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
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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