Regrets Only by Kieran Scott @KieranScott #AmandaDolan @surasiuaudio @LannaJoffrey @SimonAudio @librofm

the setup…
Paige Lancaster is a television writer, most recently for a successful detective series until she left under dubious circumstances. She’s also a single mother of 8-year old Izzy and leaves Los Angeles, returning to her Connecticut hometown of Piermont to regroup and restore her career while living with her widowed mother. On Izzy’s first day of school, Paige is “confronted” by the driving forces behind the Parent Booster Association (PBA) and soon runs afoul of them. There’s Lanie Chen-Kadapodis who is primed to become the next president; Bee Dolan who is sort of the earth mom in the group and Dayna Goodman who on the surface seems to be the most grounded of them all. But it’s the powerful current president Ainsley who’s the most formidable of them all that poses the biggest problem for Paige. See, she’s married to Paige’s high school sweetheart John Anderson and later catches the two of them in a private moment at their home during a community party that goes wrong. The next morning, Ainsley is found dead at the bottom of some stairs outside her home. Did she fall or was she pushed?

the heart of the story…
Grab your popcorn and get ready for a fun ride! While the story is told from several points of view, it’s Paige’s narrative that’s the driver and her wry, irreverent wit sets the pace and intrigue. It’s clear that Ainsley was the town’s “Queen Bee” and everyone sought her acceptance, wanting to be part of her orbit. When she dies, the challenge is not only to determine if it’s murder but who was truly a friend or up to a private agenda. Everyone has some serious secrets that can also be a motive for getting rid of Ainsley. I admit that my opinions shifted often, especially when the hottie police officer drafts Paige to be his eyes and ears and she takes that role seriously. Her investigative skills were stellar given the show she researched and wrote for, coming up with lots of stuff to chew on.

the narration…
Thank goodness multiple narrators were used because they helped to deftly define and distinguish these women, which became important early on. I enjoyed all of their performances, especially that for Paige as her personality came through perfectly. The storytelling and pacing was wonderful.

the bottom line…
What drew me to the story was the comparison to Big Little Lies and the dynamics were certainly similar. But it’s a completely different animal in terms of plot and characters though just as entertaining. I loved seeing the community through Paige’s lens as she wasn’t seeking admittance to the “club,” nor was she intimidated by them…well…except when she needed to be. The mystery of Ainsley’s death brought all kinds of revelations and the journey was even more exciting than the final answers, which was exactly what I’d hoped for. I had a very good time and was happy with that ending. Do it on audio if you have the option.

Book Info

• Release Date: January 10, 2023
• Narrators: Amanda Dolan, Sura Siu & Lanna Joffrey
• Audio Length: 9 hours, 46 minutes
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

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(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)