Macmillan Audio – Rosepoint Publishing

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum #AudiobookReview #DomesticThriller

Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Book Blurb:

Benny Abbott and Joy Moore host one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. Each week, they delight listeners with a different “against all odds” survival story, gleefully finding the weird, life-affirming humor in near-death experiences. Since their first episode on Joy’s experience with severe narcolepsy, they’ve been the best friends everyone wants to befriend—and thanks to the meticulous management of Joy’s husband, Xander, they’ve built a lucrative empire.

The problem is, their next survival story may be their own. When Benny arrives at Joy and Xander’s one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house. The one clue shedding light on the couple’s disappearance is the incomplete, previously unseen first draft of Joy’s memoir. Benny will stop at nothing to find them, even as the police zero in on him as their prime suspect.

Millions of devoted listeners think they know the “real” Benny and Joy. But as the hours tick by, and the odds seem increasingly stacked against Joy and Xander being found alive, not even the most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets their favorite famous BFFs have hidden from the world—and from each other.

My Review:

Maybe this just isn’t my month for five-star reads. I’m thinking perhaps I had too high expectations for this one. The title is intriguing; I like mysteries, and thought this is supposed to be one. I seem to be getting romance novels under the guise of mystery and by now you all know I’m not a fan of romance.

Joy and Benny host a podcast exploiting survival stories, the first of which was her own stemming from Joy’s experience with narcolepsy—an interesting little side device in the plot. Joy met and married Xander, who ends up managing the podcast and their direction.

Benny is not a childhood friend of Joy’s as they met later and formed a very close relationship. It was discovered early that they sparked off each other to the delight of everyone around them and found a way to utilize that gift.

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum — This Story Might Save Your Life – UK cover

The “mystery” starts when Benny arrives one morning at Joy’s home to find what appears to have been a break-in and both Joy and Xander missing. He finds a memoir Joy has left behind as a way to leave him clues and hides it before the police can discover it. This is where the storyline splits with Benny periodically reading another portion of the memoir and the ability to peer into Joy’s life with Xander—not the dream boat she’d imagined. (Enter domestic abuse theme.)

Eventually, Xander is found deceased and suddenly the police are looking at Benny. (Enter reader rolling her eyes.)

Okay. For the record, I was unable to invest in any of the characters, though Joy was well developed, found her relationship with Benny a bit much, the romance becoming a bore. The dialogue was rather immature, the pacing already slow being interrupted with the investigation to return to the romance. (Inner groan)

While some of it not already divulged in denouement, it wasn’t a surprise. All of a sudden everything was fine again. End.

It annoyed me throughout that both characters refused to acknowledge their friendship had gone deeper. Why weren’t they just honest with each other?

I’m aware that because I’m such a romance snoot and in the minority the majority of the time, I have to acknowledge that with so many enjoying the book, perhaps there again just not a book I should have attempted. If you enjoy romance, then maybe you’ll enjoy a predictable romance with an ending you already guessed.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Domestic Thrillers, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Julia Whelan, Sean Patrick Hopkins
Release Date: March 10, 2026

Title Links:

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Tiffany Crum grew up on a dairy farm just down the road from a maximum-security prison. A longtime Californian, she worked a variety of jobs in the film industry before earning her MFA in creative writing. She now lives in Atlanta with her husband, sons, and dogs, and spends her free time trying to keep her vegetable garden alive. This Story Might Save Your Life is her debut novel.

Audiobooks with headphones — Graphic books and coffee courtesy Freepik.com

Two Audiobook Mini-Reviews – #audiobookreviews – #PoliceProcedural – #DomesticThrillers

Chosen and listened to prior to gathering titles for Reading Ireland Month, I read both of these authors before and thought I’d try again. I do enjoy both police procedurals and domestic thrillers. (Title links are to Amazon.)

See How They Hide by Allison Brennan

Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Narrator: Suzanne T. Fortin
Quinn & Costa #6

My Thoughts

I read Book 3 in the Quinn & Costa series, The Wrong Victim, which didn’t totally excite me, and then read two additional books in her other series, both of which I found much the same.

This installment discovers victims some distance apart, left in the same dispassionate position, covered with red poppies. The main characters of Kara Quinn and Matt Costa are okay, though I can’t seem to become thoroughly engaged with either or their interest in each other.

When they find Riley Pierce, it appears they will get the answers they seek and will be able to get to the bottom of it soon. But it’s not so easy and I was a little dismayed to discover it was another of the cult-type plots. You can check in but you can never leave.

Riley is sympathetic but doesn’t seem to get a lot of slack from Kara. The antagonist is truly despicable. I wrestled with the pace of the narrative, MCs I didn’t love and a story that feels a bit trite and overdone. The suspense is rather deluted and the setting tends to change location often.

A fan may enjoy this one, or find it a bit of a slog, but in my case, having sampled several of her series now, I’m not sure I’ll try another.

My Husband’s Wife: A Novel by Alice Feeney

Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrators: Bel Powley, Henry Rowley, Richard Armitage
Amazon Charts #11 this week

My Thoughts

Oh, yes, I’ve read Feeney before, too, the last one being Beautiful Ugly. I have to give it to Finney for coming up with some unusual plots. On the surface, this novel appears to be one of the old switcheroos we’ve read before, but this is Feeney. Maybe not.

Eden comes home from a run sans purse, money, or ID and discovers her home, Spyglass, appears to be occupied by someone who looks like her but denied entry.

Her key won’t fit, her husband denies knowing her, her daughter does as well, and the wife looks like her. Sound familiar? That’s where it ends. A favorite character, Olivia Bird (Birdy) is in town on a related matter, gets in on the whole debacle and works to help clear the mystery.

Prepare for the twists.

It’s chaotic, building suspense, building drama, building unreliable narrators. Who do you trust? No one.

Feeney is an author who is hit or miss for me. The number of twists and disbelief this one creates just blows the whole thing out of the water. Contradictions, some nonsensical dialogue. The conclusion gets so nutsy for me I have to just shake my head and give it a “whatever.”

I greatly enjoyed the narrators who helped me hang in there until the end.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to these audiobooks. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Three Audiobooks Mini-Reviews – #IndigenousFictionforTeens, #MysteryThrillerandSuspense, #RichandFamousBiographies – #TBT

It’s just too easy to listen to audiobooks! They’ve gotten ahead of me again, so I’m posting shortened versions here. (Title links are to Amazon.)

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Isabella Star LaBlanc
Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Debut Novel (2021) Winner for Readers’ Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2021)

The main character, Daunis is a bi-racial daughter of a French mother and a native Ojibwe father. The Ojibwe is a tribal community located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Because her father was not listed on her birth certificate, she is not allowed to be listed as a full tribe member. She has a strong attachment to the tribe but never felt she was fully accepted in either society.

The novel favors a strong theme of family, responsibility, and loss. It’s a beautiful peek into the beliefs, traditions, and customs of the tribe and follows Daunis on her quest to discover and bring to justice the person responsible for the murder she witnessed. She must weigh the odds that the perp may very well be someone she knows and loves and whether or not that will seal a yay or nay in her Ojibwe community.

An emotional writing style with heart, layers of plot, and well-developed characters. As a YA narrative, it includes the inevitable romance and abundance of hormones, but the overall storyline will be of interest to adults as well.

The Wife and the Widow by Christian White
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Narrator: Caz Prescott
Amazon Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Hate to admit that it wasn’t that long ago I finished this book but now only have a vague memory of it and didn’t take notes. Well, then again, either inconvenient or just lacking stellar quotes(?). I must have missed some serious stuff as it got an accolade, but (scratching my head), what was it?

It did start out a bit slow for me. I wondered for a while why we were getting these two very divergent stories of Abby and Kate. I do enjoy stories that have a monster twist, an AH HA moment that leaves you shaking your head and this one does. Just for me—it took too long, a bit laborious, and sometimes I get tired of the sloppy police work trope that forces mere mortals to take over.

Belport could be atmospheric, the community inhabitants cliquish and gossipy, but, really, a main character whose hobby is taxidermy? Ugh!

If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t) by Betty White
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Narrator: Betty White

Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Humor (2011)

Good grief! Could the woman have written eighty-two books? When did she have the time for that? Okay, well, given this audiobook was only 2 hrs 16 mins, I guess it might be possible if the others were also short.

One of our National Treasures, Betty White was an actress for a very long time, achieving six Emmys and eighteen Emmy nominations. She won comedy awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1995. Of course, she also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

One of my favorites, who doesn’t love Betty White? For one thing, she brought a whole new concept of sexuality to older women.

I was disappointed this audiobook was so short, although she talked about her TV shows, the people she loved to work with, and shared little snippets of stories from her experiences “getting there.” She also shared her observations about the animals in her life, how she created shelters.

The narrative ended all too soon but I’ve no doubt it’s one you’d enjoy as much as I, and as short as it is, why not?

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to these audiobooks. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Party of Liars: A Novel by Kelsey Cox #AudiobookReview #crimethrillers

Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Book Blurb:

Featuring multicast narration, a lavish, Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen turns deadly in this twisty, pulse-pounding new novel—serving up a fresh take on a classic locked-room whodunnit. Let the festivities begin…

Today is Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party, an exclusive black-tie bash in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where secrets are as deep-rooted as the sprawling live oaks. Sophie’s dad has spared no expense, and his renovated cliffside mansion—once thought haunted and shuttered for years from outsiders—is now hosting the event of the season. Then, just before the candles on the three-tiered red velvet cake are blown out, a body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below.

It’s a killer guest list . . .

DANI: Sophie’s new stepmother who’s been plagued by self-doubt ever since the birth of her own baby girl

ÓRLAITH: the superstitious Irish nanny who senses a looming danger in this cavernous house

MIKAYLA: the birthday girl’s best friend who is not nearly as meek as the popular kids assume

KIM: the cunning ex-wife who has a grudge she can’t let go of

Everyone is invited in. Not everyone will get out alive.

My Review:

I confess. I downloaded this book because one of my favorite narrators worked the audiobook, Saskia Maarleveld. And yes, come time, I recognized her voice. Unfortunately, there were a lot of other voices as well, and the constant switching back and forth had my head spinning.

So, honestly? I found this book to be a bit of a slog. I can’t say bored. Well, maybe I can. Between all the characters, most unlikable, I had a difficult time engaging in any of them, although the new mother, Dani, had my sympathy once or twice.

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox — Party of Liars – UK cover

This is supposed to be a thriller, then not just character and voice switch, but time switches (before, during, after) slow the pace and was difficult to navigate. We are talking Dani, a new mom and step-mom to birthday girl, Sophie, turning sixteen and her dad, Ethan’s, reason for an all out, way over the top adult chance to show off their renovated mansion, wealth, and position to just about everyone but birthday girl’s friends. Well wait, there’s Mikayla, but Mikayla is just…messed up!

All the dialogue is relegated to background noise and becomes too easy to shut off as the listener waits for a change to someone else. Not really a thriller, although I must admit I listened to Órlaith. Ethan is just icky. Off with him!

I didn’t think it had all that many twists and turns but did enjoy that last little zinger delivered at the end. HA! Hadn’t given thought to that angle, but yeah. That worked for me.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thrillers, Psychological Thrillers, Suspense Thrillers
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0DFRCW5M2
Listening Length: 10 hrs 57 mins
Narrator: Dan Bittner, Kate Handford, Pearl Hewitt, Saskia Maarleveld, Suzy Jackson
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)

Title Links:

Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Kelsey Cox (she/her) received her MFA in fiction from Purdue University and works from home in the Texas Hill Country. You can often find her writing at Mammen Family Public Library, chasing around her two young daughters, or watching British mysteries with her mom and aunts. On nights when bedtime goes as planned, she enjoys curling up on the sofa, glass of wine in hand, and a book with complicated characters and a killer twist in her lap. Party of Liars is her debut novel.

Happy Autumn

Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt #AudiobookReview #animalfiction

An Andy Carpenter Mystery Book 31

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

In Dogged Pursuit, David Rosenfelt takes listeners back to the start of this beloved series as Andy Carpenter begins his career as a defense attorney in Paterson, New Jersey.

Andy Carpenter has spent the three years since graduating law school working as a prosecutor in Paterson. But having seen how the system never looks out for the little guy, he leaves to start his own practice as a defense attorney. His office might be a little bit of a dump, but he’s excited to make a change.

Andy goes to the shelter to adopt a dog, where he meets his beloved golden retriever, Tara, for the first time and feels an immediate connection. The shelter is crowded and Tara’s been sharing space with a dog named Sunny; Andy hates to break them up and so asks to take Sunny, too, but since there’s a pending criminal case involving the owner, he’ll need to get written permission for temporary possession.

Andy discovers that Sunny’s owner, Frank Tierney, has been arrested for the murder of his ex-boss. But he takes an immediate liking to Frank and his clear dedication to his dog, and ends up with his first case along with the two dogs.

This prequel to the long-running and perennially popular Andy Carpenter mysteries is a gift for fans and a terrific entry-point for newcomers.

My Review:

I never get tired of the Andy Carpenter Mystery series and haven’t missed many since discovering them in 2016. In this case, I shared the wealth with the CE back in June of this year. Have to admit, however, he got gypped when he read the ebook, as you can’t beat one of my favorite narrators as the wise-cracking but extremely effective defense attorney.

This is actually a prequel to the popular series, introducing the reader to his first marriage, then to Tara, the Golden Retriever who starts it all. Additional support characters are gradually brought in and we see how the team is formed.

The prequel starts a fledgling criminal attorney position, having left the prosecution side of the court. Tara comes with a buddy, a little dog belonging to a man arrested for murder. Taking on the case of a person accused of blowing up a car resulting in multiple deaths also deals a blow to his already shaky marriage. It is also the introduction to Laurie, an ex-cop investigator.

As he is making friends and influencing people, the stakes are rising to deadly heights. The “I didn’t do it” mantra becomes centrally significant and begs the question, “then, who did?”

It gets complicated and there are no Carpenter books that aren’t. Combined with a snarky sense of humor, lively courtroom scenes, and heart-melting doggy vignettes, it’s a perfect launch for someone who hasn’t started the series. For those who have, but didn’t actually start with Book 1 (when do I ever?), it answers a number of questions.

Grover Gardner became Andy Carpenter a long time ago, but those discovering the series through the prequel will understand how and why he’s now the voice of the quintessential attorney. I always recommend Gardner’s narration over an ebook.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Animal Fiction, Animal Cozy Mysteries
Publisher:
Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0DFRLWNHG
Listening Length: 6 hrs 30 mins
Narrator: Grover Gardner
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: David Rosenfelt, a native of Paterson, New Jersey, is a graduate of NYU. He was the former marketing president for Tri-Star Pictures before becoming a writer of novels and screenplays. “Open And Shut” was his first novel; “First Degree,” his second novel, was named a best book of 2003 by Publishers Weekly. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife and 35 dogs.

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Website

The Narrator:

Grover Gardner’s narration career spans twenty-five years and over 550 audiobook titles. AudioFile Magazine has called him one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and features him in their annual “Golden Voices” update. Publishers Weekly named him Audiobook Narrator of the Year for 2005. His recordings have garnered 18 “Golden Earphones” awards from AudioFile and an Audie Award from the Audio Publishers’ Association.
http://grovergardner.blogspot.com/

Have a Happy Thanksgiving

The Other Side of Now: A Novel by Paige Harbison #AudiobookReview #FriendshipFiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Read by the author, this hilarious and heartfelt audiobook about how loves and lives are never truly lost, is perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood’s latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a tiny nervous breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, she books an impromptu trip to Ireland. Specifically, to the village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving.

When Meg arrives, the people in town don’t just recognize her, they seem to know her. She quickly—reluctantly—realizes she has somehow slipped into an alternate reality. One where she did move to Ireland as a teenager, one where she never got famous, and—most shocking of all—one where Aimee is alive and well.

She just wants nothing to do with Meg.

Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-two-lifetimes chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke . . . or else risk losing Aimee all over again.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

My Review:

Oh good grief! Is this a YA? And a fantasy? And I read it? And loved it?!

It is and I did!

Meg and Aimee are high school besties, who, out for a fun night, decide to see a fortune teller. But while Meg has a dual life line, Aimee’s reading is curt, cut short, and reveals nothing. Kind of a downer ending a thirtieth birthday party, but then she is already feeling a bit let down.

Meg has found success as Lana Lord, a hit TV show. Aimee was killed in a traffic accident not long after the birthday party. Meg shuts down. She is beyond consolable and on impulse books a trip to Ireland where she and Aimee had dreamed of going to college.

With the way our family moved throughout my school years, I never had a chance to experience a “bestie.” So, no, I couldn’t identify with how closely connected Meg was to Aimee, but it wasn’t too difficult to understand how she could find herself at a traumatic crossroads in her life at age thirty.

The experience in Ireland, however, is not at all what she expected but it’s obvious something major is going on when everyone appears to know her.

POV switches back and forth from Ireland to her life in Hollywood. The hot bartender in Ireland may be an “ex” for one thing, the boyfriend at home may have been cheating on her. But is it really possible Aimee is living in Ireland—with her family? Why is she mad at her?

I loved the characters; the prose the author delivers is lovingly and emotionally delivered, believable. The atmosphere of Ireland fleshes out the scenes and leaves you yearning for her decision to stay. Must she return?

The author, once again, has a couple twists in store for the reader. Oh, the delicious fun!

How do you pull a satisfying conclusion to this conundrum?

Stay.

Go.

Stay.

Go.

Themes of friendship, family, loss and grief, dogs (yes, dogs!), happiness. Wait, did Meg remember that fateful night differently than Aimee?

My heart fell at one point. Not the ending I was hoping for. Then—NOT the ending—and my goodness, that writer can pull another one out of the hat. Amazing. So satisfying.

If you missed this one, I’d recommend you check it out. Have I ever steered you wrong?

This audiobook is narrated by the author and she certainly does a credible job. Thank you to my local library for the borrowed copy.

Book Details:

Genre: Friendship Fiction
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0DK7NHJ93
Listening Length: 10 hrs 22 mins
Narrator: Paige Harbison
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Paige Harbison - author — Paige Harbison – author

A little bit about me…

I grew up in the Washington D.C. area, raised by a musician and a writer. I graduated high school early, and went to college in St. Augustine, FL. Then, between Freshman and Sophomore year, I wrote my first novel. Everything in my life changed when, the following semester, I signed my first contract at age nineteen.

I transferred schools three times for fun, and changed my major from Theatre to Painting in order to accommodate my new career. I graduated early from Towson University and continued to work on my first three published novels, all YA: Here Lies Bridget, New Girl, and Anything to Have You.

Throughout the next decade I worked as a bartender and ghostwriter, traveling as much as I could, living it up in the name of book inspo.

At the start of the pandemic, I moved with my family to Palm Springs, CA and finally slowed down enough to start thinking about my own next chapter, which led me to leave the service industry, take some opportunities in film and TV, and start work on my next book.

I am now based in Los Angeles, California, where I live with my dog, Tarot, my partner, Richie, and the 12-9000 uninvited spiders that live in and around our home.

find me on instagram and TikTok, where I do comedy videos! @pharbeaux

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave: A Novel by Elle Cosimano #AudiobookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Best Books of the Year So Far 2025

Book Blurb:

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go . . . except Finlay’s house, right across the street.

Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they’ve dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else.

When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets . . . before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

My Review:

It’s been a year since I read Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice and now here we are with Book 5 of the quirky, irreverent series featuring a writer (Finlay) who’s hit the wall and is usually frantically trying to stall her New Jersey(?) editor while she comes up with something. Her best friend, Vero, has a dubious background and often times comes up with slightly illegal solutions to Finlay’s current problems.

And Finlay seems to have them. Usually of her own making.

She has two little ones and miraculously manages all the mischief-making without involving the young and innocent.

Finlay and Vero (who was originally supposed to help her manage the babies, the house, and be a quasi-assistant), are of similar age and persuasion. They are young, smart, and independent. Their dialogue is fast, snarky, and very contemporary.

I was hooked by the first installment and read each one since. I found a few over the top for me but came back for more anyway. This one includes an old lady (good old Mrs. Haggerty—the neighbor—save me from the narrator’s switch in voice—so annoying).

The plot, however, is clever, twisty, and humorous and I found it fast and fun. Just the right amount of romance (Finlay has a hot cop boyfriend and Vero also a new love interest), sexual innuendo, and trash talk. For the most part, the narrator does a credible job with the switch in voices and situation. Gotta run to keep up!

Enjoy something modern, engaging, and entertaining? If you haven’t already, might try this one.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Humorous Fiction & Satire, Women Sleuth Mysteries, Humorous Fiction
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0D3622PF1
Listening Length: 9 hrs 11 mins
Narrator: Angela Dawe
Publication Date: March 4, 2025
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Elle Cosimano is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and one of New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Elle lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia. You can learn more about her at her website: http://www.ElleCosimano.com.

Photo courtesy of Holly Virginia Photography

Happy Listening!

One False Move by Alex Kava #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday

Book Blurb:

Internationally best-selling author Alex Kava delivers a searing thriller of one woman’s encounter with her past which could jeopardize her future

Melanie Starks has never lived life by the rules. She and her 17-year-old son, Charlie, have been running one con job or another for as long as she can remember, justifying the petty crimes as the necessary survival moves of a single mother. But Melanie is ready to give it up. Then Jared Barnett reappears in her life.

Fresh out of prison after serving five years of a life sentence for murder, Jared is released on a technicality that by no means proves his innocence. And he’s feeling more invincible than ever. He has the perfect plan for a big score and he needs Melanie’s help. But everything goes terribly wrong. Only one thing is clear: A line has been crossed. Suddenly there’s no turning back, and there is nothing left to lose.

My Review:

In my haste to grab another Creed series book, this one came up as “next” and I downloaded without realizing it was a standalone and not even part of her original Maggie O’Dell series, which I was also going to check out. Well, rats! But I went ahead and listened to the audiobook anyway and discovered it quite a bit different from the writing style and prose of the Creed books.

In this short novel, the antagonist is released from prison on a technicality after serving only five years of a life prison sentence for murder. Unfortunately, he engages his sister Melanie Startks and her teenage son, Charlie, in his hair-brained scheme to rob a Nebraska bank, whereupon Jared loses control of the situation and multiple people are killed forcing them all to flee…with a hostage.

There are multiple POVs, getting inside the head of the despicable Jared for one. The narrative is short and action packed, building suspense, tension from the beginning. These are not particularly characters in which you’ll engage, but they are well developed and ooze malevolence.

There is a good mystery here and the book proves fun and entertaining, apparently modeling after a real experience. The ending provides such a jaw-dropping knee-jerk twist that you don’t see coming, you are left with unanswered questions. Interesting.

Okay, so fans of fast-paced mysteries, tension-filled crime chronologies, and desperate characters may well enjoy this one. I did despite triggers of language and sex. But I’ll look for a Maggie O’Dell book next.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense, Suspense Thrillers, Romance
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0002SQSII
Listening Length: 5 hrs 5 mins
Narrator: Maggi-Meg Reed
Publication Date: July 28, 2004
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: One False Move (Amazon)

The Author: ALEX KAVA is a New York Times, USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of twenty novels including the award-winning FBI Profiler Maggie O’Dell series and the critically acclaimed and now award-winning Ryder Creed K-9 Mystery series. Recently LOST CREED won the 2019 Nebraska Book Award. Her novel Stranded was awarded both a Florida Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award. One False Move was chosen for the 2006 One Book One Nebraska and her political thriller, Whitewash, was one of January Magazine’s best thrillers of the year. Published in over thirty-four countries, Kava’s novels have made the bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Poland.