MURDER BY PERFECTION
by LAUREN CARR
Narrated by Mike Alger
Series: Thorny Rose Mystery Series (Volume 3)
Category: Adult fiction, 322 pages
Genre: Murder Mystery
Publisher: Acorn Book Services
Release date: May 31, 2018
Content Rating: PG (mild violence and sexual suggestion)
Perfection can be a fatal endeavor.
Frustrated with their busy schedules, Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday attempt to find togetherness by scheduling a weekly date night. The last thing Jessica Faraday expected for her date night was to take a couple’s gourmet cooking course at the Stepford Kitchen Studio, owned by Chef Natalie Stepford―the model of perfection in looks, home, and business.
When Natalie ends up dead and Murphy goes missing, the Thorny Rose detectives must peel back the layers of Natalie Stepford’s life to discover that the pursuit of perfection can be deadly.
To read reviews, please visit Lauren Carr's page on iRead Book Tours.
Buy the Book:
Watch the book trailer:
REVIEW:
✪✪✪✪
HALL
WAYS REVIEW: Audio book review. Murder by Perfection is the third book in the Thorny Rose
Mysteries, but it’s my first book in the series. The book does stand alone, but
I suspect I would have been able to better keep up if I had read any of the
prior books. But who am I kidding? Author Lauren Carr is a master at writing multiple
story lines, including a giant cast of characters, and so much murder and
mayhem that it’s nearly impossible to solve the mysteries. I tried! I failed!
Ha!
Speaking of the characters
-- with so many characters, I had to take notes to keep track of them -- not
ideal when listening to an audio book, and I found that I had to frequently
re-play sections when I wasn’t paying close attention. I might have fared
better if I’d have been reading with my eyes instead of my ears; however, the
characters are richly described and most have some aspect to their personality
to make each memorable. And OH! There are characters to love and loathe and
everything in between, and some of them have juicy secrets. There’s some
seriously great drama going on.
“Any
grown-up knows that when you look underneath
the
covers, things are never what they seem.”
I fear that jumping into the
series with Murder by Perfection may
mean some spoilers when (not if) I go back and start with book one. Even so, that’s a risk I am willing to take
because I like these characters and the intricate webs Carr weaves within her
story. Murder by Perfection kept
teasing me along and guessing with who did what, to whom, and why!
ABOUT THE NARRATION: I first
heard Mike Alger when he narrated one of Lauren Carr’s other books, Ice, and I thought his narration was
perfect. In Murder by Perfection, I
am not as big a fan. Though some of the male characters were excellent, some were
not. And females – particularly when emotional – sounded silly, bordering on
laughable. Alger’s pacing and delivery were great, but then around three hours
in, he slowed down, so I had to speed-up the audio to 1.25x. I didn’t like the
echo-effect that was used for scenes when a character was thinking. It felt
cheesy, and then there were some timing issues where the narrator talked-over an
echo sequence and words were clipped. I know how good Alger can perform, so seeing
his name as narrator won’t deter me from giving him another try.
Thank you to iRead Book
Tours and the author for providing me an audio download in exchange for my
honest opinion – the only kind I give.
Meet the Author: Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!
Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement retirees to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.
Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.
Enter the Giveaway!
Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!
Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!
(open internationally to wherever Amazon delivers)
Ends Nov 10, 2018
BOOK and AUDIOBOOK TOUR SCHEDULE:
Oct 8 - Working Mommy Journal - review / giveaway
Oct 8 - Hall Ways Blog - audio book review
Oct 8 - To Read is a Great Adventure - review / author interview
Oct 8 - TFaulc Book Reviews - book spotlight
Oct 9 - Rockin' Book Reviews - review / guest post / giveaway
Oct 9 - Kristin's Novel Cafe - audio book review
Oct 10 - Bound 4 Escape - audio book review / giveaway
Oct 10 - The Autistic Gamer - book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 11 - Locks, Hooks and Books - audio book review / guest post / giveaway
Oct 11 - Seaside Book Nook - audio book review / giveaway
Oct 12 - fundinmental - review / giveaway
Oct 12 - Read and Review - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Oct 15 - The World As I See It - audio book review / giveaway
Oct 15 - Laura's Interests - audio book review / guest post / giveaway
Oct 16 - Svetlana's Reads and Views - review
Oct 16 - Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 17 - StoreyBook Reviews - book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Oct 17 - Dab of Darkness Book Reviews - audio book review / giveaway
Oct 18 - Books for Books - review
Oct 18 - Truly Trendy - review
Oct 19 - Stormy Vixen's Book Reviews - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 19 - Two Points of Interest - review / giveaway
Oct 22 - T's Stuff - audio book review / author interview / giveaway
Oct 22 - Cheryl's Book Nook - audio book review / giveaway
Oct 23 - Mystery Suspense Reviews - audio book review / giveaway
Oct 24 - Jaquo Lifestyle Magazine - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 24 - #redhead.with.book - book spotlight / giveaway
Oct 25 - Writers and Authors - book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Oct 26 - Pause for Tales - review / guest post
Oct 26 - Nighttime Reading Center - review / giveaway
Oct 29 - Olio by Marilyn - review / giveaway
Oct 30 - JBronder Book Reviews - audio book review / guest post / giveaway
Oct 30 - Library of Clean Reads - review / giveaway
Oct 31 - My Reading Journeys - review / giveaway
Nov 1 - books are love - review / author interview
Nov 1 - Writers N Authors - audi obook review / author interview / giveaway
Nov 2 - Jessica Cassidy - review / giveaway
Nov 2 - Rocksprings Crafts - review / author interview / giveaway
I very much appreciate getting to find out about another book to read that my family can enjoy. Thanks so much for the info and the giveaway as well.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, James. Don't know your family's ages, but this one is adult! Some sexy stuff going on.
DeleteThank you, Kristine! I am thrilled that you enjoyed MURDER BY PERFECTION! Thank you for the wonderful review! Here's wishing each of your followers luck in the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing another wonderful book with us, Lauren! I plan on getting the earlier ones in this series in print and devouring them!
DeleteI've read, and enjoyed Lauren Carr's work in the past. I think I'll stick to the print version though as didn't enjoy past audio versions of her books as much. Entered the giveaway. Fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think I would have enjoyed this one more in print, but it was still an excellent story.
DeleteAwesome, I love it when they make standalone books like that.
ReplyDeleteMe too! My TBR list is so huge that I'd never read a lot of books if I had to start with #1 in the series.
DeleteThanks for sharing! Entered the giveaway. 🤞🤞
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
DeleteYou have described the audiobook experience so well. Love the review
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteI love your reviews!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I struggle with books that have tons of characters. It's too hard to keep up with them, and I just end up getting confused (which happens easily, ha). I also wish that authors would get the right gender to narrate the respective parts. Great review. Thanks!
Thank you! I struggle with lots of characters in audio books more than print books.
DeleteThis sounds intriguing and I absolutely love the cover! Shame the production wasn't so good on this one.
ReplyDeleteThe cover was perfect for the story, though I didn't know it for a bit!
DeleteI like the looks of this one - entered the giveaway - greedy fingers are crossed!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
DeleteThis sounds good. I listen to audiobooks most days and find that it is a talented man that can do a convincing female characters reactive narration. (I don't mean to sound sexist, this has just been my experience) I have found some that do it so well that you don't focus on the reading genre but more on the actual character. Great review.
ReplyDeleteI totally get you -- so many times, the voices sound falsetto or Monty-Python-ish. Exaggerated and silly sounding.
DeleteI like the look of the book. Sounds intriguing.
ReplyDeleteIt was definitely intriguing --so many murders to solve!
DeleteI'm not sure this one is for me but I enjoyed your review!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteGreat review. I want to enter so I can buy print copy.
ReplyDeleteI like listening. But there is nothing like a good ole book in your hands. Thanks for sharing your review.
You're welcome, and thanks for stopping by! I am like you and prefer a print copy, but I am finding less time to read and can slip in an audio book more easily.
DeleteThis sounded good.
ReplyDeleteIt was, Shelleen!
DeleteGreat review, this book looks and sounds absolutely great and very intriguing as well, Plus I absolutely love reading a great murder mystery book too. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.
ReplyDeleteLauren Carr does mysteries really well. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI watched the trailer - fantastic!
ReplyDeletethank you
It's a good trailer for the book, isn't it? Thanks for stopping by to check it out.
DeleteI have some audio books and have only read one...so far. It is great for when I'm on the treadmill or doing something with my hands, but I have a big problem. My mind gets sidetracked and the book ends up being white noise. Not good. I read this and shared my review on the 12th. I love anything Lauren Carr writes, but I am curious as to how the narrator shared all the goodies about the critters.
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Hmm. I am trying to figure out what goodies about critters you mean... I am drawing a complete blank about critters in this book. Definitely were in the Chris Matheson stories, and the narrator read those parts very well, though not really in a voice of the animals.
Delete