The Audiobook Shelf

Game Of Scones
Kim M. Watt, author
Patricia Gallimore, narrator
Isis Audio Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781399150118, $122.95, MP3-CD (11 Hours 20 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Game-Scones-Kim-M-Watt/dp/1399150111

Synopsis: Bribery. Corruption. Murder. -- Who said local politics were bori= ng?

Suspicious deaths on the Skipton city council don't sound as though they sh= ould have anything at all to do with the Toot Hansell Women's Institute, an=
d DI Adams would rather like to keep it that way. But when the councillor f=
or Toot Hansell becomes the latest victim, Alice Martin, chair of the W.I. = and RAF Wing Commander (ret.), steps straight in to take his place.

Before DI Adams can so much as say lemon drizzle cake the ladies of the Wom= en's Institute are lurking around farmyards in the company of dragons, farm= ers are vanishing, the invisible dog's developed a caffeine dependence, and=
Alice is already in as deep as she can get.

In deep, and facing a killer that seems to know far too much about her. Eno= ugh, perhaps, to turn the tables. Murder, mayhem, and old secrets come to l= ight in the Yorkshire Dales -- along with dragons, of course.

Critique: "Game of Scones" is book 4 in novelist Kim M. Watt's the Beaufort=
Scales of 'whodunnit' murder mysteries. With her impressive storytelling s= kills, narrator Patricia Gallimore provides the cozy mystery fan with a tru=
e 'theatre of the mind experience in this complete and unabridged audio boo=
k edition of Kim Watt's "Game of Scones". Of particular interest to dedicat=
ed fans of the cozy mystery genre, this Isis Audio Book edition of "Game of=
Scones" is a very special and highly recommended addition to personal and = community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Kim M. Watts (www.kmwatt.com) has a lengthy listing of h=
er novels on the GoodReads website at https://www.goodreads.com/series/2501= 28-beaufort-scales-mystery

The Body At Carnival Bridge
Michelle Salter, author
Polly Edsell, narrator
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781837510535, $97.95, MP3-CD (9 Hours 5 Minutes)

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-body-at-carnival-bridge-michelle-salte= r/1143082518

Synopsis: How deadly is the fight for equality? In 1922 (and after spending=
a year traveling through Europe), Iris Woodmore returns home to find a cha= nged Walden.

Wealthy businesswoman Constance Timpson has introduced equal pay in her fac= tories and allows women to retain their jobs after they marry. But these ra= dical new working practices have made her deadly enemies.

A mysterious sniper fires a single shot at Constance -- is it a warning, or=
did they shoot to kill? When one of her female employees is murdered, it's=
clear the threat is all too real -- and it's not just Constance in danger.

As amateur sleuth Iris investigates, she realizes the sniper isn't the only=
hidden enemy preying on women!

Critique: With a riveting narration by the impressively talented voice acto=
r Polly Edsell, the cozy mystery novel by Michelle Salter is brought vividl=
y to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience. A brilliantly crafted=
, exceptionally entertaining, and deftly scripted original story that will = hold a special appeal to dedicated fans of the cozy mystery genre and is un= reservedly recommended for personal and community library cosy mystery audi=
o book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Michelle Salter (https://www.michellesalter.com) is an h= istorical crime fiction writer based in Hampshire, United Kingdom. Many of = her novels are set in the area where she lives and are inspired by real-lif=
e events in 1920s Britain. She brings a love of social history to her novel=
s, which reflect how issues of 100 years ago are not so different from the = challenges we face today. Michelle can be followed on Twitter: @MichelleASa= lter and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleSalterWriter

Betraying the Crown
T. P. Fielden
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713659204, $25.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 47 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Betraying-Crown-Guy-Harford-Mystery/dp/1713659204

Synopsis: Windsor, 1943. Britain is in the grip of war and treachery is afo= ot. The body of controversial former courtier Lord Blackwater is found in t=
he abandoned Fort Belvedere, once the country bolthole of the King's waywar=
d brother. And all signs point to murder.

Royal confidant Guy Harford is called in to solve the mystery quickly and q= uietly, before any hint of scandal reaches the public. Investigating with t=
he help of Rodie, his roguish burglar girlfriend, his enquiries lead him in=
to the world of the Royal Ballet, where on-stage glamour hides an undercurr= ent of off-stage deceit. And when the ballet company's newest recruit turns=
up dead, it's clear there's more to this murder than meets the eye.

Meanwhile, news reaches the Palace that the King's brother (already under s= trict orders to stay out of trouble) is threatening to undermine both Crown=
and country by taking US citizenship.

Harford must do his royal duty. It's up to him to catch the killer and save=
the monarchy from crisis in wartime. Before any more heads roll!

Critique: With the impressive storytelling skills of narrator Joel Froomkin=
bringing author T. P. Felson's novel, "Betraying the Crown" to life in a t= rue 'theatre of the mind' listening experience in this complete and unabrid= ged audio book edition from Brilliance Audio, this simply outstanding 'Roya=
l Mystery' is highly recommended for both personal and community library My= stery/Suspense audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: TP Fielden is the fiction-writing name of the acclaimed = royal biographer and commentator Christopher Wilson, who has penned biograp= hies of Prince Charles, Camilla, Diana and other members of the British roy=
al family.

Editorial Note #2: Joel Froomkin (https://www.joelfroomkinaudio.com) Joel F= roomkin, an Audie-nominated, eleven-time Earphones Award-Winning narrator. =
He was the recipient of the 2020 Best Male Narrator Award at the Independen=
t Audio Book Awards, and the 2020 Best Humor Narration recipient at the Soc= iety of Voice Arts Awards. A classically trained actor with an MFA in theat=
re from USC, he is often cast for his unique ability to deliver native, aut= hentic combinations of British and American sounds. His great range and abi= lity to bring characters to life with honesty, wit and versatility delights=
producers and listeners alike. He has won Earphones Awards for 1st person = British, American and Australian narrations.

When We Let Go
Rochelle B.Weinstein, author
Amanda Leigh Cobb, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713661504, $24.99, MP3-CD (9 Hours 19 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/When-We-Let-Rochelle-Weinstein/dp/1713661500

Synopsis: When Avery Beckett is proposed to by Jude Masters, a widowed fath=
er and the man she loves, it should be a time of great joy. Instead, Avery =
is on edge. She's wary of the idea of family, doubtful of happy endings, an=
d too afraid to take the leap. It's the kind of fear that comes from having=
secrets.

Before Avery commits to a new life, she must reconcile with the one she lef=
t behind.

When Avery returns to her childhood farm in the North Carolina mountains, s= he's surprised to be saddled with a companion: Jude's teenage daughter, Ell=
e, who's grappling with the loss of her mother and the complicated emotions=
of first love. On a path of mending wounds and breaking down walls, Avery = and Elle form an unexpected alliance. It's giving them the courage to move = forward. And for Avery, everything she needs to confront the past.

An emotional tale of mothers and daughters, loss and acceptance, "When We L=
et Go" by novelist Rochelle B. Weinstein is about the lessons that come fro=
m heartbreak and the healing it takes to embrace the joy of a second chance=
..

Critique: Now in a complete and unabridged audio book edition perfectly and=
adroitly narrated by professional vocal artist Amanda Leigh Cobb, "When We=
Let Go" is specifically recommended to the attention of those with a parti= cular interest in contemporary family life and women's domestic fiction. An=
impressive production that will hold the listener's rapt attention through= out, "When We Let Go" is particularly and specifically recommended for pers= onal and community library audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Rochelle B. Weinstein (www.rochelleweinstein.com) is als=
o the author of This Is Not How It Ends, Somebody's Daughter, Where We Fall=
, The Mourning After, and What We Leave Behind. When she's not writing, Roc= helle can be found on Miami's NBC 6 in the Mix sharing book recommendations=
, teaching workshops at Nova Southeastern University, hiking, reading, and = finding the world's best nachos. She is currently working on her eighth nov= el.

Editorial Note #2: Amanda Leigh Cobb (https://www.amandaleighcobb.com) is a=
n award winning narrator and producer. She is an Earphones Award winning ac= tress who made her mark on Broadway working with some of the biggest names =
in the industry including Hugh Jackman, Mike Nichols, and Morgan Freeman. S=
he has narrated around 100 titles, including books for The Library of Congr= ess.

What She Said
D. S. Butler, author
Henriette Meire, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713661399, $14.99, MP3-CD (9 Hours 7 Minute)

https://www.amazon.com/What-Said-Detective-Karen-Hart/dp/171366139X

Synopsis: When a woman is abducted from a quiet suburban street and bundled=
into the back of a white van, the only witness to the crime is a child wit=
h a reputation for telling tall tales.

The police doubt the girl's story, except for Detective Karen Hart, who is = determined to follow her instincts -- perhaps because the shy little girl r= eminds her of the daughter she's still grieving.

When a playing card is found at the scene, Karen finds her first clue. And = when a second card is found at the home of a missing woman, Tamara, Karen f= inds her victim. But before the team can catch their breath, another woman = linked to Tamara is snatched. And then a body turns up in a farmer's field.

With the crimes having escalated from kidnap to murder, Karen must unlock t=
he killer's calling-card code before any more victims are taken. But gettin=
g to the truth isn't going to be easy when Tamara's family has so much to h= ide.

Can DS Karen Hart rely on the word of a little girl to save the life of a w= oman in grave danger?

Critique: A 'must' for dedicated fans of police procedural murder mysteries=
, "What She Said" by novelist D. S. Butler has a complete and unabridged au= dio book edition that is deftly and effectively narrated by professional vo= ice actor Henriette Meire. Offering a compelling 'theatre of the mind' expe= rience for the listener from beginning to end, this Brilliance Audio versio=
n of"What She Said" is especially and unreservedly recommended as a prized = pick for personal and community library Mystery/Suspense audio book collect= ions.

Editorial Note #1: Born in Kent, D. S. Butler (https://dsbutlerbooks.com) g= rew up as an avid reader with a love for crime fiction and mysteries. She h=
as worked as a scientific officer in a hospital pathology laboratory and as=
a research scientist. After obtaining a PhD in biochemistry, she worked at=
the University of Oxford for four years before moving to the Middle East. = While living in Bahrain, she wrote her first novel and hasn't stopped writi=
ng since. She now lives in Lincolnshire with her husband.

Editorial Note #2: Henriette Meire is member of SAG-AFTRA and has an inform= ative page on the Tantor Media website at https://tantor.com/narrator/henri= etta-meire.html

What Can't Be Seen
Brianna Labuskes
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713638216, $14.99, MP3-CD (9 Hours 49 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/What-Cant-Seen-Gretchen-White/dp/1713638215

Synopsis: Psychologist and criminologist Dr. Gretchen White, top consultant=
for the Boston PD, has solved countless cases -- but never her own. Since = the age of eight, she has lived her life thinking she killed her aunt. Afte=
r all, she was found standing over the body, clutching a bloody knife. Most=
people, including Detective Patrick Shaughnessy, believe the little sociop= ath got away with murder. Thirty years later, Detective Lauren Marconi want=
s to prove them wrong.

When plucking at the threads of the past unravels a decades-old case tied t=
o the White family, both Lauren and Gretchen grapple with the question, Wha=
t if Gretchen really is guilty? As old secrets come to light and Gretchen's=
lifelong grip on her darkest impulses threatens to erode, Shaughnessy is t= here watching, waiting for her to lose control one more time.

Everyone thinks they know what happened that night. But the truth is beyond=
what anyone imagines -- even Gretchen herself.

Critique: A compelling mix of psychological thriller, police procedural, an=
d murder mystery, "What Can't Be Seen" by novelist Brianna Labuskes is vivi= dly co-narrated by the simply impressively story telling talents of Kate Ma= rcin and Chris Ciulla. Providing a true 'theatre of the mind' listening exp= erience, this complete and unabridged edition from Brilliance Audio is a pe= rfect pick for personal and community library Crime Fiction audio book coll= ections.

Editorial Note #1: Brianna Labuskes (www.briannalabuskes.com) graduated fro=
m Penn State University with a degree in journalism. For the past eight yea= rs, she has worked as an editor at both small-town papers and national medi=
a organizations such as Politico and Kaiser Health News, covering politics = and policy. Her historical romance novel, "One Step Behind", was released b=
y Entangled Publishing.

Editorial Note #2: Professional voice over artist Kat Marcin has a professi= onal and informative website page at https://katemarcinvoiceover.com/audiob= ook-narration

Editorial Note #3: Chris Ciulla (http://chrisciulla.com) is an award-winnin=
g narrator with over 425 credits. He has been reviewed by AudioFile Magazin=
e over 25 times, been granted five Earphones Awards, a SOVAS win on a multi= -cast, four Audie nominations, and both an Odyssey and an Audie win for mut= i-cast titles.

Strictly Business
Ruth Cardello, author
Rock Engle, narrator
Laurie West, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713659815, $22.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 50 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Strictly-Business-Switch-Ruth-Cardello/dp/1713659816

Synopsis: "I just found out I have an identical twin. Wasn't looking for on=
e. Would have preferred to not have one, but here we are. We have nothing i=
n common. I was adopted by a successful businessman who raised me to see li=
fe as a game and gave me the skills to win it. Him? He is about to lose his=
family's farm. You heard me -- farm.

Lucky for him, I'm a firm believer that when it comes to family, no one goe=
s to battle alone. I'm in. I've switched lives with him and will use every = business trick I know to save his farm.

However, my initial plan did not take into account a drop-dead gorgeous oil=
rep or the secrets I uncover about my brother. And worst of all, I'm start= ing to like the farm and all its inhabitants. I can't stop thinking about t= hat oil rep. This will definitely take longer to resolve than anticipated."

Critique: A riveting novel that has a particular appeal for fans of truly s= teamy and volatile romances, author Ruth Cardello's "Strictkly Business" is=
deftly performed by co-narrators Rick Engle and Lauie West in this complet=
e and unabridged Brilliance Audio edition that is a guaranteed popular pick=
for personal and community library Contemporary Romance audio book collect= ions.

Editorial Note #1: Ruth Cardello (www.RuthCardello.com) is the author of Th=
e Legacy Collection, the Barrington Billionaires, and the Corisi Billionair=
es -- just a few of the many sizzling series she's written.

Editorial Note #2: Rick Engle has a complete and up to date listing of the = audio books he has narrated at https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrato= r=3DRock+Engle

Editorial Note #3: Professional and experience romance audio book narrator = Laurie West has an informative and dedicated website at https://www.lauriew= estromance.com

Risky
Aurora Rose Reynolds, author
Avie Page, narrator
Oliver Clarke, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713657736, $14.99, MP3-CD (5 Hours 54 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Risky-Adventures-Love-Aurora-Reynolds/dp/1713657732

Synopsis: Everly never expected to move back in with her parents, and she d= efinitely didn't expect to do so as a single mother. But with the father of=
her son suddenly out of the picture, she's had to make some adjustments to=
her plans.

Now Everly has one priority: to make a life for herself and her boy. And Bl= ake, her sometimes infuriating but admittedly handsome employer at Live Lif=
e Adventures, doesn't factor into her future as anything more than her boss=
..

But it seems the guy who's about as friendly as a grizzly bear has a soft s= pot for her and her son -- and the more time she spends with him, the more = difficult it is to remember why giving in to the chemistry between them is =
a bad idea.

Now, with their future on the line, they'll have to decide if love is a ris=
k worth taking.

Critique: The narrator team of Avie Page and Oliver Clarke bring author Aur= ora Rose Reynolds novel, "Risky" brilliantly to life in this complete and u= nabridged edition from Brilliance Audio. With a special appeal for fans of = contemporary romantic comedies, "Risky" is fully and unreservedly recommend=
ed pick for personal and community library Romance Fiction audio book colle= ctions.

Editorial Note #1: Aurora Rose Reynolds (www.AuroraRoseReynolds.com) is the=
author of wildly popular series that include the Until, Until Him, Until H= er, Fluke My Life, Underground Kings, How to Catch an Alpha, and Shooting S= tars series. Her writing career started in an attempt to get the outrageous=
ly alpha men who resided in her head to leave her alone and has blossomed i= nto an opportunity to share her stories with readers all over the world. Sh=
e can be followed on Instagram and Twitter (@Auroraroser) or on Facebook (@= AuthorAuroraroser).

Editorial Note #2: There is an online listing of books narrated by Avie Pag=
e at https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=3DAvie+Page

Editorial Note #3: Professional narrator and voice over actor Oliver Clarke=
has a detailed website at https://www.oliverclarkenarrator.com

The Ice Ghost
Kathleen O'Neal Gear, author
Shauna Taylor-Corbett, narrator
Sisi Aisha Johnson, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713562559, $29.99, MP3-CD (9 Hours 23 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Ghost-Rewilding-Reports/dp/1713562553

Synopsis: In the brutal Ice Age caused by the ancient Jemen war, many archa=
ic human species, including Denisovans and Homo erectus, hover on the verge=
of extinction. There seems no way out, until the greatest Neandertal holy = man, Trogon, has a vision.

Legends say the truce that ended the old war left one hostage in the hands =
of the victorious rebels: the godlike Jemen leader known as the Old Woman o=
f the Mountain. According to Trogon's vision, only one person knows the loc= ation of that burial cave. Trogon must capture young Quiller and force her =
to lead him there... for the Old Woman may not be dead. She may only have b= een in stasis for a thousand summers, and when reawakened she will save the=
m from oblivion.

But according to the Denisovans (Quiller's people) Trogon is the most power= ful witch alive. He's up to something evil that will surely spell their des= truction. He must be stopped before it's too late. Quiller's best friend Ly=
nx must brave towering glaciers, dire wolves, and prides of giant lions to = save her and stop Trogon.

Critique: "The Ice Ghost" is the second book in a science fiction series by=
Kathleen O'Neal Gear, a nationally recognized anthropologist who explores =
a frozen future where archaic species struggle to survive an apocalyptic Ic=
e Age. With the exceptional story telling talents of co-narrators Shauna Ta= ylor-Corbett and Sisi Aisha Johnson, this complete and unabridged audio boo=
k edition is unreservedly recommended for both personal and community libra=
ry Science Fiction audio book collections.

Editorial Note #1: Kathleen O'Neal Gear (https://www.gear-gear.com) is a na= tionally award-winning archaeologist who has been honored by the United Sta= tes Congress. She is also a New York Times bestselling author with 48 books=
and over 200 non-fiction articles in print.

Editorial Note #2:Shaun Taylor-Corbett shares his thoughts on narrating "Th=
e Brave", James Bird's moving audiobook for young listeners, in this video =
in the online article at: https://audiofilemagazine.com/articles/narrator-s= haun-taylor-corbett-on-the-brave

Editorial Note #3: There is an impressive listing of books narrated by Sisi=
Aisha Johnson at https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=3DSisi+Aish= a+Johnson

Crazy To Leave You
Marilyn Simon Rothstein, author
Dara Rosenberg, narrator
Brilliance Audio
https://audiobookstore.com/publishers/brilliance-audio
9781713657859, $14.99, MP3-CD (8 Hours 34 Minutes)

https://www.amazon.com/Crazy-Leave-Marilyn-Simon-Rothstein/dp/1713657856

Synopsis: Forty-one years old, the last of her friends to marry, and down t=
o a size 12, Lauren Leo is in her gown and about to tie the knot. There's j= ust one thing missing: the groom. With one blind siding text, Lauren is unc= eremoniously dumped at the altar.

In the aftermath, her mother is an endless well of unsolicited advice (Stay=
on your diet and freeze your eggs). Her sisters only add to the Great Humi= liation: one is planted on Lauren's couch while the other is too perfect.

Picking her heart up off the floor, Lauren turns to her work in advertising=
as she gathers courage to move on and plan her next step. She should know =
by now that nothing in life goes according to plan. What lies ahead is the = road to self-acceptance and at long last feeling worthy. With a new way to = measure love and success, Lauren chucks her scale -- and finds a second cha= nce in the most unexpected place.

Critique: Brilliantly narrated by the vocal storytelling talents of Dara Ro= senberg effectively brings to life "Crazy To Leave You", the deftly crafted=
novel of Marilyn Simon Rothstein. This complete and unabridged recorded ed= ition from Brilliance Audio will have a special appeal to fans of contempor= ary women's friendship/domestic fiction -- making it an ideal and unreserve= dly recommended pick for personal and community library audio book collecti= ons.

Editorial Note #1: Marilyn Simon Rothstein (https://www.marilynsimonrothste= in.com) is also the author of Lift and Separate, winner of the STAR Award f=
or Outstanding Debut presented by the Women's Fiction Writers Association, = and a second novel, Husbands and Other Sharp Objects.

Editorial Note #2: Dara Rosbenberg (http://www.dararosenberg.com) is an acc= omplished voiceover artist who has been recognized nationally for her exten= sive work in audiobooks and commercial work. She has more than 500 audioboo=
ks to her name, as well as dozens of television and radio commercials.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.8.4 (Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: ---:- FTN<->UseNet Gate -:--- (3:633/280.2@fidonet)