Reviewed by Benjamin Ookami for Readers' Favorite

Some crimes cannot be solved by the police alone. Don Daglow's mystery novel, The Fog Seller: A San Francisco Mystery, takes the police, for the most part, out of the equation. The murder of an actress and a man who sought to save the homes of many seniors and people with low-income jobs is quite the puzzler. The number of suspects is in high contrast with the number of answers. Captain Kreitzer aims to solve this murder in quite an unusual way: by letting the suspects do all the work for him. One of his suspects is a man named Steve Ondelle, a man who only talks in the present tense and who is "not good with questions." Only time will tell if Captain Kreitzer's plan will work.

Steve has five journals that he allows a woman (as well as the reader) to read. Steve is a shy human being who gets freaked out when people ask him certain questions. The author's portrayal of him was very believable. I liked the fact that Steve had a roommate named Liam who was his direct opposite. What makes Liam even cooler is that he can make a vial of San Francisco fog look like a delicious ice cream cone. The characters in this novel are absolutely amazing. Steve's reasons for solving the double murder are to get his friend Luis's job back and prove his innocence. The real identity of the killer isn't too obvious, so it's quite interesting to find out what the end result will be.

Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

Ares (Nomad, Book 1) by K.A. Finn is a contemporary science fiction audio book that would appeal most to a mixed audience of teenagers, young adults, and adults who enjoy science fiction with romantic elements. Gryffin is a human cyborg hybrid who is the current Captain of the Nomad ship known as Ares; the Nomads are outlaws that practice piracy and offer protection to settlements for a price. Lieutenant Terra Rush serves on the Foundation ship Infinity that is tasked with preparing for colonization, but her life takes a sudden turn when she comes face to face with Nomad Gryffin and discovers that he is not the killing machine that the Foundation has labeled him. Do these two have what it takes to do what is right rather than what is easy?

Ares (Nomad, Book 1) by K.A. Finn is a well-produced audio book that was easy to enjoy. I quickly found myself falling in love with Gryffin’s ability to be both human and machine; the battle between his two halves made him a very interesting character that held my attention for the duration of the audio book. My favorite scene was the first meeting between Gryffin and Terra; I loved the way he saved her and then she helped him remove the bullet from his chest. The narrator of this audio book was Keith Michaelson. Mr. Michaelson is an accomplished voice actor who has narrated many audio books including, but not limited to Veritas Morte: A Science Fiction Novella, The Crystal Bridge: The Lost Shards, Volume 1, and Uncommon Purpose: The Hope Island Chronicles, Book 1. Mr. Michaelson's expertise in doing the voices for different characters really showed in his voice acting for Gryffin and Terra. I felt that his voicing of Gryffin really pulled me in with how he changed his voice based on Gryffin’s emotions and mental state. Overall, I really enjoyed this audio book and I cannot wait to listen to book two.

Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

Clevenger Gold: The True Story of Murder and Unfound Treasure by S.E. Swapp is a non-fiction historical account of the Clevenger family from the Arizona Territory and their journey to the Washington Territory. This is a book that would appeal most to a mixed audience of adults and young adults who enjoy true stories, a "wild west" feel, murder, and the search for treasure. This book is based on the true events that were documented by journalists in a one-hundred-and-thirty-year period ranging from the 1887 trial to the 1900s. Sam and Charlotte Clevenger hired two men by the names of Frank Willson and John Johnson to help them move, but their destiny turned dark when they least expected it. What caused the Clevengers to move, why did they chose to hire the men they did, and where did it all go wrong?

Clevenger Gold: The True Story of Murder and Unfound Treasure by S.E. Swapp might have been a non-fiction audio book, but it read much like a fictional story, which is what held my attention. The overall feel of the book reminded me a bit of the old Indiana Jones movies. I liked the fact that the author got right into the story and did not dilute the book with pointless or unnecessary details. Overall, I found that I really enjoyed this book and I would love to read more true stories written by S.E. Swapp. The narrator of this audio book was Paul Michael Garcia. Mr. Garcia is an accomplished vocal performer who has narrated many audio books ranging from Starman Jones to Job: A Comedy of Justice. I personally felt that he had the perfect accent for this audio book as his voice sounded very “old west cowboy,” which was just right for this setting and the characters.

Reviewed by Ryan Jordan for Readers' Favorite

Parents for Sale by Dr. Nicole Audet is a short audiobook that plays along with the children's book of the same name. It starts out with a section about Pistachio called Dog for Sale where the parents tell their children, Luke and Lucy, that they are too tired to keep their dog anymore and they are going to have to sell Pistachio. The children plead with their parents to let them keep their pet, but their parents are adamant in their decision. Luke and Lucy decide that it is a better idea to replace the sign with a 'Parents For Sale' sign and sell them instead because of how much they love Pistachio. This, of course, ends up teaching the children a lesson by the end of the story.

The audiobook itself is amazing, and there is a lot of music and other elements in it (dog's breathing, barking, etc.) that really bring the story to life. It tells you when to turn pages in the storybook, so it is an excellent companion to the book itself for children to read and listen to at the same time. It has full voice acting across the entire family with different voices for each one of the characters, and feels like it has a very high production value. The music matches perfectly to the story, and it quickly draws the reader into the world. Parents for Sale by Dr. Nicole Audet is the perfect companion to the actual book and is a real winner in the audiobook category for families that love entertaining stories. The pictures are fantastic and the story itself is unique and clever. Well done!

Reviewed by Francine Zane for Readers' Favorite

Deadly Peril: A Georgian Historical Mystery by Lucinda Brant features Lord Alec Halsey. When Halsey’s friends are imprisoned by an old adversary, he does what he swears he will never do. He returns to Midanich, which is in the midst of a civil war, to free his friends, praying his past will not haunt him but, more importantly, that he can protect those most dear to him during his mission. Meanwhile, his romance with Selina continues under the watchful eye of Halsey’s godmother, Duchess of Romney-St. Neots.

Lucinda Brant’s Deadly Peril: A Georgian Historical Mystery is a compelling mystery with more twists and turns than a roller coaster. The historical references pull the reader right into the period, and the likable characters make sure not one scene is lacking in ingenuity, compassion, love, or intrigue. Brant shows amazing talent in the way she mixes the historical components with the characters' backstories so well that it is easy to forget how much education well-written historical fiction has to offer. I particularly loved the description of the gaming table.

This is the second A Georgian Historical Mystery by Lucinda Brant that I have enjoyed. Brant consistently offers a magnificent story filled with all the pomp and diplomacy that one would expect from royalty during the 18th century. Her choice of narrator, Alex Wyndham, sets the tone perfectly. His enunciation is spot on, and the pacing is perfect. The production quality is clear and professional. Overall, this audio book rates two thumbs up.

Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite

The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson is a fictional audio book that would appeal most to a mixed audience of children and young adults who enjoy the genre of action adventure and fantasy. Humans have been extinct for generations, ever since a curse forced them to live out their lives as dragons. Knowing this, dragon Jaax is astounded when a baby human girl is found in the province of Oescienne, yet he quickly takes responsibility for the young baby. Jahrra spends her time avoiding bullies and seeking adventure without worrying about the secrets her dragon mentor might be concealing from her, yet those secrets are very much a part of her as Jahrra quickly discovers as she fights to earn her place in the world.

The Legend of Oescienne - The Finding by Jenna Elizabeth Johnson has a very detailed cover that intrigued me and offered insight into what some of the characters and settings looked like. The book has a very interesting plot that pulled me in right from the moment Jaax was introduced. The author did a wonderful job of developing both Jaax and Jahrra, but I felt that some of the other characters could have benefited from being developed further. That, however, did not in any way detract from my enjoyment of the adventure that Jahrra found herself partaking in. The narrator of this audio book was Michael Ferraiuolo. Michael Ferraiuolo might be new to the voice acting scene, but you would not know it from his performance in this audio book. I really liked his voice when he was Jaax as it truly allowed me to get into the character’s mind and to understand Jaax as a character.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

In the final analysis, let’s face it, nothing sells as much as family. Whether it’s non-fiction books about creating better family relationships or history books venturing struggles between powerful families for control of entire nations, family drama is always selling somewhere. The Taste of Air by Gail Cleare is family drama on a scale a little smaller than kings and queens or great houses, but is just as interesting as the dramatic lives of the Tudors, the houses of York and Lancaster. I like tales about families, and I prefer they be multi-generational so we can get a glimpse of and compare the different generations. In The Taste of Air, we get to compare the two families now. It’s hard to imagine being in this situation, although it is fun to imagine, but maybe it's not so much fun in reality.

I liked the plot and characters in The Taste of Air, more than other elements like the setting, though it is always interesting to read about places I have lived and worked. I liked Nell Williams. I think she is a good daughter and she took me deeper and deeper into the story emotionally and literally. I also found myself liking Mary and Bridgett too. Again, Gail Cleare does character and plot very well, especially female characters. The plot is built around family secrets and it works very well indeed. I liked the story. I liked the characters. Gail Cleare is a writer to watch out for. All she needs is a breakout novel. This just might be it.

Reviewed by Scherry Jenkins for Readers' Favorite

Kubrick's Game starts out with a nerdy, socially awkward college student, Shawn Hagan, attending a film class at UCLA. He proceeds to argue with his professor, beginning with the professor's pronunciation of Stanley Kubrick's name. The disagreement goes downhill from there, but Shawn is later called into Professor Mascaro's office and is shown a photo with a message written on the back from the famous Stanley Kubrick himself. This was the first in a long line of clues establishing the "game." Shawn enlists the help of two friends, Sami and Wilson, and the game is on! But as they proceeded, they realized that they were not the only people playing this game. Students from other universities were also involved ... and some really bad guys too! The kind of bad guys with guns.

This is one of those books that you will either love or hate. For me ... I loved it! And I'm not even a film buff or a fan of Stanley Kubrick! But I AM a fan of mysteries! And Kubrick's Game had mystery on every page. About one third into the story, I didn't think the characters were very well developed, but the more I read, the more I began to "know" them. They still weren't as developed as I would have liked, but what Derek Taylor Kent did with the story line made up for that. There was a touch of young adult, college-type humor thrown in that made me chuckle, and just enough suspense to hold my intrigue. And there was a touch of romance (but no tingles and you know how I love tingles). But what really fascinated me was the game itself. This wasn't your typical scavenger hunt. This game took the type of intelligence that few people - even people in the film industry -would have.

I was provided with the audio version of this book for my review, and although I appreciated that (I love Audible!), I can't help but feel I was a bit cheated when I realized that the book itself contained pictures that enhanced the story. I may just go buy the book to see more for myself. As for the audio version, I must say that the narrator, Jonathan Frakes, was wonderful. There were two other actors used for some of the different voices. It was extremely well done. So, whichever you choose, book or audio, be prepared for an intriguing tale!

Reviewed by Francine Zane for Readers' Favorite

Rip Tides is the ninth Lei Crime novel by Toby Neal. In the continuing saga of Detective Lei Texeira, the body of surfing champion Makoa Simmons washes ashore, and it is Lei’s job to investigate his murder. Meanwhile, her husband, Michael Stevens, struggles to overcome the pain of growing up in a household with an alcoholic parent when his mother reappears in his life.

In listening to the audio book version of Rip Tides, I was lulled into a comforting trance by narrator Sara Malia Hatfield’s soothing voice, as if I were listening to the surf in paradise. But even in paradise, bad people lurk in the shadows. Toby Neal does an excellent job of balancing the recreation of Hawaii and the culture there with bringing to light the dark underbelly of human nature that is common around the world. Combining Neal’s storytelling skills with Hatfield’s melodic vocals, it is easy to get lost in Lei Texeira’s world.

One thing I hate about many series is that I cannot step into the middle of the series without feeling as if I have missed out on important details. Not so with Neal's Rip Tides. While it is a part of a series, it stands alone as an exceptional read with just enough backstory to keep the main plot moving forward. I applaud the author's use of local references and laid back style, while still maintaining the suspense and tension necessary to make a good mystery novel stand out from the crowd.

Reviewed by Francine Zane for Readers' Favorite

Deadly Engagement by Lucinda Brant is the first book of the Alec Halsey Mystery series. Set in the 1700s, Alec Halsey returns to London only to find that his brother is engaged to the woman he loves, and a dear friend is dead under mysterious circumstances. During his brother's engagement party, events take a turn for the worst with murder, assault, and family secrets uncovered.

This is not a book for the faint of heart, or for readers who expect everyone to behave with high ethics, and that sex is something only discussed in the bedroom between spouses. On the outside, the life of a member of the gentry is ideal, but Lucinda Brant goes beyond appearances and digs deep into the sordid secrets that people through the ages have always sought to keep hidden. In Deadly Engagement, Brant delves into the family dynamics and social niceties while setting up and resolving a series of crimes that are intricately entwined and liberally dosed with romance.

I have nothing but good things to say about Deadly Engagement. The superior plot and expert characterization was professionally performed by Alex Wyndham, whose vocal talents allowed me to stay engrossed in the history-enriched era. I was reminded of my youth when I inhaled historical romances and books of intrigue as if they were air. I challenge anyone to read this first book of the Alec Halsey Mystery series and not crave more from the handsome Alec Halsey with his high sense of morals, dark good looks, and divine analytical mind.