Laura Jennings narrates this striking debut mystery. After failing to check her sources, Danish journalist Heloise Kaldan is in danger of losing her job with DEMOKRATISK DAGBLAD--until she begins receiving notes from accused murderer Anna Kiel. Kiel was last seen on security cameras covered in blood moments after an attorney's murder three years earlier. The police are convinced of Kiel's guilt, but Heloise is less certain, especially when her investigation unearths connections to her own life. Jennings handles the Danish names and the references to the corpse flower of the title, amorphophallus titanum, with ease, but she does little to create believable characters. Her one-note delivery, mostly breathy and terrified throughout, fails to live up to this Scandinavian thriller.
Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781666519273
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An engaging and suspenseful listen.
Lisa Flanagan’s talented narration brings ex-detective Vinnie Taylor alive as she settles in a small town in Maryland and tries to rebuild her life. When a routine shopping trip ends in Vinnie receiving a call for help from a teen who believes her best friend has been murdered, Vinnie soon finds herself embroiled in secrets and lies, along with a past she can’t forget. In Vinnie, Flanagan creates a strong, likable character, and she also creates a thoroughly believable cast of supporting characters, including troubled teenagers. Flanagan injects the perfect amount of urgency in her narration, allowing the tension to build as the plot twists to its exciting conclusion.
An engaging and suspenseful listen.Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780063439269
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 10, 2026
Skillfully woven backstory allows newcomers to jump right in here without missing a beat.
Narrator Cathleen McCarron returns to deliver a totally engaging listening experience in McDermid’s eighth installment of the Karen Pirie series. McCarron’s command of Scottish accents, coupled with her ability to shift seamlessly between male and female characters, draws listeners in and keeps them glued to their earbuds. Pirie, chief of Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit, and her capable team investigate a body dislodged from a rain-damaged motorway while also focusing on a supposed accidental death case. Listeners will enjoy the interplay among Pirie and her colleagues as they take bold measures to bring justice to victims’ families. McCarron’s assured narration heightens the procedural tensions and the emotional stakes.
Skillfully woven backstory allows newcomers to jump right in here without missing a beat.Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
Duration: 12 hrs, 43 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668170786
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
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