Discover Most Popular Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

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Title: Dishing the Dirt

Subtitle: An Agatha Raisin Mystery

Author: M. C. Beaton

Narrator: Alison Larkin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-15-15

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 305 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

New York Times best-selling author M. C. Beaton's beloved Agatha Raisin is back and finds that she must prove her own innocence when a local therapist turns up dead. When therapist Jill Davent moved to the village of Carsely, Agatha Raisin was not a fan. Not only was this therapist romancing Agatha's ex-husband, she dug up details of Agatha's not-too-glamorous origins. Jill also counsels a woman, Gwen Simple, that Agatha firmly believes assisted her son in some grisly murders, although there is no proof. Not one to keep her feelings to herself, Agatha tells anyone who will listen that Jill is a charlatan and better off dead. Agatha can only sigh with relief when the therapist takes an office in Mircester.

When Agatha learns that Jill had hired a private detective to investigate her background, she barges into Jill's office and gives her a piece of her mind, yelling, "I could kill you!" So when Jill is found strangled to death in her office two days later, Agatha becomes the prime suspect. But Agatha, along with her team of private detectives, is determined to prove her innocence and find the real culprit. This time Agatha must use her skills to save her own skin. With Dishing the Dirt, M. C. Beaton proves that "once you meet Agatha Raisin, you'll keep coming back" (New York Journal of Books).

Members Reviews:

The only thing missing is Penelope Keith

True to form, "Dishing the Dirt," has all the things you'd expect from another Agatha Raisin story--twisty plot, new love interest for Agatha, and plenty of quirky characters. Alison Larkin does a good job, but Penelope Keith was extraordinary. Please come back, Pen.

Disappointed!

What did you like best about Dishing the Dirt? What did you like least?

What I like best about all the of the books is the setting and the character interaction.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I must say it seemed to leave me hanging a bit. I was surprised, but then again, not.

What didnt you like about Alison Larkins performance?

I find her voice annoying and reminiscent of the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz. Whenever she spoke it evoked an image of those little people rather than the character she was supposed to be portraying. I much prefer Penelope Keith as Agatha and other characters as well.

Could you see Dishing the Dirt being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

In my experience, books made into movies do not resemble the book in any way. I have tried to think of an actress that I see as Agatha, but none comes to mind. The first book in the series, "The Quiche of Death", was made into a movie and the actress who was cast as Agatha in no way resembled her character, nor did any of the others.

Any additional comments?

I would like to see the characters in the series making a more forward movement in future books. They seem to be stagnating and not growing or developing in any real way. Agatha has become quite predictable. There is a fine line between cozy and boring.

The plots have also become a bit dull and could use some more modern twists.

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Title: Dressed to Kill

Subtitle: Tourist Trap Mystery Series, Book 4

Author: Lynn Cahoon

Narrator: Susan Boyce

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-21-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 215 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Jill Gardner, the owner of Coffee, Books, and More, has been suckered into playing a '20s flapper in murder/dinner theater. Though it is for charity....

Of course everyone is expecting a "dead" body at the dress rehearsal...but this one isn't acting! It turns out the main suspect is the late actor's conniving girlfriend, Sherry...who also happens to be the ex-wife of Jill's main squeeze. Sherry is definitely a master manipulator...but is she a killer? Jill may discover the truth only when the curtain comes up on the final act...and by then it may be far too late.

Members Reviews:

Why do I keep buying this series?

What did you like best about Dressed to Kill? What did you like least?

Jill has just become annoying! She keeps getting into other peoples business and her boyfriend cop is a crap cop!

Would you ever listen to anything by Lynn Cahoon again?

nope

Did Susan Boyce do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

she does a good job differentiating all the characters her narration is just a but stilted.

Was Dressed to Kill worth the listening time?

no

Any additional comments?

a 7 hour book should not cos 27.00 or 17.46 as a member. This book was a waste of time, series and a credit!

Better than a standard "cozy mystery"

Any additional comments?

Another of my "cozy mysteries". Although a previous reviewer on Audible was irritated by the mention of types of foods and details about Aunt Jackie, I found them to be useful glue and tie-ins for the story. Although often, "cozy mysteries" use the inexperienced unknowing main character to do the actual solving of the murder mystery, this set seems to incorporate her in a more realistic but integral part of the book/books. The actual doer was a character that I wondered about throughout the book but who wasn't just pulled out of the air. I liked it.

Meh...

Not my favorite in the series, but enjoyable enough. Kind of more of the same without anything really new. If I were Jill, I wouldn't put up with the rudeness she gets from the other shop owners and South Cove people. But Esmeralda is a solid hoot.

Another Good Book

This is another good book in the series. The characters are engaging and continue to develop. I look forward to the next book.

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Title: Spellcasting in Silk

Subtitle: Witchcraft Mysteries, Book 7

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Narrator: Xe Sands

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 07-07-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 611 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Lily would like nothing better than to relax, enjoy her friends, and take care of business at her store, which is booming thanks to San Francisco's upcoming Summer of Love Festival. But as the unofficial witchy consultant to the SFPD, she is pulled into yet another case.

A woman has jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, and her apparent suicide may be connected to a suspicious botanica in the Mission District. When the police investigate the shop, they ask Lily to look into its mysterious owner, whose granddaughter also appears to be missing. As Lily searches for the truth, she finds herself confronted with a confounding mystery and some very powerful magic.

Members Reviews:

Magical fun

This is a fun, magical read. I like the Lily Ivory character because she is bright, funny and curious, yet does not make waves. She also makes practical decisions that the reader can identify with.

As with all of Juliet Blackwells series, theres lots of magic, mayhem and fun and I look forward to her next book.

Another great installment in the Witchcraft Mysteries series

This one really keeps you hanging on until the last chapter! I love how Lily is much more comfortable in her own witchy skin. She's grown so much through the series and it really shows here. I LOVE that a previous character returned and am already looking forward to future installments to see what happens in that person's story. Xe Sands did an excellent job with narration once again. I could listen to her all day.

The book is fab!

As always Juliet's new book is a fun lighthearted adventure, but now the characters are beginning to evolve again making us love them more and worry about their fate. It almost seems that this book is part one of a new story line. Anyway, it's totally worth the credit I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Another good story...

I Love the story. I Love the series. Perfect narration as always! Can't wait until the next one!

love the series

Good from the first book. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

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Title: Artifact

Subtitle: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery, Book 1

Author: Gigi Pandian

Narrator: Allyson Ryan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-30-15

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 338 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When historian Jaya Jones receives a mysterious package containing a jewel-encrusted artifact, she discovers the secrets of a lost Indian treasure may be hidden in a Scottish legend. But she's not the only one on the trail.

From San Francisco to the Highlands of Scotland, Jaya must evade a shadowy stalker as she follows hints from the hastily scrawled note to a remote archaeological dig. Helping her decipher the cryptic clues are her magician best friend, a devastatingly handsome art historian with something to hide, and a charming archaeologist running for his life. When a member of the dig's crew is murdered, Jaya must figure out which of the scholars vying for her affections might be the love of her life - and which one is a killer.

Critic Reviews:

"Pandian's new series may well captivate a generation of readers, combining the suspenseful, mysterious and romantic." (

RT Book Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Cozy only means no graphic sex or blood/guts

At last! A well-educated, reasonably confident, independent woman who thinks outside the box! She has an interesting background, quirky friends, and an ex lover with a mysterious artifact. Oh, and he's apparently dead, but no corpus delicti. Enter a pushy grad student and an assortment of new characters. Soon there is more history and mystery to be burrowed through, suspense, and a logical but unexpected denouement. Certainly a brain-grabbing read with clear depictions of places and people easily visualized by the reader. Characterizations are realistic (think I worked with one or three of them).

Allyson Ryan really nailed it! Her performance truly enhanced this story and the differentiation and audible attitudes of the characters are exceptional.

This book forced me to sit up waaaay too late by wanting to finish it in one sitting.

Artifact: A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery #1

Absolutely enjoyed this story. I especially loved Jaya! She is intelligent, independent, feisty and quirky. Best of all, this larger than life individual comes in a petite package. This was a really interesting treasure hunt and the amount of historical details provided where just right.

Jaya and Lane made a wonderful team!

Terrible choice of narrator.

I'm sure she would be a fine narrator for another story but she can't a pronounce a single Indian word and her English accent is abysmal. When the protagonist is Indian, the novel revolves around Indian history and is partially set in the UK these flaws make for a terrible listen. Honestly her gaffs are distracting from the story.

Pretty Good Beginning

I typically don't care for adventure stories in which the lead character drops everything and goes off on what could be a dangerous "mission". So, when Jaya Jones drops everything and runs off to the UK to find out what happened to her ex boyfriend, I could barely contain my eye role. However, I stuck with it and continued listening to the very end. There were several moments when I questioned Jaya's intelligence but overall it was a good story. There were several twists and turns and lots of interesting characters that kept me listening to the story. Allyson Ryan did a great job with the accents and voices. I think it was her ability to provide voices for the many different characters that kept me interested when I might have stopped listening.

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Title: Skewed

Author: Anne McAneny

Narrator: Emily Sutton-Smith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 03-24-15

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1180 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

No birth announcement could top the headlines from the day Janie and Jack Perkins entered the world. As twins born to a mother in a coma - courtesy of a bullet from their father - the sensational story of their birth never quite died down. While Jack still craves the flash of a camera, Janie seeks sanctuary behind the lens - as a crime scene photographer.

Thanks to Janie's line of work, she's comfortable around gruesome murders. But when old photos of her mother's body arrive in the mail, they open deep-seated wounds and raise chilling new questions about who really was responsible for that deadly night.

Did Janie's father spend decades in jail as an innocent man? Did an infamous serial killer actually take her mother's life? With photos in hand, Janie brings the truth into focus. But when her investigation ends up evoking the wrath of the long-dormant killer, she must race to piece together the final evidence - before she becomes the target.

Members Reviews:

Not a fan

Was really intrigued by the summary of this book. However, all the characters felt flat and unrealistic to me. All very exaggerated stereotypes. I tried to get into it and listened for the first 2 hours, then had to give up...

Imaginative and well-crafted

Twins born to a fatally injured mother kept alive until their birth. The mother murdered by the father of the twins, charismatic, high-powered, political candidate Grady MacLemore. Thirty years later we catch up to the twins, gone their separate ways, Jane into crime scene photography, and Jack into politics. Photographs from the crime scene mysteriously come into Jane's possession, and put her on the trail of the truth about why her mother was murdered--a question never answered by Grady's trial and conviction.

The plot is imaginative and unusual, convoluted but mostly successful, the writing more than adequate. I don't think the author pulled off the chasm in the twins' relationship, but the switches from past to present were done well enough and worked for me. The ending was a little strained, but still held together, and until close to the finish, had me wondering. I recommend this book as interesting and entertaining.

Didn't grab me.

Struggled to finish. I just slogged through it. The reader? The story? Don't know.

Great Book @ $8.08

This one pulled me in right from the start. It took me a minute to get used to the back and forth between the past and present, but I wound up really enjoying that. The characters were likable, most of them, and relatable; felt almost like you knew them. I was pretty pleased with myself for figuring the mystery out early on, only to have a HOLY CRAP moment much later on. I can't say more without giving stuff away. Pretty good plot twists though. I kept telling myself 'just one more chapter' and wound up crawling into bed about an hour later. Couldn't put it down!

Emily Sutton-Smith is one of my favourite narrators and she was outstanding with the delivery of this story

Refreshing new story line

I really liked the book. The story line was something new and refreshing in the suspense and thriller genre. Would definitely read another book by this author

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Title: Double Fudge Brownie Murder

Author: Joanne Fluke

Narrator: Suzanne Toren

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-24-15

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 475 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Life in Lake Eden, Minnesota, is usually pleasantly uneventful. Lately, though, it seems everyone has more than their fair share of drama to manage. With so much on her plate, Hannah Swensen can barely find the time to think about her bakery - let alone the town's most recent murder... Hannah is nervous about the upcoming trial for her involvement in a tragic accident. She's eager to clear her name once and for all, but her troubles only double when she finds the judge bludgeoned to death with his own gavel. Now Hannah is the number-one suspect.

As she sets out in search of the culprit, she discovers that the judge made more than a few enemies during his career. With time running out, Hannah will have to whip up her most clever recipe yet to find a killer more elusive than the perfect brownie....

Members Reviews:

Terrible. just terrible

What would have made Double Fudge Brownie Murder better?

An actual plot, and some serious editing.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

What character would you cut from Double Fudge Brownie Murder?

All of them

Any additional comments?

I've read or listened to all the other books in this series so I knew what to expect. So my expectations were already low. I just needed something easy to listen to and usually enjoy these enough to keep up with the series. This book was terrible. No plot. Boring. The characters blabber on and on with no purpose...worse than usual, that is. I may be done with this series if this is how they are going to go now.

Hannah is a mess

SPOILER ALERT! Hannah is a mess. I understand this has been a long time dream for readers to see Hannah finally settle down but, I never saw this coming. This love triangle is warped. How does the new character (well partially new) suddenly arrive as a serious love interest? It seemed pretty obvious that Norman would be the one she eventually end up with. However, Ross seems to steal the scene. Hannah gives her heart and soul to her old college friend quite quickly. She has been so cautious in the past. It seems quite out of character and convenient for the writer. Then suddenly, Hannah is unsure again?! What a conundrum.

On another note in regards to the mystery, how could Anna be the prime suspect of the murder case? Being bludgeoned to death by a gavel would surely leave blood splatters all over the killer's clothing. Since Hannah was present in finding the body and her attorney met her soon after the crime scene was discovered, wouldn't it be common sense for the witnesses to notice this? Hannah is intelligent, why didn't she think of it? Another convenience. The murder mystery was interesting but not plausible with Hannah as a prime suspect.

I feel that Hannah's cat, Moisha, is a distraction to the story and unnecessary. Adding a mystery to her cat's peculiar ways has no relevance to the plot. It would be impressive to connect it somehow. Other than that, omit it.

However, my disgruntled review does not change my love for the Hannah Swenson series.

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Title: Going for Kona (What Doesnt Kill You, #4)

Subtitle: A Michele Romantic Mystery

Author: Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Narrator: Natalie Gray

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-30-14

Publisher: Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The newest romantic mystery from the bestselling author of the Katie & Annalise series! Going for Kona has it all: unforgettable characters, an epic love story, and a pause-resisting mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.

When her husband is killed in a hit-and-run bicycling accident, it takes all of Michele Lopez Hanson's strength not to burrow into their bed for the rest of her life. But their kids need her, and she promised herself she'd do the Kona Ironman Triathlon in Adrian's honor, and someone seems to be stalking her family, so she slogs through the pain to keep herself on track. Her dangerously delirious training sessions become a link between her and Adrian, and she discovers that if she keeps moving fast enough to fly, she can hold onto her husband - even as she loses her grip on herself and faces her biggest danger yet.

Members Reviews:

Great Story. Took me for a ride!

Would you consider the audio edition of Going for Kona to be better than the print version?

I love audio books, so my response is biased.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the intricacies of the plot. I love the suspense, the surprises, and especially the character of Michelle.

Which character as performed by Natalie Gray was your favorite?

I thought they were all quite believable....I loved her take on the teenage boy. It surprised me how much I FELT that character. I was grateful I wasn't his Mother!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

You always never know.

Any additional comments?

I loved the infusion of some Spanish....I wish there had been a little more, because I feel that Michelle's character was fiery and was holding back a little.

Smooth, flavorful, enjoyably tasty cup of words

What did you love best about Going for Kona?

The reader, Natalie Grey!

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The personal relationship between the characters was well written and believable.

What does Natalie Gray bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Natalie Grey added so much to the story with her enthusiasm, her lively narration and minor sound effects that it made it feel like she was in the car with me, telling me this story on my way to work, making the time just fly by.

Any additional comments?

If you like your suspense in the lighter Sue Grafton vein, rather than the darker stories of Jo Nesbo, then you are going to love this book. The story is lightly suspenseful, with very little violence, but the characters are lively, the story satisfying and the narrator is excellent!

Must read!!!

I loved this book!!! I had happy tears for a couple parts!!! Great Great Book!!!!

What a great read!! Loved the story!!

Great read

This book isn't only a good mystery it is a motivational story! Hutchins knows how to pull you into a story!

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Title: Dick Francis's Damage

Author: Felix Francis

Narrator: Michael Neilson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-16-14

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 132 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Felix Francis is back with another edge-of-your-seat thriller, in the classic Dick Francis tradition.Undercover investigator Jeff Hinkley is assigned by the British Horseracing Authority to look into the activities of a suspicious racehorse trainer, but as hes tailing his quarry through the Cheltenham Racing Festival, the last thing he expects to witness is a gruesome murder. Could it have something to do with the reason the trainer was banned in the first place - the administration of illegal drugs to his horses? Then many more horses test positive for prohibited stimulants, and someone starts making demands, threatening to completely destroy the integrity of the racing industry. In order to limit the damage to the sport, its critical that Jeff find the perpetrator - but hell soon learn hes up against someone who will stop at nothing to prevail.

Members Reviews:

Predictable

This has to be one of the first Dick Francis books I have not really enjoyed. The story grabbed you in parts but seems jumpy and disjointed. I also found the narrator a bit dreary making it hard to stay focused. I expected more.

Great, but lacking pace, intensity and suspense

For me Dick Francis' signature has always been the relentless pace of the main plot, intensity and suspense, which are all sorely lacking in Damage. Lackluster (tired) narration does not help either.

There are too many distractions (subplots that don't supplement the main plot) to the main plot. At times it appears the story is rushed... hence not well rounded and polished.

I'm a Dick / Felix Francis fan, so I'm hopeful of better work in the future. I'll be back for more.

Not bad

Overall, this was not bad. The story was interesting, but not compelling. The characters were interesting and believable, but remained distant characters, rather than real people. The narrator was intelligible, but the character voices were occasionally a bit odd. So - overall it was good, glad I read it, but not something I couldn't put down.

Son Felix Francis does well.

Felix Francis did a good job writing his father's story. the performer was different than what we are used to but it was still pretty good. However little too dramatic.

Dick Francis is tops as a writer of horse racing.

I have read many Dick Francis novels and have never been disappointed. This one is well read and presented.

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Title: Danger in High Heels

Author: Gemma Halliday

Narrator: Caroline Shaffer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 12-05-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 77 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

New York Times, USA Today, and number one Kindle Best-selling series!

Maddie Springer is all about fashion. So when her best friend Dana's movie star boyfriend, Ricky Montgomery, becomes a contestant on the ballroom dance reality hit, Dancing with Celebrities, she is over the moon at the thought of visiting the sparkly, spandexy costumes on the set. That is until Ricky's dance partner is found dead in his dressing room... in the nude! Suddenly the police suspect him of murder, Dana suspects him of cheating on her, and the reporters at the L.A. Informer, Hollywood's most notorious tabloid, have dubbed him "Dancing Death". Now it's up to Maddie to clear his name as she wades through a misfit cast of reality show dancers to find out just who has a grudge against the show's star... and who is in danger of taking their final bow next!

Other High Heels Mysteries: #1 Spying in High Heels; #2 Killer in High Heels; #3 Undercover in High Heels; #3.5 Christmas in High Heels (short story); #4 Alibi in High Heels; #5 Mayhem in High Heels; #5.5 Honeymoon in High Heels (novella); #5.75 Sweetheart in High Heels (short story); #6 Fearless in High Heels; #7 Danger in High Heels.

Members Reviews:

Hilarious in High Heels

I've listened to seven books in total and can't wait for eight! I'm already missing Maddi and her crew sleuthing murders! 5 star amazing!

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Title: Homicide in High Heels

Author: Gemma Halliday

Narrator: Caroline Shaffer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-26-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 91 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

It's springtime in California! The flowers are in bloom, the fashion week runways are fierce, and fans of America's favorite pastime are filling the baseball stadiums to root for their favorite team. But when the girlfriend of the L.A. Stars rookie MVP winds up dead at a chic Beverly Hills salon, it's suddenly up to fashion designer Maddie Springer to track down the "Tanning Salon Killer."

Armed with the help of her wacky cast of friends and family, Maddie finds herself with a list of suspects that includes the cast of the reality TV show "Baseball Wives", a desperate blackmail victim, and an entire baseball team! If Maddie can brave the hot dogs and cat fights, she just might be able to catch a killer... before he strikes again!

Members Reviews:

Ginny Bliesner

As all High Heel Mysteries are this is 5 star reading & listening to. Thank you Gemma for your many books.