AUDIO 10h, 32m, 16s Available October 10,2023
I have come to find the audio book versions of this series addictive. Narrator Bernadette Dunne does an excellent job portraying not just Meg but the other characters, both new and old. I'm not quite sure why, maybe because I've already read the book and sorta recalled whodunit, hence not distracted by that need-to-know, but I found myself picking up more about Ragnor and his amazing gothic style castle from this narrative version than I did the print. I think where my mind is going with that thought is to remind you that just because you've read a book doesn't mean you won't find something new listening to those same words. Knowing whodunit didn't distract from the character driven story at all for me.
So, narration flows, with subtle changes of pace based on the action or relative calm at moments.... and those are usually scarce in Meg's life. Chapter changes are simply announced. Vocal differences are obvious and this book/series sports a large cast, so kudos to Dunne as a narrator for making it work. Now, true, I did sorta wish she'd tossed in an imitation of a crow at times but, hey, we can't have everything. In any case, the audio book is well worth a listen, or several listens. Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for making it available to me early. My original review of the ebook follows.
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"While I'm not so sure that Meg didn't so much catch the killer as the
killer outed themself, this was still a fun read with humor and the
characters long time readers have come to know. Meg Langslow is one of
my favorite series characters and Donna Andrews never disappoints. It
was great to see Meg back at her forge seriously for the first time in
awhile, even if she had to be sort of roped into the competition that
got her there. I'm not particularly a fan of reality shows but have to
admit that it's always rather revealing to read about how they're really
put together, so that made it interesting.
"Oddly enough, the
expected murder doesn't take place until well into the book. We
initially are focused on trying to find out who whacked Faulk aside the
head, putting him out of the competition and Meg into it. Seems Faulk
and Tad had invested money they really couldn't afford to lose into the
show, the point that finally convinced the reluctant Meg to pick up her
tools and substitute for him. The other contestants are an interesting
mix, ranging from surly to friendly.
"So, who killed one of them?
He seems to have had more enemies than friends, so the suspect list is
long. Why is the production assistant so happy he's dead? How many
people are actually living at Ragnor's gothic but, oh, so Christmas-y
mansion? How smart are crows? Why is Horace so anxious about
accompanying Meg to a site that may contain clues? How can anyone cheat
in a contest when they are surrounded by a film crew almost constantly?
Where is the Christmas music coming from? What do Michael and the boys
find while horseback riding? Who . ..oh, enough teasers. Read the book.
It's a fun, easy read full of humor and a bit of history of
blacksmithing, not to imagine picturing the looks on people's face as
they encounter one of Ragnor's lenticular portraits. Look it up. Grin.
"Thanks
#NetGalley and #StMartin'sPress- #MinotaurBooks for allowing me to hang
out at Ragnor's mansion while Meg was pounding metal. It was nice to
get a bit of a fuller tour than in previous books."
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