Her First Mistake by Kendra Elliot @kendraelliot @snemethparker @snemethparkerbsky.social @brilliancepublishing #NoelleMarshall #HerFirstMistake

the setup…
Noelle Marshall is a Deschutes County Sheriff’s detective living and working in Bend, Oregon. But thirteen years ago, she was the wife of Sacramento Assemblyman Derrick Bell who was murdered in their home. Noelle was there, too, apparently left for dead. The killer was never identified or found and she couldn’t remember what happened. Now the FBI is resurrecting the case and have come to Bend to talk to Noelle and her family, hoping to find clues they may have missed in the original investigation. As no one in Bend is aware of her past, Noelle is reluctant to face these old memories and risk her new life.

the heart of the story…
The story transitions seamlessly between the time when Noelle met Derrick, the aftermath of the murder and present day. Noelle’s history was illuminating as the present day woman is far different from who she was during her marriage. Derrick came from wealth and she was never accepted by them, so following his death, she became the object of their suspicions. The new investigation did more than open old wounds as new threats connected to the murder arose.

the narration…
Stephanie Németh-Parker gave a great performance, especially with the storytelling. I was riveted.

the bottom line…
I’m a longtime fan of Elliot and it was so good to be back in a new series and encountering some old friends. The mystery was intriguing and the procedurals excellent. If I could have listened to this in one sitting I would have but life showed up. No way was I prepared for that ending, though there were a couple of elements I got right. What a great start to the series.

Book Info

• Release Date: June 10, 2025
• Series: Noelle Marshall #1
• Narrator: Stephanie Németh-Parker
• Audio Length: 10 hours, 7 minutes
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

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(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)