THE WHITSTABLE PEARL MYSTERY Pearl Nolan, Book 1

Jenna Russell uses her acting talents to narrate this murder mystery set in Whitstable, near Canterbury, on the estuary of the River Thames. Pearl Nolan, ex-constable and current owner of an oyster bar/restaurant, has just opened a detective agency when she finds the drowned body of Vinnie Rowe, a local oyster fisherman who is also her friend. Enter Chief Inspector Mike McGuire, whom Russell portrays with a craggy timbre and a London accent that contrast sharply with Pearl's clear timbre and precise intonation. Russell capably delivers emotionally charged scenes and audibly croons when describing budding romances. While Nolan and McGuire butt heads over cause of death and subtle clues, Russell's narration remains suitably cool, calm, and collected, emulating Nolan's and McGuire's professionalism as they untangle motives hidden in plain sight. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2022]