Friday 30 August 2024

THE MISSING BODY


The Missing Body by Kerry Wilkinson
Narrated by Rebecca Lee
Genre: crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobookAudiobook


I ran to get help. But her body disappeared. Will anyone believe me?

Megan is unpacking in the spare room of her sister’s house when she hears the scream.

Racing to the nearby woods, she is shocked to see a young woman’s unconscious body: her pink top bright against the earth, her long, dark hair wet from a nearby stream. But when desperate Megan returns with the police, all they find is empty woodland.

She’s been through so much, her sister whispers, welcoming her home with a kind smile. You can’t blame her for seeing things.

But Megan knows what she saw — and her past shouldn’t come into it. Was the young woman dead, or dying? How can a body just disappear?

Megan left home for a good reason. Now, confronting the past could be the only way to find the truth.But what if Megan is in danger, too? And what price will she have to pay, to find the girl from the woods?
Source: Info in the "About The Missing Body" was taken from amazon on 18/07/2024.


Buy Link(s):
  Audible Books


My Thoughts:
One thing I can say about this book, it's not a page turner. Thankfully audible has this nifty feature where you could speed up the the narration.

The plot and the theme are good. It just took forever for the story to unfold. The book also gives you the sense that their will be a book 2 in the future...

This is my first Rebecca Lee audiobook and she is not too bad.


Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 2.5
Character development = 3.5
Story itself = 3.5
Writing Style = 3.5
Ending = 4
World building = 4
Cover art = 3.5
Pace = (8 hrs and 8 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 4


Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries


Meet The Author

About Kerry Wilkinson:
Kerry Wilkinson has sold more than two million books - and had No.1 crime bestsellers in the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa and Singapore. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018 and Close To You won the International Thriller Award for best ebook in 2020.

As well as his Jessica Daniel series, Kerry has written a trilogy featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter, the Whitecliff series, the Silver Blackthorn trilogy - a fantasy-adventure serial for young adults - plus numerous standalone novels. He has been published around the world in more than a dozen languages.

Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry spent way too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'.

When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike, hikes up something, or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.


The Narrator

About Rebecca Lee:
Rebecca trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her stage credits include Tanya in Jerusalem, Viola in Twelfth Night (Watermill Theatre), Franny in Small Island (National Theatre), Lily in The First Man (Jermyn St Theatre). Rebecca was nominated for the Ian Charleston award for Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet at the Watermill. Her TV credits include Babs (BBC), Sparks (Channel 4) and she has voiced commercials for Calm (2019) and The Body Shop (Christmas 2020). She has recorded numerous audiobooks including Crossfire by Malorie Blackman, The Wintering by Catherine May, Cream Buns and Crime by Robin Stevens and video games including Umbra In Sea of Thieves. Rebecca has a very strong ear and boasts a range of UK/European and US accents.



FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.

Monday 26 August 2024

BEST SERVED COLD


Best Served Cold by David J. Gatward
Book 2 in the DCI Harry Grimm series
Narrated by Aubrey Parsons
Genre: crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobookAudiobook


When a tragic farm accident turns out to be foul play, DCI Harry Grimm finds himself up against a murderer years in the making and out for revenge.

With the local community in self-imposed lock down, and the body count quickly climbing, Harry and his team are in a race against time to stop a killer as invisible as they are brutally effective.

But with some threatening to take the law into their own hands, and the wounds of his own past once again starting to bleed, DCI Harry Grimm is about to take a trip into Hell.
Source: Info in the "About Best Served Cold" was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55341705-best-served-cold on 10/08/2023.


Buy Link(s):
  Audible Books


My Thoughts:
I was kinda apprehensive going into this book. Book 1, Grimm Up North, had "stupid" elements in it and I was hoping with great sincerity that there wouldn't be any "stupid" in this and further books in this series. Glad to say it wasn't too bad. Wasn't bad at all!

I find that this is not the fastest book to read. Finding myself having to trudge for the first three quarters of the book before interest picks up. But interest do pick up!


Aubrey Parsons is being his usual wonderful self! Reading this book with style!


Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 4.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 3
Pace = (7 hrs and 17 mins listening time)
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 4.5


Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


Books In The DCI Harry Grimm Series:
Book 1: GRIMM UP NORTH Book 2: BEST SERVED COLD Book 3: CORPSE ROAD Book 4: SHOOTING SEASON Book 5: RESTLESS DEAD Book 6: DEATH'S REQUIEM Book 7: BLOOD SPORT Book 8: COLD SANCTUARY Book 9: ONE BAD TURN Book 10: BLOOD TRAIL Book 11: FAIR GAME Book 12: UNQUIET BONES Book 13: THE DARK HOURS Book 14: SILENT RUIN Book 15: DEAD MAN'S HANDS Book 16: DARK HARVEST Book 17: SEE NO EVIL Book 18: ASHES OF BETRAYAL Book 19: BLOOD FOUNTAIN


 
Meet The Author

About David J. Gatward:
David J. Gatward grew up in Wensleydale and is the award-winning author of the DCI Harry Grimm crime novels. He has also written numerous books for children, teenagers and young adults.


The Narrator

About Aubrey Parsons:
Professional voice over artist and singer for over 20 years. Based in the UK, I have a very neutral British accent. However, I can mimic most UK & Irish accents along with General American and various U.S. regional accents. In addition to voiceover work I am a professional singer.



FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were bought with private funds.
No money received for this review.

Friday 23 August 2024

BODY LANGUAGE


Body Language by A. K. Turner
Book 1 in the Cassie Raven series
Narrated by Ellie Kendrick
Genre: paranormal crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobookAudiobook


When the dead are silent, she will be their voice.

Mortuary technician Cassie Raven feels a special bond with the bodies in her care, but when somebody she loved turns up on her autopsy table, her job suddenly gets personal.

Cassie's instincts are screaming foul play, but the police say it was an accident — and uptight detective Phyllida Flyte has no time for a tattooed morgue girl with attitude.

But when Cassie is proved right, she and Flyte must work together to find a murderer — before Cassie ends up on the mortuary slab herself.
Source: Info in the "About Body Language" was taken from amazon on 12/08/2024.


Buy Link(s):
  Audible Books


My Thoughts:
I had to google the police slang, i.e., IC3 = black suspect, and IC1 = white suspect, to understand the book!...

I like the ever very so slight element of paranormal. Like, it was never even there!

Being an urban fantasy geek, I am not used to twisty plot. So, it came as a surprise!

I like the way the story was told. There was no pretence at being bad-ass. But got the crime solved anyway. Bravo!

This is my first Ellie Kendrick audiobook and she brings the book to life! I also appreciate her attempt at a Welsh accent! It came close!


Quantitative Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (11 hrs and 1 min listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 5


Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries


Books In The Cassie Raven Series:
Book 1: BODY LANGUAGE Book 2: LIFE SENTENCE Book 3: CASE SENSITIVE Book 4: DEAD FALL Book 5: (TBC)


 
Meet The Author

About A. K. Turner:
A K Turner likes to create memorable characters, throw them into unusual settings, and add a hefty dose of murder and a twisty-turny plot. Her latest book, Body Language, introduces a new kind of forensic heroine - a crime-solving Goth-girl mortuary technician who talks to the dead, a character first launched in two crime shorts aired on BBC Radio 4. A K's previous series, written under the pen name Anya Lipska, starred a London-based Polish fixer who's happy to crack heads to solve crimes - which saw her being selected for Val McDermid's prestigious New Blood Panel at Harrogate Crime Festival in 2012.

A K (aka Ali) lives in East London where she is writing more mortuary-set mysteries. Her day job is producing TV documentaries on true crime and science topics. And just for light relief she is training to be a City of London guide...


The Narrator

About Ellie Kendrick:
Audiobook narrator / voice-over artist

Eleanor Lucy V. Kendrick is an English actress best known for playing Anne Frank in the BBC's 2009 miniseries The Diary of Anne Frank, Ivy Morris in the first series of the 2010 revived Upstairs Downstairs, and Meera Reed in the HBO series Game of Thrones.

Born: 8 June 1990



FTC Disclosure:
The ebook and audiobook were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.