Narrator Soneela Nankani introduces listeners to Tempest Raj in this first installment in a new mystery series. After a near-death experience derails her career in magic, Tempest moves home to Hidden Creek, California and begins working for her father's company, Secret Staircase Construction. But then Tempest finds her former assistant murdered inside a closed wall. Is it the Raj family curse? Or is someone trying to kill her? A large cast of characters sometimes slows the story's pace as the author sets up their backstories. The minimal romance paired with magic tricks and hidden rooms gives this audiobook a Young Adult vibe. But Nankani executes a lovely Scottish lilt and makes each voice easily distinguishable in conversation. The narration takes on a suspenseful tone as the story intensifies.
Pub Date: March 15, 2022
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250839725
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This unique, engaging detective, combined with Gupta’s lovely voice, offers hours of exceptional listening.
Deepti Gupta’s performance channels the charm and wit of Kausar Khan in this second Detective Aunty episode. After Kausar moved to Toronto to clear her daughter of a murder accusation, she decided to stay to be near her family. When the body of a friend of Kausar's granddaughter is found, the death is labeled a drug-related suicide, but Kausar believes it’s murder. After much digging, it appears Qasim’s death is linked to the death of Kausar’s son, Ali, 20 years earlier. As Kausar investigates, Gupta delivers her canny logic and keen observations, her enjoyment of many cups of chai, and her Muslim faith. Gupta expresses the story’s tense mother-daughter relationships as well as its reaffirming, deep ties of love.
This unique, engaging detective, combined with Gupta’s lovely voice, offers hours of exceptional listening.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 56 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063435049
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
As the clues accumulate, McLaren maintains the momentum.
Todd McLaren narrates with a steady, controlled delivery that supports this police procedural full of mounting tension. Hugo, a former federal profiler who now runs a bookshop in Paris, is pulled back into investigative work when a threatening message targets an executive at a luxury confectionery company. McLaren shapes Hugo’s perspective with measured phrasing that reflects his analytical thinking and professional habits. He gives secondary characters distinct vocal patterns through shifts in tempo and emphasis, allowing conversations to unfold at a quick pace while keeping listeners engaged, and he smoothly transitions between interviews, discoveries, and reflection.
As the clues accumulate, McLaren maintains the momentum.Pub Date: March 31, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9798318551444
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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