Devi Nair
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Ellen Quay ā± Duration: 6 hours š·ļø Publisher: Storm Publishing š Release Date: April 21, 2026 āØ ARC received via NetGalley
If youāve read her Secret Bookcase Mystery series, youāll recognize the rhythm immediately: a contained, book-specific mystery layered over a slow-burn overarching thread. This time, itās Halās Agatha Christie lineage dangling in the background, and Iām already curious how far sheās willing to push that idea. Will she commit and make Hal Agatha's grandson, or keep it tantalizingly vague to avoid stepping on any real-life toes? Either way, I'm invested enough to keep listening.
The central mystery here is easy listening. This is the kind of audiobook you can press play on while folding laundry or commuting and never feel lost. The high school athletics backdrop is cozy mystery comfort food. You've got the overbearing parents, the golden child athlete, the fundraising scandal that smells fishy. It's not groundbreaking, but in a cozy, that's not a bad thing. You don't want disturbing. You want familiar with a twist, and Alexander delivers. Ellen Quay's narration helps; she's got a warm, steady voice that makes this the perfect bedtime listen (in the best way! I mean that as a compliment).
What surprised me most is that I didnāt bounce off this one like I almost did with book one. Itās still low-stakes in terms of emotional intensity, but thereās something comforting about that. Itās familiar, steady, and just twisty enough to keep your brain lightly ticking without demanding full attention.
Would I recommend it? If youāre in the mood for a cozy mystery that doesnāt demand your full soul (or your full attention span), this works. Itās a āpress play and vibeā kind of listen. Ellen Quay's narration is the cherry on top. Not every book needs to blow your mind; sometimes you just need a pleasant escape into small-town murder and literary history. And if you enjoy series with an ongoing thread tying everything together, this one is shaping up nicely.
š§ Listened in audio š¢ Narrated by Ellen Quay ā± Duration: 6 hours š·ļø Publisher: Storm Publishing š Release Date: April 21, 2026 āØ ARC received via NetGalley
If youāve read her Secret Bookcase Mystery series, youāll recognize the rhythm immediately: a contained, book-specific mystery layered over a slow-burn overarching thread. This time, itās Halās Agatha Christie lineage dangling in the background, and Iām already curious how far sheās willing to push that idea. Will she commit and make Hal Agatha's grandson, or keep it tantalizingly vague to avoid stepping on any real-life toes? Either way, I'm invested enough to keep listening.
The central mystery here is easy listening. This is the kind of audiobook you can press play on while folding laundry or commuting and never feel lost. The high school athletics backdrop is cozy mystery comfort food. You've got the overbearing parents, the golden child athlete, the fundraising scandal that smells fishy. It's not groundbreaking, but in a cozy, that's not a bad thing. You don't want disturbing. You want familiar with a twist, and Alexander delivers. Ellen Quay's narration helps; she's got a warm, steady voice that makes this the perfect bedtime listen (in the best way! I mean that as a compliment).
What surprised me most is that I didnāt bounce off this one like I almost did with book one. Itās still low-stakes in terms of emotional intensity, but thereās something comforting about that. Itās familiar, steady, and just twisty enough to keep your brain lightly ticking without demanding full attention.
Would I recommend it? If youāre in the mood for a cozy mystery that doesnāt demand your full soul (or your full attention span), this works. Itās a āpress play and vibeā kind of listen. Ellen Quay's narration is the cherry on top. Not every book needs to blow your mind; sometimes you just need a pleasant escape into small-town murder and literary history. And if you enjoy series with an ongoing thread tying everything together, this one is shaping up nicely.