Audible Book Review: The Murderer's Son, A Jackman and Evans Thriller by Joy Ellis

This is a good thriller and I’ll look to listen to more in the series.

The Murderer's Son
A Jackman and Evans Thriller
By: Joy Ellis
Narrated by: Richard Armitage

Series: Jackman & Evans (Published Order), Book 1,
Jackman & Evans (Recommended Listening Order), Book 2
Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
Release date: 10-16-18
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Police Procedural, Psychological
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Twenty years ago: a farmer and his wife are cut to pieces by a ruthless serial killer.
Now: a woman is viciously stabbed to death in the upmarket kitchen of her beautiful house on the edge of the marshes.
Then a man called Daniel Kinder walks into Saltern police station and confesses to the murder.
But DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans of the Fenland Constabulary soon discover that there is a lot more to Daniel than meets the eye. He has no memory of the first five years of his life and has a rather unusual obsession with his mother....
Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you gripped until the shocking ending.
©2016 Joy Ellis (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

Review:
Daniel Kinder is a news reporter who has just finished an effective article regarding nursing at the local hospital. It is a shock to his girlfriend and those he interviewed when he walks in to the police station to confess to a grisly murder. The murder is similar to a murder committed twenty years earlier. Daniel has periods of blackouts but he believes he is the killer because he believes he is an infamous murderer’s son.

DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans of the Fenland Constabulary are not inclined to immediately accept the confession. On the other hand, the young man definitely has issues and knowledge that is close to the crime scene. They pull in a skilled psychologist who has worked with serial killers before. It seems that those around Daniel are willing to work with him to prove he is not a killer. Unfortunately, each time he runs off there is another murder. If the real killer isn’t discovered, Daniel won’t be the only victim yet to suffer.

This story has good character development and good twists in the mystery. The pacing is steady and although I guessed the villain, there was suspense in how the investigation played out until the end. I like DI Jackman and his partner DS Evans who are not romantically involved but make a good team. They have different skills that complement each other. I’m glad I had this on my shelf and listened to it while it was available. I did read this first and saw that some reviewers preferred this as book 1 instead of book 2. I will note the series for more reading when I need a good police thriller.

Audio Notes: Richard Armitage is a skilled narrator and did a wonderful job with this work. His character voicing, emotional energy and pacing added to the story.

Source: August 2022 Audible Plus. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Review: The Chimes by Charles Dickens

This is another remarkable Dickens' classic.
The Chimes
Written by: Charles Dickens
Narrated by: Richard Armitage

Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:12-11-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Classic
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
The magnificent Richard Armitage (Hamlet: King of Denmark: A Novel) performs The Chimes by Charles Dickens.
This classic story is the second in a series of five Christmas books Dickens was commissioned to write - beginning with A Christmas Carol. A haunting tale set on New Year's Eve, The Chimes tells the story of a poor porter named Trotty Veck who has become disheartened by the state of the world - until he is shown a series of fantastical visions that convince him of the good of humanity. Though much different from and certainly a bit darker than A Christmas Carol, the moral message of The Chimes is equally poignant - touting the importance of compassion, goodwill, and the love of friends and family.
The Chimes was followed by The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life, and finally The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain.
Public Domain (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Trotty Veck is a poor man struggling in Victorian England as a message carrier, often timing his trotting with the beat of the chimes. The only real light in his life is his beloved daughter Meg. Meg is a charming young lady, working as a seamstress and falling in love with a young laborer. Meg has brought her father a rare dinner treat. Trotty is contemplating whether he should encourage the young couple to marry even though that would leave him alone. Suddenly several gentleman step out and malign Trotty for eating while others go hungry. They make him feel lower that low and as the old year ends, Trotty morosely questions 'just what are the poor worth?'

This story was new to me. As the audio started I was enthralled by the lyrical prose. I usually listen at night but I turned this off so I wouldn’t miss anything. After the beautiful imagery and prose in the beginning I was alarmed when the tone became dark and despondent. Of course, I should perhaps have not been surprised by that considering the author. There is just a little similarity with A Christmas Carol, including ghostly visions in the bells. The plight of the poor is once again vividly, and bleakly, described. I was very relieved when the ending came back to a message of compassion, goodwill, hope and love.

I do recommend this but forewarn the reader or listener to be prepared for some darkness before the light returns at the end.

Audio Notes: Richard Armitage's narration is excellent. He portrays the visual imagery perfectly with his lovely, fitting, British accent.

This was Audible's 2015 Christmas gift and it is a gem! It is part of my 2016 TBR and Audio Challenges.