This audiobook is the first of a new cozy mystery series set on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The story, which revolves around the murder of an unlikable literary agent, is absorbing, and its gorgeous setting is a plus. The smooth, expressive voice of narrator Vanessa Daniels engages the listener and gives the characters much needed depth. Twenty-fiveyear-old Meg returns home after both a business and a relationship failure. As she renews her teenage friendships, she and her buddies seek to solve the murder of the literary agent. At the same time, Meg is writing a guidebook for aspiring sleuths. The slow-paced story has a lot of mundane details. Crime solving happens, but relationships are the main focus.
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9798331921125
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A totally entertaining and heartfelt listening experience.
Narrator Elizabeth Wiley is perfectly matched to voice feisty 80-year-old Poppy Montgomery and her new friends from water aerobics class, Ginny and Max. This delightful, humorous crime novel highlights the vulnerability of older people to online scams that exploit their loneliness. When two women die under mysterious circumstances at the retirement home, Poppy commits to protecting Ginny, who is involved with a scheming boyfriend she met on a dating site for older people. Her well-meaning actions result in unexpected chaos. Wiley’s performance of the three friends distinguishes their very different personalities, and she also masterfully portrays the male characters, both young and older. As the plot unfolds, friendships deepen and family relationships mature.
A totally entertaining and heartfelt listening experience.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 16 mins
DD ISBN: 9781696623292
Publisher: HighBridge
Review Posted Online: Aug. 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
Emmes' performance highlights Lacey’s curiosity and determination as clues accumulate.
Andrea Emmes narrates this complex tale of murder, nostalgia, and ambition. Lacey Langdon returns to her New Jersey hometown after inheriting a printing and event planning business, when the discovery of a town official’s body throws everything into an uproar. Emmes makes the most of the tongue-in-cheek humor. She ramps up the urgency when another death occurs at a subsequent event and connections to an earlier family tragedy begin to emerge. Emmes delivers all the goings-on in an engaging, conversational style that suits the amateur sleuth at its center. She uses clear characterization and precise pacing to track the evolving mystery.
Emmes' performance highlights Lacey’s curiosity and determination as clues accumulate.Pub Date: May 26, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 10 mins
DD ISBN: 9798318186561
Publisher: Spotify Audiobooks
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026
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