Laura Jennings's narration brings out the lush landscapes and the sumptuousness of old-time Florida in this cozy mystery set in Key West. When food critic Hayley Snow finds a corpse, she teams up with her husband, a police detective, to identify the murderer. Jennings's smooth tones add a sultry quality to the sharp-minded sleuth's first-person narration. Her diverse voices capture the personalities of locals, such as spunky octogenarian Miss Gloria, and the bounty of suspects, people who disliked the murdered man, GG Garcia--a land developer and womanizer. When a nosy bird-watcher ends up in the hospital, Haley enlists the help of her mother, who is catering Garcia's memorial service reception, using recipes from an old cookbook. Jennings's performance shines in this alluring mystery set amid bird-watchers, bathers, and lively beach-town residents.
Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2022
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781666613629
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An amusing audiobook that works hard to make fun of syrupy holiday romances.
Three narrators perform a funny, irreverent take on a Hallmark-esque Christmas tale. Detectives Holly Frost and Mark Shepherd, who have an enemies-to-lovers dynamic going on, are both assigned to investigate a murder in the quaint town of Christmas—a murder they must solve in order to save the town’s Jingle Bell Jubilee, and their careers. In alternating chapters, Patti Murin deftly performs Holly, who has a penchant for cursing, while Colin Donnell charmingly voices Mark. Angela Dawe pops in with interspersed comments reminding the listener not to take the story too seriously.
An amusing audiobook that works hard to make fun of syrupy holiday romances.Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 18 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250451828
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Oct. 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
A listen with charm, mystery, and well-depicted local color.
This new mystery series opener is set on an island off the coast of Maine. In a girlish, upbeat voice, Carly Robins portrays Audrey Sullivan, a movie publicist who escapes a scandal in LA when she inherits her grandmother’s movie theater on Pine Island. On the night of the theater’s reopening, a dead body is found in the projection booth. Audrey enters amateur sleuth mode, and the hunt is on. The story, implausible at times, has the usual comfortable components: quirky characters; an unloved victim; revealing interviews with suspects; scary chases; small-town secrets; and a likable, deftly presented heroine. Movie aficionados will love the many references to classic lines.
A listen with charm, mystery, and well-depicted local color.Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 44 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668658543
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: tomorrow
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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