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Title: The Butter Did It

Subtitle: A Gastronomic Tale of Love and Murder

Author: Phyllis Richman

Narrator: Susan OMalley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-27-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The Washington Posts award-winning former food writer, Phyllis Richman, has cooked up a tempting tale of mousse, mayhem, and murder: a tautly woven insiders look at the food and newspaper worlds.

Laurence Levain was a culinary superstar: the high-profile owner and chef of Chez Laurence, an internationally renowned restaurant in Washington, D.C. When Levain collapses in his clogs the night before a star-studded black-tie benefit dinner, all bets are on his soaring cholesterol level.

But one person has her doubts: Chas Wheatley, the Washington Examiner's saber-penned restaurant critic. Still carrying a torch for Levain after an affair they had years before, she breaks out all her investigative resources to find the culprit. But the big-city newspaper and food communities are deadly competitive.

Critic Reviews:

[A] delectable tale of manslaughter, edibles and romance.Susan O'Mally's wry narration adds the appropriate amount of seasoning to this tale.This is a yarn worth savoring. (AudioFile)

A terrific and stylish first mystery by the Washington Post's restaurant critic.How can you not love a writer who includes a reference to the wry and passionate folksinging McGarrigle sisters? Four stars for a stunning debut. (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Phyllis Richman did it!!!

I enjoyed reading Phyllis Richman's first murder mystery. The plot to "The Butter Did It" is well constructed and it has plenty of suspects. You learn a lot about the main character, food critic Chas Wheatley. She is not perfect, which is something I like. All of the characters are easy to care about, and realistic. I thought I had the murder solved but was wrong. There were plenty of suspects and a lot of twists and turns. The descriptions of the meals and restaurants she reviewed made me want to find a food critic to befriend. I will definitely be reading the next two books in the series.

Fair - characters lost out to food detail

Disappointing - Too much time spent describing elaborate French food to the point of detracting from the characters and the story. I prefer Hannah Swenson (Fluke) and Goldy Bear (Davidson) for food related mysteries.

More Please

Although the food described is way out of my league, the writing is quick; the twists and turns unexpected and the personal reflections right on.

Not cozy enough

I can't critique the performance or story fairly as I only listened to 48 minutes. The story was interesting and I wanted to know what happened but there was too much cursing and sexual talk in the first hour for my liking.

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Title: Risking It All

Subtitle: A Fran Varady Crime Novel

Author: Ann Granger

Narrator: Kim Hicks

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-12-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When Fran Varady is approached by Private Detective Clarence Duke, she mistrusts him on instinct, but she can't ignore what he has to say. Her mother, Eva, who walked out on Fran when she was only seven, has hired Clarence to find her daughter. And for good reason. Eva is dying.

Members Reviews:

Love the characters

Characters in book are well developed and give book a great atmosphere. I could picture the area Fran lived in. Narrator was perfect for story.

Enjoyable Listen

This is one of the better read books I've had the pleasure of listening to on Audible. It's a good story--well written and exciting. But the key is in the read. I was excited when I should have been, scared when necessary, and truly enjoyed the listen. Kim Hicks is up there with the best of them.

risking it all

I just love Ann granger books ,brilliant reads . Just about read them all !!!!!! !!!!

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Title: The Angel of Knowlton Park

Subtitle: A Joe Burgess Mystery, Book 2

Author: Kate Flora

Narrator: Terry Rose

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-07-10

Publisher: Books in Motion

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When the body of eight-year-old Timothy Watts is found wrapped in a blue blanket in a Portland, Maine park, homicide detective Joe Burgess (introduced in Playing God) vows to find the killer.

Everyone in the neighborhood loved Timmy except his abusive family, but people are unwilling to talk. Even Iris, Timmy's deaf sister, will not share what she knows and soon goes missing. Then things get ugly when the press begins a personal attack on Burgess using information that could have come only from someone in the police department.

Members Reviews:

Another winner with Kate Flora and Joe Burgess

Daryl's Linda says:

Would very much like to see many more of Kate Flora's Joe Burgess novels! The characters are very well developed, the second book reinforcing/introducing in a wonderful way. The plot development is great, with glimpses that may point to a killer and then again may not.

So glad Chris is still with Joe and that Terry has Michelle. These intense characters need wonderful partners to help them through their most difficult days. Just enough info without embarrassing description. Being an audible addict,

The performance is very strong with the only critique coming from MY Vietnam Vet, who is insulted by the pronunciation "Nam" with a as in candy. In his year+ as a young soldier there he met many soldiers and had many friends who came back wounded or in a body bag. He also is close to many Vietnam veterans, many with PTSD never diagnosed. None of them referred to it this way. They pronounce it "Nam" or Vietnam" with a as in father. Like most Vietnam Vets, he would never voice this to anyone but his very closest friend and spouse. We owe them all our unfailing gratitude and respect.

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Title: Chasin' the Wind

Subtitle: A Mad Mick Murphy Mystery

Author: Michael Haskins

Narrator: Reed McColm

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-02-10

Publisher: Books in Motion

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Chasin the Wind nails the colorful and often violent action in both Key West, Florida, and Havana, Cuba. It navigates corruption and small town politics in the southernmost city of the United States. It bumps into a scheme to topple Cuba's communist government and throws Cuban exiles and military deserters, neurotic federal agents, plus a few unique Key Westers into a brew that promises international repercussions."

When officials sworn to uphold the law try to subvert it in Key West, journalist Liam Michael Mad Mick Murphy is compelled to react. He and a ragtag group of citizens confront failed justice, but are left with only revenge as an option. Except, perhaps a renegade deal with the Cuban government. Dodging treachery, Mad Mick Murphy goes headlong toward treason, dragging his team of "typical" islanders deeper into the mess they wanted to eliminate.

Members Reviews:

A great Key West story

I've lived in Key West a long time and know the veracity of this book. Reading Michael's book is like being here. If you want to step away from where you are, and step into the reality of Key West, you'll enjoy spending time with Mad Mick in my hometown and Havana. And I've been there too (long story).

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Title: Still Midnight

Author: Denise Mina

Narrator: Katy Anderson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-15-10

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Its the case that could make DS Alex Morrows career. A suburban home invaded in the dead of night and a vulnerable old man taken hostage. Its a black and white case and it shouldnt be hard to solve.

The two strangers who forced their way into the house demanded millions the family didnt have and shouted for a man nobody had heard of. It had to be a mistake, and a bad one at that. But Alex Morrow cant be depended on and the bosses know it. Working this case is tearing her apart and as it unravels, Morrow finds that the only people she can bear to see are the very ones shes been running from for 20 years.

Members Reviews:

Nearly gave up because of the bad naration

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Narator

What did you like best about this story?

Story

How could the performance have been better?

Better male voices. Almost caricatured male voices. I thought they were being played for a laugh initially. Quite spoilt what was a very good plot.

Was Still Midnight worth the listening time?

Just

Any additional comments?

Would not buy any books with this narrator again.

Narrator was pretty bad...

Stuck with it as good story but all her character accents were way ott and kind of odd. She sounded fine when she was just telling the story but the conversations between characters were just painfully awful at times

If Val McDermid tells you to read something....

What did you like most about Still Midnight?

.....you do! And she was right, I really enjoyed it. Good premise for a story, unfolded nicely with some good twists and turns along the way. Author paints her characters really well - love their patter. Hero is flawed but interesting - and will make a good long term companion. I enjoyed the performance by the reader too. I'm downloading the next book in series now.

Very good thriller.

Really enjoyable listen. Excellent narration. I did think the ending was a bit unlikely though!

Quality

Denise Mina's quality writing is brought to life by the reader in different character styles and with a spattering of humour. The reader seems to have coped well with many different voices and dialects. An enjoyable listen.

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Title: Hyde

Subtitle: A Detective Brian McKenna Novel

Author: Dan Mahoney

Narrator: Adams Morgan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-05-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

NYPD Detective Brian McKenna is back where he belongs: hunting down a mysterious killer who preys upon the citys most forgotten members. At first blush, it seems as if these homeless men have frozen to death on the city streets. But the succession of deaths seems too suspicious for McKenna to ignore. He soon finds that all of the victims were HIV-positive, and all were seen taking their last drink from a bottle of wine given to them by a gaunt, black-clad man called Hyde.

Who is this sinister figure, and why is he killing harmless men who are already at deaths door? A hell-bent McKenna must chase the murderer from the streets of Manhattan through Europe and finally to Costa Rica to uncover the astounding answer.

Critic Reviews:

[Mahoney] treats us to some of the finest police work since William Canutiz. (

The New York Times Book Review)

Fast-paced, intriguinga first-rate thriller. (

San Francisco Examiner)

Members Reviews:

dated...

Old time pulp fiction... Just dated and boring... If your a Mahoney fan than I would recommend this novel, otherwise look elsewhere.

Very good read

The story is fascinating and very well written.

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Title: Christietown

Subtitle: A Cece Caruso Mystery

Author: Susan Kandel

Narrator: Dina Pearlman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-03-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A new suspense-themed housing tract on the edge of the Mojave Desert is about to open, and who better to help promote the Cotswold-cozy development than mystery biographer extraordinaire Cece Caruso?

For the grand opening weekend, Cece is staging a play featuring the beloved sleuth Miss Marple. Of course, everything goes wrong, including a leading lady who ends up dead. All is not well in Christietown; its secrets are as complicated as the truth behind Agatha Christie's real-life disappearance. The developer, an Englishman who claims to be Dame Agatha's descendent, has ruthless investors breathing down his neck.

Meanwhile, Cece's got a wedding to plan, a baby shower to give, and an ex-husband who shows up on her doorstep with his fiance and future mother-in-law. And when another body surfaces, the intrepid amateur sleuth knows she must play the famed detective for real or suffer the same mysterious fate.

Members Reviews:

just ok

I bought this entire series based on a few of the reviews and probably won't listen to them all. There's not much to these stories but the main character Cece is a hoot. Probably good for listening to when you are not going to be able to concentrate (airport, DMV) but they didn't really grab me during my commute.

BAAAAAAAD Narrator

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Maybe. I am only 2 1/2 hours into this book. So far, I like the story, though it is a bit slow going, but that might be the narrator and not the story. Now sure about that yet.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Christietown?

When I finish the book I will come back to answer this one.

Would you be willing to try another one of Dina Pearlmans performances?

NO! I am sorry but any reader who cannot pronounce Hercule Poirot's name correctly does not belong in this business. Also, the producer and directors both need to be examined to find out if they know anything about the English language.Mangling Poirot's name is not the only oddly pronounced word in the book. I could overlook the idiosyncrasies of odd pronunciation EXCEPT on words that the production staff and reader should have known. This

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

So far, my only extreme reaction has been to the bad reading and not to elements of the plot or characters.

Any additional comments?

I am convinced that bad narration does more harm to an author than bad writing. I'm not sure I will continue with other books in this series if they are by the same reader. Too bad, because I think I might actually like the plots and characters.

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Title: Shamus in a Green Room

Subtitle: A Cece Caruso Mystery

Author: Susan Kandel

Narrator: Dina Pearlman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-02-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 31 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Los Angeles writer Cece Caruso is thrilled that her biography of the legendary Dashiell Hammett is headed for the big screen. Rafe Simic, the actor cast as the lead, may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but the money she'll make tutoring him in the ABCs of The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man should be good enough to feed Cece's addiction to vintage Yves St. Laurent.

But when the dead body of one of Rafe's old flames is discovered and neither the "facts" nor the hunky star's alibi add up, Cece can't help but ask questions. However, the twists in this case would confound Sam Spade himself. And in her zeal to win justice for the deceased, Cece might end up pulling the plug on the movie - if someone doesn't pull the plug on Cece first.

Critic Reviews:

"Cece once again turns amateur detective in a plot sure to tickle Hammett fans. Venice Beach and the 1970s surfing scene serve as nostalgic background, while Cece's not always easy relationships with her cop fiancé, Peter Gambino, and her married grown daughter add human interest." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Always entertaining

I really look forward to the Cece Caruso books. This one was very good - kept moving, no real slow spots, well thought out plot.

I really enjoy Cece herself, even though she does some dumb things. She is smart, and I enjoy the information about whatever author is the focus of the story. I would like to see a little more depth developing, and longer books, although I'm not particularly hopeful, given that really short books (e.g Janet Evanovich) seem to sell better than slightly denser ones.

Good character

This is the first of Kandel's books I've read. I found it most interesting and will certainly read her others. I think Cece is a very likeable protagonist although, I agree, she does take some risks that may seem a bit unrealistic. I like the concept of a biographer of dead mystery writers. Hey Susan, can't wait for Raymond Chandler...

good but not great

Love this series, Cece is a hoot, but this one was not as good as the others. Seemed a little rushed, not as detailed as the others but overall a good read.

CeCe does noir

CeCe Caruso began her career as a biographer of mystery writers by writing a book about Dashiell Hammett. The most successful aspects of the book, at least from CeCe's point of view, was that it had gotten her out of her disastrous marriage and launched her career which allowed to support herself and her daughter. Now that the book was finally going to be made into a movie CeCe was once again reaping the rewards. She was hired to coach the actor hired to play the lead about the life of Dashiell Hammett. CeCe was delighted until she realized that the actor, Rafe, was certainly good looking, and definitely charming but he was not the sharpest tool in the shed nor particularly interested in learning about the subject. Still it was some easy money which CeCe had a need for so what could go wrong? Well all too soon CeCe found out, when she became involved in yet another real life mystery, one that lead to bullets crashing into her own home.

This is the third in the series of chick lit mysteries.

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Title: Cat in a Jeweled Jumpsuit

Subtitle: A Midnight Louie Mystery

Author: Carole Nelson Douglas

Narrator: Andrea Thompson, Richard Gilliland, Robert Forster

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-28-10

Publisher: Phoenix Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Midnight Louie, the hugely popular jet-black feline sleuth who thinks hes Sam Spade with hairballs, returns for an 11th outing in this cozy-noir series. This time his human partner, Temple Barr, learn that the remodeling of the Crystal Phoenix Hotel is being held up by a ghost: the workmen swear its Elvis. The opening of Las Vegas first Elvis-themed attraction might explain this unscheduled appearance. With death threats, a late night caller and a dead Elvis, the question is not only whodunit and why; but also, was the King himself really dead again, or for the first timeor not at all?

Members Reviews:

Sam Spade Eat Your Heart Out

Even if you don't like Elvis Presley's music, even if you hate his movies, even if you are so young that the Elvis you know is named Costello, you will like the audiobook.

Comedy that works requires the actors to play their parts without once winking at the audience. We are lucky to listen to narrators who respect their audience enough not to over play either the humor, or the shadowy parts of this story. We get it.

Robert Forster, with his experienced, smoky, voice is Midnight Louie, the black cat who like his progenitor Sam Spade has to save his human "little doll" from pitfalls her human senses miss.

Richard Gilliland is close to perfect as the mysterious voice who calls the Midnight radio talk show in order to have someone to chat with. Many of the radio listeners believe they know this voice. He does the best middle Tennessee accent I've ever heard and I hear all variations of them daily.

Andrea Thompson is a lovely Temple Barr, intelligent, feminine, and absolutely unstoppable. Public Relations experts have do a lot to protect their clients. In Las Vegas she has to deal with public relations nightmares, in this case a possible ghost that will not attract guest to her client's hotel. She is the perfect voice for Midnight Louie's little doll.

This is one of those audiobooks that breaks all the rules. It is abridged and it interrupts the narrative with music and it is still TERRIFIC. The abridgment is seamless, and the story is consistently tight. The music adds to the atmosphere and actually becomes a character in the story. Of course the music is important, even though it is not an Elvis level melody, because although if this is not exactly about the King of Rock and Roll, it is about the people who will not let him go, even those who were born after he actually left.

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Title: Echo Burning

Subtitle: Jack Reacher 5

Author: Lee Child

Narrator: Kerry Shale

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-11-09

Publisher: Random House AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Jack Reacher - six foot five and dangerous. Adrift in the hellish heat of Texas. Moving like a shark in the water. Looking for a lift through the vast empty landscape.

A Cadillac stops. A ride, but with a hitch. A pretty young woman, alone. Her husband's in jail. When he comes out, he's going to kill her.

Her family's hostile, she can't trust the cops, and lawyers won't help. Reacher is her last option. Will this be the first time he says no - to a lady in distress?

Members Reviews:

Reacher

Really good book. Got the book 61 Hours from an email recomend. Enjoyed that and decided to listen to others from Lee Child. This is the 5th book in the Jack Reacher series and is just as great. Story, plot and characters all very well written to the point I always take the long way home in the van to hear as much as possible. Definitely will continue to buy with future credits.

Spoiled by readers mispronunciations.......

Story was very good. Spoiled by mispronunciation of 'American placenames'.

This narrator also ruined 'The Visitor' the same way.

take care this is the abridged version

Having read the first three books in the series which are not available in audio I wanted to switch to audio versions for all the remaining books. I urchased this one (no 4) without reading the description carefullly. this is an abridged version and I find this spoils the book. I'm now going to buy the paerback versions for series 4 to 8 and I'll come back to audible for volume 9 onwards whixh is unabridged