the setup…
Nora Kemp and Hugh Iverson are Hollywood’s golden couple, engaged to be married and living a glamorous life. That is until Nora discovers his twin brother Trent dead in the guest house on their property, along with an unidentified woman who was obviously tortured and murdered. Meanwhile, Kyle Pepper is frantically trying to contact his wife Kerry and their six-year old son Miles who left their Wisconsin home for a Make a Wish trip to Disneyland but seemed to have disappeared. Beverly Hills Detectives Farah Anderson and Kevin Mathis are investigating the Iverson crime scene, trying to learn the identity of the dead woman, whether this was a murder suicide or something else. That’s difficult when the two people with the most information are highly skilled at playing whatever role they need to at any moment.
the heart of the story…
Even I couldn’t tell when Nora and Hugh were lying or telling the truth, though I had some help as she was one of the characters delivering a point of view. The narratives shift quite seamlessly between Nora, the detectives, Kyle and Miles. I suspected that the two investigations would converge at some point but was clueless as to what they had to do with one another. I didn’t trust Nora but I also wasn’t necessarily convinced she had anything to do with the deaths, though she admitted being involved with both brothers (*!?#). I loved that the detectives were seasoned and quite skilled at sifting through the muck.
the narration…
Wow! If I hadn’t known differently, I would have sworn there were multiple narrators telling this story because Peterson was masterful at that and voice distinctions. I became an instant fan and will strongly consider any book she’s narrating.
the bottom line…
The clues are all there to figure things out and I loved that they were introduced in bits and bites. If you like digging into a good mystery and trying to deduce the resolution, you’ll enjoy this one. Nora is an enigma, really tough to figure out and there are others equally as puzzling. There’s a big reveal I didn’t see coming, though many of my friends did, and some harrowing moments. I enjoyed everything about this one, but especially listening to Nancy Peterson deliver it all.
Book Info
- Release Date: June 20, 2023
- Narrator: Nancy Peterson
- Audio Length: 9 hours, 16 minutes
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Listen to a Sample!
Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Audible
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Blue Mood Café 
I love when a narrator is that good Jo, it makes and even better listening experience!
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I agree, Nicki💜 I had to keep checking to make certain it was just one narrator!
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Great review 💜 Now I’m sorry I read it and not listened to it, I’ll keep an eye out for Nancy Peterson, she sounds amazing!
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Thanks, Kelly💜 It made a huge difference listening versus reading. I had to check the sample for something and in that short bit, if felt different. Peterson i super talented, too.
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Glad this was a fine listen to, Jonetta!
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Thank you, Marialyce💜
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I like the sound of this one. If you didn’t figure it out, I’d have no chance since I don’t really try. Sometimes I know, intuitively, but I don’t actively try to solve the mystery.
Anne – Books of My Heart
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It’s because it was so hard to know when Nora and Hugh were telling the truth. That’s what made it interesting…taking it all in and tossing out what didn’t work. That final twist was what I missed!
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I’m going to have to come back and read this properly – I’m 20% in…..😂
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Though I don’t have spoilers, I agree you should wait, Sarah💜
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Wonderful review Jonetta! I love a great narrator too!
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Thank you, Jodie💜 I’m vouching for Peterson!
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Great review, Jo. I enjoy unreliable narrators. I have listened to books narrated by Nancy Peterson before and agree, she does a wonderful job with voices.
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Thank you, Carla💜 Great that you’ve had the same experience with Peterson!
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That’s so cool that Peterson could sound like multiple narrators. That must have elevated the audio quite a bit from normal. Excellent review!
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Thank you, Tessa💜 I could swear she sounded like at least three different people narrating this story! That’s a gift.
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This review makes me happy! I’m glad you enjoyed your time with A Fatal Affair as well… The audio version does sound good. xx
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I’m forever grateful to you for having me reconsider my initial pass when it was offered for audio review, Yvo💜 After reading your review, I went back and begged for reconsideration!
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