the setup…
Clea McAllister has returned to Belle Mer, her ancestral home in Newport, Rhode Island, one of the jewels of the town. However, she was denied her rightful inheritance by a conniving estate lawyer who took advantage of her grandmother in her final years. He’s renting the property out and that’s the only way Clea can now see her family’s home again as she booked it through her assistant.
the heart of the story…
Clea hasn’t given up her fight to reclaim Belle Mer and is further encouraged when she finds Mary and John still working there. Mary’s been the housekeeper for over thirty years along with her brother John the gardener and groundskeeper for just as long. There was a creepiness to just about everything and I felt unease as Clea tried to reach out to the lawyer and explored the home. It wasn’t anything I could put my finger on but…
the narration…
I’m sure it was the talent of the narrator that brewed that eeriness and unease! She was very, very good and it was powerfully subtle. I didn’t hear it coming.
the bottom line…
The beauty of a well written short story is that everything develops quickly but without you feeling things are moving too swiftly. I loved my visit to Belle Mer and the ending that made me smirk.
Book Info
- Release Date: August 31, 2022
- Series: Getaway #4
- Narrator: Jennifer Jill Araya
- Audio Length: 1 hour, 21 minutes
- Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Listen to a Sample!
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(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Blue Mood Café 
Always a delight when the narrator is a good one.
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Oh, Heather, she was perfect for this story💜
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You’ve definitely intrigued me Jo, fab review!
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Thanks, Nicki💜 I believe it’s free for Amazon prime members.
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This story sounds wonderful. I love that it’s in a much smaller package and that the ending made you smirk!
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Thanks, Tessa💜 Short story writing is an art form and Rice nailed it, especially that ending.
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A narrator certainly can make or break a story. Glad this narrator was a good one, Jo!
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Thank you, Marialyce💜 They most certainly make a difference.
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I have not taken advantage of many of the Audible Original or Audible Plus offerings.
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I actually got this via Brilliance Audio.
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This sounds like a good one. It is Novellas in November, so maybe I should listen to this one. I do enjoy Luanne Rice books.
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