JOHNNY CARELESS

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 dialogue, shifting point of view, and depiction of moral ambiguity will invite comparisons to Robert Parker, Elmore Leonard, and Don Winslow. Even though this whodunit involves familiar tropes--the murder victim is a childhood friend of the investigating cop, the vic's ex-wife is the cop's former crush, and the vic's wealthy family has secrets--they're energized by fresh writing and a deft narration. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2025]