#tearmeapart #jtellison #evakaminsky #rebekkahross #jacquesroy #caitlindavies #amymcfadden #petesimonelli #goodhusbands #cateray #fionahardingham #shivalibhammer #karencass #thesevenhusbandsofevelynhugo #taylorjenkinsreid #almacuervo #juliawhelan #robinmiles #encoreindeath #jdrobb #susanericksen
Is it just me or has February been unusually short this year? I had a moment of panic when I realized I might not have enough time to finish listening to all the books I wanted to review for my blog post. Fortunately, time didn’t become a factor and we have some interesting listens to discuss. As always, I gave some thought as to whether there is a common thread in the books. Three are by authors who are favorites of mine. Three have multiple narrators which can be a slippery slope that may result in a prize-winning performance or mass confusion. One is the latest in a series without which this short month would have seemed even shorter! So the only thing all these books have in common is the requisite psychos and, trust me, they are there whether the books are billed as psychological thrillers or not!
By J. T. Ellison
Narrated by Eva Kaminsky, Rebekkah Ross, Jacques Roy, Caitlin Davies, Amy McFadden, and Pete Simonelli
Tear Me Apart is a chilling account of how terribly wrong life can go in the proverbial blink of an eye. A potentially career-ending accident for an Olympic hopeful, a simple blood test following a cancer diagnosis, a life-altering request by a friend. Which of these will change everything Mindy Wright believes about her life? This is a compelling storyline with almost too many twists and turns and, at some point, you are going to see every character as a villain. Because I actually listened to the audiobook and later read the eBook version, I can honestly say this one is best in print. Too many narrators and “did I just hear that?” moments that needed to be re-played just didn’t work for me in the audio version. J.T. Ellison has written a complex tale that will hold your attention until the last word and you will definitely want the written word so you can re-read the ending.
By Cate Ray
Narrated by Fiona Hardingham, Shivali Bhammer, & Karen Cass
Good Husbands is a winding road that could, at some point, lead almost anywhere. It’s one of those books which – if I had been the author – would have ended differently. My ending would not have necessarily been better … it would have just been different. Three women have husbands with whom they have satisfying lives. They don’t know each other, nor do they know that their “good husbands” share a potentially devastating secret. All three men have moved on until letters to their wives from a dead woman bring the damning events of the past to light. I’m sure each of you already has any number of scenarios in mind based on that teaser! Some of you will be right, some will be wrong, and it’s likely none of you will hit on the exact combination of outcomes that author Cate Ray presents in her compelling storyline. There is a different narrator for each wife’s POV and they are all very good; however, I didn’t hear enough difference in their voices to keep me from confusing the characters at times.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
By Taylor Jenkins Reid
Narrated by Alma Cuervo, Julia Whelan, & Robin Miles
You’re all familiar, I’m sure, with those teasers that are placed at the ends of books. You know … the ones where they give you just enough of the author’s next book to make you want to run out and buy it. Well, that’s how I got involved with Evelyn Hugo and all her husbands except when I finally took the plunge, I chose the audiobook version rather than the eBook or print version. Author Taylor Jenkins Reid has created a fascinating character in Evelyn, but the most intriguing aspect of the book is I honestly thought I identified the twist early on and I’m still stunned by how incredibly wrong I was! Needless to say, it would be a spoiler if I told you what ending I had imagined; it’s enough to say the one that was written is what keeps me coming back for more from this author. If you love the glamor and glitz of the Hollywood days when stars were stars, then you will love hearing three talented narrators tell you about how one woman clawed her way to the top and the secrets she kept to get there.
By J.D. Robb
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Well, it wouldn’t be February without the latest in the Eve and Roarke saga. This one starts off as a tragic ending to a classic love story with the untimely and apparent poisoning death of a well-known actor who is happily married to a well-known actress. Her investigation takes Darlin’ Eve way outside her comfort zone and into the world of glamorous people whose livelihoods and fame are based on pretending to be someone else. The further she delves into this pretend world, the more Eve finds that nothing is as it seems and pretending to be someone else can also mean pretending you didn’t kill someone. Many of the familiar characters in the series make an appearance with narrator Susan Ericksen giving each of them voices, but the focus is on Eve and Peabody as they do an exceptional job of finding an unlikely killer. Thank you, J. D. Robb, for our February fix!
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