Review: JAR OF HEARTS, by Jennifer Hillier

JAR OF HEARTS, by Jennifer Hillier

Audio Book

MacMillan Audio - 2018

Narrated by January LaVoy

My Rating (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A tense, well written thriller, filled with twists and dark secrets.

Angela, Geo, and Kaiser are best friends. Inseparable teenagers, until one night when the unthinkable happens. Angela goes missing. Under the crushing weight of loss, the remaining two drift apart.

Fourteen years later, Geo is a big pharma executive and Kaiser is a detective. When Angela's remains are finally discovered,  it is determined that she is victim to Calvin James, a serial killer and ex-boyfriend of Geo's.  It falls on Kaiser to arrest his old friend Geo, who testifies against her former boyfriend, and is sent to prison for her part in Angela's disappearance. Everyone thinks they know what happened to Angela, but there were some secrets that Geo did not let out at trial.

By the time Geo is released from prison, Calvin has escaped. Now bodies are being found under eerily familiar circumstances. Geo's secrets may be more dangerous than she realizes. 

Now, if you are looking for a story with a completely lovable protagonist, this is probably not one for you.  Geo is definitely flawed, but she has some redeeming qualities as well. The rhythmic flow of past and present, with threads of mystery and deftly punctuated twists, keep you hanging on for more, and present you with the whole story in carefully crafted layers. 

Narration for the audio book was well done and easy to listen to. 

While not for those who prefer a completely innocent and lovable protagonist, this book otherwise has plenty to offer to fans of the Mystery/Thriller genre.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review - THE WIFE BETWEEN US, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

THE WIFE BETWEEN US, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Audio Book

Macmillan Audio - 2018
Narrated by Julia Whelan


 

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

More twists than a five-star roller coaster - Brilliant!

Vanessa and Richard had a marriage that was the envy of everyone.  Rich, good looking, and successful, they seemed to have it all.  

Then Vanessa ends up on her aunt's doorstep with her bags, and Richard is getting married to someone new. Vanessa has decided she cannot let that happen. Can she sabotage her ex-husband's plans to replace her? Will her replacement walk away from the very rich, very charming Richard?

A gripping thriller that will leave you totally engrossed.

Julia Whelan does an excellent job.  Her voice switches seamlessly from one character to the next, and her range is such an asset to the audio book experience of this story.

Definitely a book worth adding to your reading list if you are a fan of the thriller genre.

Happy Reading,
Christine

Review: Sometimes I Lie - By Alice Feeney

Sometimes I Lie - By Alice Feeney
Audio book
MacMillan Audio 2018
Narrated by Stephanie Racine

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐

There are three things you should know about this book. 1). It is very "twisty"  2). Even when you think you know what is going on - you don't, and 3). It is difficult to put down.

The story starts with Amber who is in hospital. She is in a coma, but is aware of her surroundings.  She can hear, she can feel, but she cannot move, open her eyes, or remember how she came to be in the hospital. She does know that her relationship with her husband has been strained, and that there was another person involved with the accident that put her in the coma, but she cannot remember exactly who. As her awareness increases, she knows that  she is still in danger.  As memories slowly return, she is desperate to wake up before it is too late.

The timeline shifts from current day, to recent history, to years in the past via childhood journal entries. Shifts in timeline are very clear and easy to follow.

The narrator was talented and played all of the roles very well.

A riveting book, well worth the time.

Happy Reading,
Christine

Review: The Breakdown - By B.A. Paris

The Breakdown - By B. A. Paris
Audiobook
MacMillan Audio - 2017
Narrated by Georgia Maguire

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another thrilling book by B.A. Paris.

Cass is heading home in a storm one night. She takes the shortcut that she promised her husband she wouldn't, and sees a car parked along the way.  The next day, the news reports that a woman was found brutally murdered in her car on that stretch of road.  Cass is already consumed with guilt for not exiting her car to check on the woman parked, when she finds out that she knew the victim. Wracked by guilt, and worried as her memory seems to fail her at every turn, she struggles to hold it all together, when she starts getting "silent calls".  Is the murderer sending her a warning? Does she know more than she thought she did?  Will her loss of memory cause her husband to leave her alone and isolated, or will she the next murder victim?

Georgia Maguire once again provides voice to Paris' work. Excellent performance!

I am looking forward to the next B.A. Paris book coming soon!

Review: Behind Closed Doors - By B.A. Paris

Behind Closed Doors - By B.A. Paris
Audiobook
Macmillan Audio 2016
Narrated by Georgia Maguire

My Rating (out of 5)
⭐⭐⭐⭐

A solid debut in the psychological thriller genre.

For all outward appearances, Jack and Grace have the perfect fairy tale marriage. But things are not always as they seem, and what goes on behind closed doors can be a different thing all together.

In this book you are drawn in, not so much to the destination, but to the journey.  As you start reading you are fairly comfortable in your knowledge of what the eventual outcome will be, but the author seduces us with the details along the way. She grabs your attention and leads you along holding your emotions hostage to the very end - never letting you turn away.

The audio narration was very well performed. There has been talk of a movie based on this book, but I am unable to find mention of a release date at this time.

I am looking forward to reading and/or listening to other titles by this author. As of this writing she has two more books; "The Breakdown" and  "Bring Me Back"

Happy Reading!