Discover Most Popular Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

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Title: Bones of the Lost

Subtitle: A Temperance Brennan Novel, Book 16

Author: Kathy Reichs

Narrator: Linda Emond

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-27-13

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 581 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

New York Times best-selling author Kathy Reichs returns with her 16th riveting novel featuring forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan, whose examination of a young girl killed in a hit and run in North Carolina triggers an investigation into international human trafficking.

When Charlotte police discover the body of a teenage girl along a desolate stretch of two-lane highway, Temperance Brennan fears the worst. The girls body shows signs of foul play. Inside her purse police find the ID card of a prominent local businessman, John-Henry Story, who died in a horrific flea market fire months earlier. Was the girl an illegal immigrant turning tricks? Was she murdered?

As the case deepens, Tempe must also grapple with personal turmoil. Her daughter, Katy,, grieving the death of her boyfriend in Afghanistan, impulsively enlists in the Army. Meanwhile, Katys father, Pete, is frustrated by Tempes reluctance to finalize their divorce. As pressure mounts from all corners, Tempe soon finds herself at the center of a conspiracy that extends all the way from South America, to Afghanistan, and right to the center of Charlotte. "A genius at building suspense" (New York Daily News), Kathy Reichs is at her brilliant best in this thrilling novel.

Members Reviews:

If you're reading them in order skip this one...

I've read all of the Temperance Brennan books so far and this one is definitely sub-par. It seems as though Ms. Brennan spends way too much time reflecting about stuff. This isn't really a spoiler but it does tell something about the story. At one point she goes to Iraq and sees her Marine Corps daughter (someone that she also thinks about a lot). She manages to disinter two bodies, get buried by the debris of a bomb hit and dug out, do her forensic investigation, write a report, get debriefed and fly back to the States to testify at a military hearing about her findings. All this zips right along but then she's back home ruminating about her cat or why she doesn't have any food in the house. Really, no food, well here's a clue - buy some. Do I care about her food problem, not a little tiny bit. Does this have anything to do with the plot? No, but it seems to be a recurring theme throughout this book. Poor Tempe, no food in the house, oopsie, she forgot to eat for 3 days. I exaggerate, but that's what I remember from the book and I don't think that's what I should be taking away with me.

And then there's the ending...well, suffice it to say that if I hadn't already slogged through the rest of the book, I wouldn't have bothered with the last 75 minutes, I was that angry. I won't tell you how it ends, but I will tell you that I do not appreciate it when an author insults the reader and takes the lazy way out by suddenly pulling out the stupid stick and smacking the main character with it, not once but several times, just to "set up" the ending.

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Title: The Last Kiss Goodbye

Subtitle: A Dr. Charlotte Stone Novel

Author: Karen Robards

Narrator: Ann Marie Lee

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-13-13

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 188 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When New York Times best-selling author Karen Robards brought her irresistible brand of hot passion and chilling suspense to the paranormal romance scene with The Last Victim, it was just the beginning. Now her all-new series cranks up the deadly danger and intense desire to the next level, as sexy serial-killer hunter Charlotte Stone returns to action in her thrilling second adventure.

Dr. Charlotte "Charlie" Stone has dedicated her career as a psychiatrist to exploring the darkest territory of all: the hearts and minds of serial killers. Its a job shes uniquely suited for, thanks to the secret talent that gives her an uncanny edge - Charlie can see dead people, whose tormented spirits cry out to her for the justice only she can provide. This blessing - or curse - gives Charlie the power to hunt down and catch madmen and murderers. Its also turned her love life upside down by drawing her into a hopelessly passionate relationship with the lingering ghost of charismatic bad boy Michael Garland.

But theres little time for romance with her supernatural suitor when murder comes pounding at Charlies door in the form of a terrified young woman fleeing a homicidal maniac. Saving her life places Charlie squarely in the cross-hairs of a sadistic predator nicknamed "the Gingerbread Man", notorious for manipulating his victims like pawns in a deadly chess game. And now the queen this psychopaths bent on capturing is Charlie. Refusal to play will only put more innocent lives in danger. Matching wits with this cunningly twisted opponent will require all of Charlies training and expert skills. But even with her devilish "guardian angel" - not to mention her favorite flesh-and-blood Fed, Tony Bartoli - watching her beautiful back, the Gingerbread Mans horrifying grin might be the last thing Charlie ever sees.

Critic Reviews:

"One of the most popular voices in womens fiction." (Newsweek)

"Draw a line between two extremely popular genres, mysteries and romance novels, and in the middle you will find the best-selling Robards. She merges the two worlds like no one else, deftly interlacing plot and passion." (Albany Times Union)

"Thrilling...a fun and sexy read." (Booklist on The Last Victim)

Members Reviews:

Noooooooo!

What disappointed you about The Last Kiss Goodbye?

Totally ridiculous story, very tedious with unnecessary repetitive detail. Shallow character development. Really? How many hot, hung prisoners on death row have you heard of? Ridiculous!

What could Karen Robards have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I don't enjoy this style of writing. Stephen King writes with this much detail but it is not tedious or repetitive. The erotic parts are painfully drawn out unnecessarily. I've read better written bodice-rippers.

How could the performance have been better?

She enunciates so much it crackles in you ears. I hate that.

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I have always been fascinated by supernatural writings and I was drawn to that part of it.

Any additional comments?

Waste of a credit.

Worst narrator ever.

What disappointed you about The Last Kiss Goodbye?

This narrator is the worst one I've ever listened to. The southern accents make me want to poke out my own eardrums.

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Title: The Hen of the Baskervilles

Subtitle: A Meg Langslow Mystery, Book 15

Author: Donna Andrews

Narrator: Bernadette Dunne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 07-16-13

Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 110 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Meg Langslow is helping organize the Virginia Un-Fair, Caerphilly's entry in the race to replace the old state fair. While patrolling the fairgrounds, Meg runs into her friend Molly. Molly is terrified that she may lose her farm because her idle husband has left her for a rich hobby winemaker and is demanding his half of the land. Meg enlists Mother's help to find Molly a divorce lawyer, which Mother is all the more willing to do because the unfaithful husband's new girlfriend is the bete noire of the wine pavilion. She is so universally disliked that Meg begins to worry about her safety. But it's the unfaithful husband whose murdered body she and Michael find that night.

Members Reviews:

A Cluck of a Story - Get It

Would you listen to The Hen of the Baskervilles again? Why?

I listened to the book twice already. Yes, I will listen again. I am an invested reader having read all 15 books in the series. I feel like it is reunion time when July rolls around and I get to read about Meg's latest adventures and catch up on all the family gossip.

What other book might you compare The Hen of the Baskervilles to and why?

Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos - another book from this series. Why? Because it takes place in a similar venue. Meg is dealing with unhappy vendors, theft and the like. The stories are different, but both are quite enjoyable.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

I've gotten used to listening to books with the greatest readers ever. I'm sorry but Bernadette Dunne isn't one of them. This may be in part due to the fact that I read most of the 15 books before finding any of the series on Audible. I had a clear definition of what I expected the people to sound like. Unfortunately, some of them are way off the mark. The voice for Meg is good. I will say the Ms. Dunne neither adds to or detracts from my enjoyment of the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

This question isn't really appropriate to the story. Meg and her family are very upbeat and this story has a murder, of course, but nothing that "moved me". I will say that there is one character in the story that I intensely dislike. This person is a creep. Will this person get what he/she seems to deserve? Read the book to find out - I don't want to spoil the story for any of you.

Any additional comments?

If I had it to do over, I think I'd read the book before listening, just to see if there is a difference in the way I perceive the story. I love that absent family members were mentioned and their absence from the story was successfully explained away. So successfully that I hope Ms. Andrews' next book will tell us how things turn out for her grandfather in his latest adventure. I would also love to see more interaction between Meg and her twins. Meg was very busy in this story as the fair organizer in this story so she had to delegate most of her motherly duties to daddy and the rest of the family.

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Title: The Dirty Duck

Subtitle: A Richard Jury Mystery, Book 4

Author: Martha Grimes

Narrator: Steve West

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-02-13

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 214 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The Dirty Duck is a pub in Shakespeare's beloved Stratford, and in this pub Miss Gwendolyn Bracegirdle of Sarasota, Florida, fresh from a performance of As You Like It, takes her last drink. A few minutes later she is slashed ear to ear, the only clue: two lines from an unknown poem printed across a theater program. The razor-happy murderer, it seems is stalking a group of rich American tourists. And Scotland Yard Superintendent Richard Jury, just passing through Stratford for a glimpse of the intriguing Lady Kennington, instead takes a crash course in the bloodier side of Elizabethan verse.

Members Reviews:

Love the novels, but the narrator!!!!

He is hit and miss, if West would just stop trying to sound like a woman, uhg!

This isn't the best story in the series, but i still enjoyed the book. Having read the entire series the characters are my old friends. Jury is the original "Superintendent", melancholic, nostalgic, romantic...

The publisher's summary is accurate if a little vague.

Miss the old narrators

I love that you are doing Martha Grimes early books - love them all. But I do miss the narrating skills of Donada Peters and John Lee.

Martha Grimes--great mysteries

This is early, and still vintage, Martha Grimes. I read this book many years ago and have happily just listened to it again. I love the characters--while the stories are always good, it is her ensemble of folks who all charmingly interact with each other through all the books that really keep the stories lively as well as good mysteries.

Richard Jury is sort of the cerebral Scotland Yard detective who happens to be at the right place to deal with this crime,and who is always the thread that holds the books together. He is delightfully surrounded by his friend Melrose Plant (who has given up his titles to live an ordinary life--to the exasperation of his American Aunt, who would like to use him to further her own pretensions) and several other of their ongoing friends.

In this story, murder and kidnapping occur to Americans who are traveling together on a special tour to England. They apparently are all quite wealthy, but there is a curious lack of urgency on their part to find the kidnapped child. Together Jury and Plant (chiefly) unravel all the pieces of the plot to bring it to a very satisfactory closing. Recommend!

I am from Texas

There are characters in the story from Virginia. The southern-country accents were so bad I could not listen to them. This would probably read very well. Those accents were like nails on a chalk board.

NOT ONE OF MY FAVORITES

After listening to 3 books in the series back-to-back, I was just beginning to become a fan. However, this story didn't grab me, didn't make sense and the narrator's interpretation of an American accent is dated, unimaginative, and irritating. That whiny mid-west twang is better suited in stories from the late 19th century and early 20th century when people rarely traveled more than 50 miles from home. But now we all know how a mid-Atlantc accent sounds and that all Americans do not sound alike. I feel that the narrator and producer of this installment just got lazy. The book is about an American tour group - how hard would it have been to do a little research!

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Title: The No Delay Cafe

Subtitle: Bud Shumway Mystery, Book 4

Author: Chinle Miller

Narrator: E. Roy Worley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-27-13

Publisher: Yellow Cat Publishing

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

An old rock hound has been killed in Utahs wildlands, and ex-sheriff,Bud Shumway, knows it has something to do with the black-market dinosaur bones, even though his bumbling replacement, Sheriff Howie, thinks it might have something to do with aliens. Then, after receiving a mysterious envelope containing a weird claw and a set of coordinates written on roll-your-own cigarette paper, Howie is determined to prove himself a capable sheriff, especially since hes been accused of having a million-dollar voice and a ten-cent brain.

Set at the No Delay Cafe, near the wild and mysterious badlands of Green River, Utah, this mystery will have you laughing, scared to death, and wondering if aliens might really exist.... Add in a whacky UFO sect, the cafe owners missing wife, a cantankerous and suspicious pilot, and a burned-out mechanic who takes his dogs four-wheeling in a Crown Victoria, and theres never a dull moment.

In any case, youll find out who really killed the old rock hound, and it may not be who you think.

This is Book 4 in the Bud Shumway Mystery Series.

Members Reviews:

Awesome Sense Of Humor

I love Bud's and Wilma Jean's relationship. I laugh out loud at the writer's dry humor. I can't help, but to cringe every time Howie calls, because I know by now he will take his sweet damn time to say what he has to say and I stew along with Bud when he does so. I love the three dimensional characters and the unique mysteries in which they get entangled. I'm trying to figure out how to bribe Chinle Miller into writing the next several Bud Shumway mysteries, because I can't wait to see where their adventures will take them. Well done. These people seem real and the next time I'm in the area, I'll be looking for Wilma Jean's pink Mary Kay Cadillac parked in front of the Melon Rind Cafe.

I absolutely LOVE this series

I absolutely LOVE this series. Bud is so real and down to earth and I love the "kids" their dogs as I love dogs too and they are like family so I laugh every time the author describes their antics. I love the charming quirky characters in the books and the setting and I really.enjoy the descriptions of the local geology and every mystery is different. I just started Ice Box Cafe and am going to be VERY sad if this is the last in the series. I hope Ms. Miller will write more for us to enjoy.

Great, just great

A gentle mystery that is a mystery until the end. I enjoyed it immensely. I intend to read the next one.

Just Relax and Go With the Flow with Bud Shumway

I thoroughly enjoy the Bud Shumway series. I listen to the books on Audible and the narrator really fits the character. This is not a hang-on-to-you-hats, super suspense adventure, though it has its moments. The Shumway books are character driven, but there is always a mystery, usually a murder, and ex-sheriff Bud figures it out, all the while believing he just wants to be a melon farmer. A good read, often amusing, very worth the time and money. I recommend this and the other Sheriff Bud Shumway books.

My new author

This is a new author for me and I have enjoyed the three books that I have read .

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Title: Gotcha!

Subtitle: Sisterhood, Book 21

Author: Fern Michaels

Narrator: Laural Merlington

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-25-13

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 188 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

They're back!

Sometimes, justice is a long time coming. Thats the case with Julie Wyatt, whose story strikes close to home for the original founder of the Sisterhood, Myra Rutledge, and her best friend - and fellow Sister - Annie. Julie is convinced her greedy daughter-in-law Darlene had something to do with the mysterious circumstances surrounding her son Larrys death. She desperately wants to get a confession out of Darlene - and to ensure the safety of Larrys daughter, Olivia. As Myra, Annie, and their cohorts dig deeper into Darlenes shady dealings, events unfurl in a way that no one could have predicted, bringing to light the true meaning of loyalty and courage - and the kind of friendship that can create miracles.

Members Reviews:

Powerful love story!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Gotcha! to be better than the print version?

I did not read the printed version, but to hear the different character parts is always better for me

Who was your favorite character and why?

Julia for asking for help to save her granddaughter and for following her heart to fall in love

Have you listened to any of Laural Merlingtons other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes , I now look for her . she absolutely outdid herself with this series

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Tears for Olivia, also the death of Julia's new love

Any additional comments?

I have listened to the entire series and loved it. plans are to start a book club so we can discuss the antics of the characters

Different Twist

What did you love best about Gotcha!?

I love all of the Sisterhood books, but this one takes on a different twist. I am so use to the girls doing all of the work and when it is just Myra and Annie it was a little less than I expected. I do believe though it proved to be to the point, don't mess with kids, anyones kids...

Great

Another good listen will definitely recommend to friends and will listen to the next book in the series

Ok

I missed the younger sisters of the sisterhood and wanted to know what happened to them after Home Free. Luckily the boys came back. The story lingered for me and I kept forwarding bit by bit with the clients story waiting for Myra and Annie to come back in. Though the ending got me excited and gave the two ladies the excitement they didn't have from the last book. I can't stop now so onto the next book!

Loved it!

If you could sum up Gotcha! in three words, what would they be?

This was a great book! The Very last book with all the original sisters!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Myra truly does take the lead and carries it out!

Which scene was your favorite?

The tail end of book where the punishment is carried out!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No!

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Title: The Cat, the Quilt, and the Corpse

Subtitle: A Cats in Trouble Mystery, Book 1

Author: Leann Sweeney

Narrator: Vanessa Johansson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-21-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 530 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Recently widowed Jillian Hart is rebuilding a life for herself and her three beloved cats - Chablis, Syrah, and Merlot - as a quilter in a small South Carolina town. The quilts she makes are for cats as smart, special, and sweet as her own, and business is thriving.

But when she returns from an overnight quilting show, she discovers Chablis sneezing - and since Chablis is allergic to humans, that can only mean one thing: Someone has broken into her house. When she realizes her Abyssinian, Syrah, is missing, Jillian suspects catnapping.

Spurred by Chablis and Merlots mournful meowing, she investigates - and discovers more missing cats and a murder. Now shes got to save more than one cat in trouble - not to mention herself.

Editorial Reviews:

When widower Jillian Hart comes home from a quilting show to find one of her three beloved cats missing, her staid life as a quiet pet owner and competitive quilter is thrown totally out of whack, especially as she strongly suspects foul play....

Vanessa Johansson brings great warmth to her unabridged performance of Leann Sweeney's The Cat, the Quilt, and the Corpse: A Cats in Trouble Mystery, managing to perfectly balance lighter comedic moments with a strong emotional storyline, as Hart investigates her own cat's disappearance, uncovering further mysteries as she goes. Johansson gracefully accentuates the tension and drama of Jillian's descent into a criminal underworld, in which catnapping pales in comparison to a far worse crime...murder.

Members Reviews:

Very Good Whodunnit Story

I was actually surprised at how much I liked this book. The story is complex and interesting, and the fact that it had cats as central characters in the story worked nicely and added interest to a cat fan like myself.

Surprisingly good

I'm not a cat fan. I also thought the premise of the story was far fetched. However, the mystery plot was actually intriging. It was fast paced and very entertaining. The characters were also likeable and that added to the overall enjoyment of the story. I recommend this book to cozy mystery lovers and cat lovers.

Too bad about the reader

If it weren't for the overly saccharine, wannabe actress, I might have given this mediocre book three stars, but with my teeth aching from listening to her, I just can't do it!

Enjoyable

This book was very enjoyable, an interesting mystery, fun characters, awesome kitties, and an absence of the graphic violence, sex and language so common these days. I recommend it for anyone who loves cats and mysteries, and people who like good stories without all the above mentioned additives.

Not good listening

Agree with the other reviews - really grating voice and overuse of inflections and nuance in every sentence. Tried with another one in the series but again was so put off by the narration I switched to another book. Try before you buy on this one.

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Title: Whiskey Sour

Subtitle: Addison Holmes, Volume 2

Author: Liliana Hart

Narrator: Connie Ventress

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-30-13

Publisher: Liliana Hart

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 219 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Addison Holmes is at it again. When priceless Russian gems are stolen on their way to Savannah and the courier is murdered, all the clues lead back to an escort service that seems above reproach. But looks can be deceiving. Throw in a sexy detective and a dangerous FBI agent, and Addison finds out very quickly that she's in way over her head. But nothing is going to stop her from getting her man.

Members Reviews:

Another Fun Ride!

Listened for Fun (Audible)

Whiskey Sour by Liliana Hart

Overall Rating: 4.25

Story Rating: 4.00

Character Rating: 4.50

Audio Rating: 4.00 (Not Part of the Overall Rating)

First Thought when Finished: Another fun ride! I am so sad that there are only 2 books in this series so far :(

Story Thoughts: Whiskey Sour is one of those books that was made for ice tea and summer porches. Addison Holmes (not quite PI) is working in surveillance for her best friends PI firm. It makes for some seriously fun times since she is not exactly trained for this kind of work. What I like best about these stories is that Liliana never tries to make Addison more clever, skilled, or stealthy than she is so you can get lost in the shenanigans without going OH PLEASE. This time that includes an escort agency, a waxing incident, and a movie experience we can all identify with (if you have a heart LOL). In other words, some truly fun capers (with hot men) that just make you bubble over in laughter.

Character Thoughts: Addison Holmes is a hot mess but one that is trying desperately to get her life together. I think she grew a LOT in Whiskey Sour and that made me love her more. Her love life is a mess and I was worried we were venturing into love triangle territory for a minute. However, one of the growth things Addison tackled was staying true to herself. YEAH! I love Addisons friends! They really are great Yin/Yangs for her. Her best friend (Kate) is her anchor and I adore her. Kate had some stuff to deal with during the story and their friendship was beautiful to watch. They supported each other even though I am pretty sure they both think the Twinkies were a bad idea :) The characters really do shine and make you smile about every other page!

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Connie Ventress / Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Connie is such a fun narrator for this series. She pretty much nails Addison in pacing, emotion, and sarcasm (yes I went there). I think she adds a little extra something that makes you laugh a little harder at Addisons shenanigans. Not as big a fan of the voices for the men but they are easy to get used too. Overall, if the series continues then I will be getting it on audio!

Final Thoughts: This is just a fun mystery that had me rolling in laughter!

Weirdly good

mystery, women-sleuths, great-fun

Addison Holmes and her cronies are just too much fun! There is lots of situational and verbal humor, interesting characters, and a real plot. Great light reading.

Connie Ventress is an excellent audio interpreter.

Great Book

I'm glad I finally gave in and started reading these books. I love the characters and the plot.

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Title: The Tooth Tattoo

Author: Peter Lovesey

Narrator: Clive Anderson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-30-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 126 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Peter Diamond, head of Bath CID, takes a city break in Vienna, where his favorite film, The Third Man, was set, but everything goes wrong, and his companion, Paloma, calls a halt to their relationship. Meanwhile, strange things are happening to jobbing musician Mel Farran, who finds himself scouted by methods closer to the spy world than the concert platform. The chance of joining a once-famous string quartet in a residency at Bath Spa University is too tempting for Mel to refuse. Then a body is found in the city canal, and the only clue to the dead womans identity is the tattoo of a music note on one of her teeth. For Diamond, who wouldnt know a Stradivarius from a French horn, the investigation is his most demanding ever. Three mysterious deaths need to be probed while his own personal life is in free fall.

Members Reviews:

High flyer quickly falls to earth

Bath, England's head homicide detective, Peter Diamond, isn't known for his interest in anything other than work, a pint and a pie. His girlfriend, Paloma, has to pull out all the stops to get him to take a weekend tourist trip to Vienna, tempting him by reminding him that it's the setting for his favorite film, The Third Man. A somber note is introduced when they come across the scene of an impromptu memorial to a young, Japanese woman found dead in the Danube canal; an apparent suicide.

Back home in Bath, Diamond's team is called in to investigate when another young Asian woman is found dead in a local canal. One of the very few clues to her identity is a "tooth tattoo" of a musical quaver, or eighth note, on her incisor. This musical connection brings the investigation to interview the members of the Staccati String Quartet, who are in residence in Bath.

The quartet's story is a parallel plot thread. The members are irascible first violin Ivan; earth mother and queen of the double entendre, cellist Kat; music-obsessed autistic, second violin Anthony; and new violist, Mel Farran. Mel is new because his predecessor, Harry, disappeared several years earlier in Budapest, when the group was on a central European tour, and is presumed dead.

Strange events in Mel's past, a mysterious new patron, and what looks to be a stalker put a dark cloud over Mel's joy at becoming a member of the prestigious quartet and collaborating with them at a higher musical level than he's ever known. The two plot threads--the quartet's story and Diamond's investigation--intertwine, as Diamond delves into the quartet's history to try to find out if there might be a connection between the two women's deaths, and maybe even Harry's disappearance. This history is complex and presents many avenues for exploration; there are even some subtle allusions to The Third Man in Diamond's quest for answers.

Unfortunately, the complexity of the plot unravels suddenly and leads to a fairly disappointing resolution. I can't say more without spoilers.

I've been a fan of Peter Lovesey's work since his first mystery, Wobble to Death, way back in 1970. The Peter Diamond series blends the best of old-fashioned fair-play mystery with the modern police procedural. I appreciate that Lovesey hasn't fallen into the ultra-violent and serial killer plots that have become so prevalent.

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Title: The Night She Disappeared

Author: April Henry

Narrator: Kate Rudd

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-05-13

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 59 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Gabie drives a Mini Cooper. She also delivers pizzas part-time. One night, Kayla, another delivery girl at Petes Pizza, goes out with an order and never comes back. To Gabie's horror, she learns that the man who called in the fake pizza order had asked if the girl in the Mini Cooper was working that night. Was Kaylas fate really meant for Gabie? Obsessed with finding Kayla, Gabie teams up with Drew, who also works at Petes. Together they set out to prove Kayla isnt dead - and to find her before she is.

Members Reviews:

Unsurprising, rather formula murder mystery.

Would you try another book from April Henry and/or Kate Rudd?

Yes. I did not hate the story, I just did not think it contained anything to set it apart from others. My favorite mysteries are those where someone mysteriously disappears. I would not be surprised to like another story by this author better than this one.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Probably not.