April 2006 Audiobook Reviews

Death of a Dreamer
by M. C. Beaton

Mysterious Press
audio
ISBN# 0892967897
Suggested Retail Price: $23.95 or as low as $14.20 from Amazon.com!

We welcome another Hamish Macbeth mystery that takes place in Scotland’s landscape where he is a constable. Sometimes the so-called simple life attracts people who wish to live an uncomplicated country life. Effie Garrand moves to Scotland. Effie find an unfriendly and inhospitable local population and she manages to survive a very rough winter. Hamish is amazed to find the small woman is still is still hanging in. Unfortunately Effie has become delusional and fancies for herself that a famous artist is in love with her. In fact she thinks they are engaged. Finally Effie's body is found in the mountains along with wine and two glasses nearby. Now Hammish must find her killer and it must be before anymore horrors are uncovered.

Author NM. C. Beaton has given us 20 myteries that feature Hamish Macbesh and 15 more that feature Agatha Raisen. All of her works are big sellers and she has fans who will enjoy this unabridged audio book very much.

Champagne for One : A Nero Wolfe Mystery
by Rex Stout, Michael Prichard

The Audio Partners, Mystery Mast
Audio
ISBN# 1572705205
Suggested Retail Price: $27.95 or as low as $18.67 from Amazon.com!

Fans will be thrilled to find another Nero Wolfe mystery to enjoy. That it is unabridged in this edition is a plus. Reader Michael Prichard has proven to his fans that he is one of the best of the best audiobook readers.

This story is about an annual event that is given for unwed mothers who all live at the same shelter. Archie is persuaded to attend the event in place of an acquaintance. He doesn't really want to go because the lady in charge really doesn't like him, but he agrees finally.

The party features dinner and dancing and at the table where they are all drinking champagne one of the unwed mothers dies they assume that it was a suicide because the young women had been threatening to do just that. For that reason, she always carries a bottle of poison with her. Archie believes that she did not poison herself, but that her death was murder and he sets out to prove it.

Wolfe is unusually even more stubborn in offering to help Archie solve the mystery but in the end all of the suspects are, as usual, gathered in front of Wolfe as he solves the case.

Of course it's good! When did Stout ever let us down?

Sea Change
by Robert B. Parker, Scott Sowers

RH Audio

ISBN# 0-7393-2457-8
Suggested Retail Price: $29.95 or as low as $14.00 from Amazon.com!

The plot begins with a female body that has washed ashore in a place called Paradise. Police Chief Jesse Stone is drawn into a case that turns much more difficult than he first thinks. The woman is identified as one Florence Horvath. She was recently divorced, an heiress from Florida and very attractive. She made an early video that was pornography and her pictured her unusual sex life. Florence has twin sisters named Corliss and Claudis. Her parents were loving. None of these folks are talking. Somehow the combination of her shady past and her present have gotten Florence murdered. The Chief must solve this case even though it will put him in danger. Good mystery, of course. Parker is usually good. Reader Scott Soers is an actor from stage and screen. He has done guests spots on "Law and Order" and many other television shows.