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
The delivery, pacing, intricate plot, and complex characters make this audiobook a winner.
This audiobook provides listeners with two distinct but related narratives, each presented by a talented narrator. First, a self-described serial killer instructs would-be followers on how to be a successful murderer. The sophisticated and slightly ominous voice of Michael Geary explains step by step how to kill multiple people without getting caught. The second story is a police procedural describing the investigative work of Samantha "Sam" Hansen as she tracks the killer of a 14-year-old schoolgirl. Tamsin Kennard portrays Sam's mental health issues, her fears, her cleverness, and, most of all, her relentless pursuit of justice.
The delivery, pacing, intricate plot, and complex characters make this audiobook a winner.Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 37 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250434586
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: March 25, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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