Webb, who didn't graduate at the top of his law school class, finds himself defending Guido Sabatini, an artist who is in possession of a flash drive with damaging evidence. Those who don't want the information leaked will stop at nothing to get it. Ganim gives Charlie a deep voice and... Read More

Hillary Huber delivers another great audio performance voicing this adventurous mystery set in the glacier-carved wilderness of the Canadian Shield. Huber skillfully embodies the distraught confusion of Sarah Anderson when her husband inexplicably disappears on a backcountry canoe trip. She also reflects Sarah's anger and feelings of betrayal when she discovers her husband... Read More

As John Pirhalla demonstrates, the trick with narrating this Long Island-based mystery is to use the "Lawn Guyland" accent sparingly, and primarily for local color--for example, when a diner waitress wisecracks to a contentious customer. Pirhalla, an experienced architect of suspense, gives this audiobook considerable zing. Kevin Wade's lean writing style, low-key humor, snappy... Read More

Television journalist Claire St. Amant takes listeners behind the scenes of her job as a reporter and producer for "48 Hours." St. Amant does a fine job of narrating the audiobook herself--though at times some of the more emotional aspects of the work might have been better performed by a seasoned actor. That said, momentum is enough to propel the listener forward. St. Amant's... Read More

Narrator Karissa Vacker gives a solid performance of this intriguing winter-themed thriller. Theo, who is estranged from her adoptive parents, doesn't know anything about her birth mother or how she came to be adopted. Vacker believable portrays Theo's confusion and need to know about her origins after she finds a picture of herself as a toddler in a remote cabin on her wealthy... Read More

Jane Oppenheimer and Christina Delaine offer outstanding performances as four 50-something retired assassins find themselves back in the game, sponsored by a mysterious entity called "The Museum." After the death of one of their own, The Museum believes there's a security leak. Bored with their retirement lives, Billie, Helen, Mary Alice, and Natalie relish the opportunity to... Read More

When Nancy's life implodes after a psychotic break, trouble seems to follow her: A neighbor in her new apartment building commits suicide. Sophie Roberts's gripping narration brings every layer of this psychological thriller to life. As Nancy begins to hear strange voices in her new flat, Roberts keeps listeners questioning what's going on. She captures Nancy's initial fragile... Read More

In this mystery set in the near future, listeners join recently widowed DCS Kat Frank and Lock, an Artificially Intelligent Detective Entity (AIDE). They're working together as part of the newly formed Future Policing Unit to investigate the horrific murders of two men. Rose Akroyd's professional narration creates a believable AI character in Lock as it tries to navigate the... Read More

Saskia Maarleveld narrates this story of generational sins and salvation. Agnes is the American granddaughter of an Icelandic man who fled his homeland amid accusations of murder. She travels to Iceland in an attempt to uncover details of her family's past and becomes entangled in the current disappearance of a young woman. Maarleveld anchors her nuanced performance in Agnes's... Read More

This reality-based story set in Belfast in the 1980s and today illuminates the dangers and challenges experienced by gay men in the past and present. Listeners meet young Billy, who is portrayed by Patrick Moy, and older Billy, who is portrayed by Ruairi Conaghan. Conaghan's depressed and jobless Billy gets a call from a childhood neighbor telling him of his long-estranged... Read More

Scott Brick's pacing and level of intensity are perfect for Steve Berry's latest (Number 19) Cotton Malone novel. His baritone pitch reflects the gravitas of the unusual situation the former Justice Department operative finds himself in. In the 16th century, the Medicis loaned a large sum of money to the Vatican. A written papal promise to repay the loan, never honored, is now... Read More

Daniel Penz skillfully introduces this combination of science fiction and mystery set in Cincinnati, which exposes technology's dark side. Listeners meet Detective Jack Stewart, who is confronting inexplicable murders that are connected to a business staffed by seemingly ancient people. Stewart discovers that possibly sentient extraterrestrials are cloning modern people to... Read More

Joseph O'Connor's wonderful thriller is inspired by the true story of the Irish envoy to the Vatican in 1943, Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty. Narrated in a series of individual monologues by a cast of extraordinary voice actors, this first in a proposed trilogy is emotionally moving and thrilling. With sadistic Obersturmbannführer Hauptmann and the Nazis occupying Rome but forbidden... Read More

Narrator Joel Froomkin is the perfect Hercule Poirot; his accent, vocal eccentricities, and braggadocio are spotless. Listeners first meet Captain Hastings, Poirot's friend, who is on respite from WWI at Styles. When Hastings learns of the murder of the lady of the house, he brings in Poirot, a Belgian refugee. Hastings, splendidly rendered by Froomkin, is an ideal sidekick who... Read More

Narrator William Hope serves up the second adventure in a noir-influenced series featuring a lead character with a perpetually arched eyebrow. Craven's hero, Ben Koenig, is a former U.S. marshal with a rare genetic syndrome that makes him incapable of feeling fear or having second thoughts about dispatching villains. Hope adds warmth and humor as Koenig finds himself connected... Read More

Edoardo Ballerini rises to the challenge of narrating Michael Crichton's first-ever novel, which was published in 1966. Listeners follow the adventures of three crooks as they plan a heist in the south of Spain with their leader, Steve Jencks, using computer technology in its infancy to calculate the chances of success. Ballerini seamlessly delivers a variety of accents,... Read More

Mark Bramhall brings enthusiasm and gravitas to the latest Joseph Finder espionage adventure novel. The improbable but gripping tale leaps into action when our protagonist Paul Brightman, a former Wall Street star who's in hiding, must outrun apparent gangsters. Years ago, he fell in love with a Russian oligarch's daughter and is now paying the price. The story alternates... Read More

Dion Graham narrates a taut thriller in which a banker digs into the truth behind his father's death--only to uncover a terrorist conspiracy. The news of his father's heart attack shocks David; then he discovers a note claiming the death wasn't due to natural causes. Graham imbues David with an earnest tone even as the story ramps into a bombastic roller-coaster ride. A mad... Read More

Narrator Genevieve Swallow, with her charming New Zealand accent, returns to immerse listeners in the private and professional life of Detective Sam Shepherd. In this sixth installment, Sam returns from maternity leave to take on a 25-year-old murder case. Sam stirs up trouble as she uncovers well-intentioned lies, making things particularly uncomfortable for her boss. Swallow... Read More

Narrator L.J. Ganser draws listeners into Thomas Perry's latest stand-alone thriller, masterfully portraying L.A. attorney Charlie Warren and a multitude of other characters. The complex story begins with a young Charlie working to protect his mother's interests. Later, as a lawyer and accountant, he defends a client from high-stakes financial fraud, but his actions place him,... Read More

Tom Kiteley's wonderfully drawn narration of this darkly humorous historical debut immerses listeners in its time and place. James Willoughby, a well-born but impoverished medical student, finds himself drawn into an unusual employment arrangement in nineteenth-century Edinburgh. Kiteley captures James's ingrained class behavior and naïveté as he works for his surgical school's... Read More

Comforting and mellow, with just a hint of spice, Rebecca Gallagher's voice is well suited to the narration of this cozy mystery. In northeast Ohio, Amish Fannie Miller and her friend, retired police officer Foster Bates, seek to uncover who is killing the contestants in the Tuscarawas County baking contest. Gallagher does a great job switching voices and maintaining a tone of... Read More

Georgia Tennant's lively performance as main character "Haze" and Kyle Soller's more understated interpretation of her husband, Fox, might make us think that these two somewhat boring suburbanites are just like their upscale neighbors--hosting dinner parties and caring for their adorable 2-year-old, Bibi. Haze attends mommy/baby groups, while Fox goes into London for work.... Read More

Narrator Eva Kaminsky draws out the tension right from the start as Amelia Rivers watches her stalker from her window. Amelia and two friends were drugged with something to enhance their latent psychic abilities, and they are determined to uncover who did it and why. Amelia hires detective Gideon Sweetwater, who also has psychic abilities, to help her. Kaminsky conveys Amelia's... Read More

Felicity Jin is a baker with the power to provide meaningful advice for customers of her fortune cookies because she truly can predict the future. Catherine Ho's portrayal of Felicity is enjoyable although, at times, her character voices become a little jumbled. When Felicity and her buddy, Kelvin, find a body under the dessert table at a wedding they catered, Kelvin falls... Read More

A feminist film script of F. Scott Fitzgerald's TENDER IS THE NIGHT, about a psychiatrist and his unstable wife, plays a large part in Bischoff's latest work, narrated by the author. Hollywood star Lila Crayne will play the wife; her husband, Kurt, is the director. Lila seeks help from therapist Dr. Jonah Gabriel regarding her character development. Bishchoff infuses Dr.... Read More

Jennifer Jill Araya narrates this suspenseful mystery, which takes place in 1932 on a remote island in Lake Erie. Four people are living there: a gangster's wife, Rosita, and her maid, Aurelia, who is hiding a secret, along with two housekeepers. When the gangster unexpectedly drops by with an entourage of guests, including a rival gangster, things unravel. Araya makes the... Read More

These two oddly connected novellas are narrated by Joe Eyre and George Greenland. The works revolve around Turnglass, which is both a house and a bound volume that's read aloud. Story one, delivered by Eyre, is set in 1880 Essex at Turnglass House, which is situated on a tidal island. It's recounted by Dr. Simeon Lee, who is treating his uncle, Parson Oliver Hawes, who is dying... Read More

An unsolved disappearance, three mothers, and family trauma are at the heart of this story, which is complemented by Sara Sheckells's somber narration. The novel is told in two time periods more than 30 years apart from the perspectives of three women: new mother Bee; her own mother, Mary; and Diana, the mother of her childhood crush, Leo, who is best friends with her estranged... Read More