REVIEW CORRECTION! I apologize to all! When I first posted this on 12/07, it had been a few days since I listened to it while suffering a severe migraine. It had been a couple o days later that I posted. I "royally" messed it up! I knew my thoughts and enjoyment of it, but confused a couple of the stories and its characters. After listening to it twice since, I realized hw faulty my review truly was! This is my new and accurate review - below! ![]() Audiobook Details: Book Title: Spring Thaw by Lauren Carr Category: Adult fiction, Unabridged Audiobook Genre: Murder Mystery, Short Stories
Book Description: In today’s hectic world, many whodunit fans don’t have time to get their mystery fix diving into a whole novel. Lauren Carr’s SPRING THAW AND OTHER MYSTERY SHORT STORIES is for these fans—but that doesn’t mean whodunit fans who do have time can’t dive in as well. A novella, Spring Thaw features retired federal agent Chris Matheson from Lauren Carr’s newest bestselling cold case series. When his late father’s former friend is indicted for the seven year old murder of a church bishop, Chris renews old broken friendships to thaw out the cold case. Featuring Mac Faraday from Lauren Carr’s popular Mac Faraday Mysteries, an estate auction turns into a deadly affair after Gnarly's antics cause Mac to purchase a gem of a dress, which isn't his color in Killing Bid. (Previously published in Lauren Carr’s BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.) Beauty to Die For features the Lovers in Crime, Joshua Thornton and Cameron Gates in a race against the Angel of Death to clear the name of a dying woman's son, who was framed for murdering Miss Pennsylvania. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.) Countdown to Murder returns to the Lovers in Crime where Cameron and Joshua try to solve the murder of a young pregnant widow before it happens. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.) Mystery fans will see that every dog has his day, especially if that dog is Gnarly. In Lucky Dog, Gnarly helps Mac Faraday to solve the murder of a wealthy society girl. (Previously published in BEAUTY TO DIE FOR.) Dog Loving Mystery Fans will get a special treat when they read The Gnarly Rehabilitation Program. In this Gnarly Mystery Short, Bert and Ernie learn the hard way that crime does not pay when they dog nap Gnarly. (Previously published as a bonus feature with A WEDDING AND A KILLING.) Gnarly, the rambunctious German shepherd, is also features in Lauren Carr’s Christmas short, A Gnarly Christmas. It is Christmas day and Gnarly has been up to his old tricks again. Now he's in the dog house--or rather the boathouse--after stealing the Christmas feast! Moments after Archie and Mac leave Spencer Manor, Gnarly hears a call for help from Rocky, the Maltese down the street. Four assassins for hire have invaded the home of Rocky's elderly owners. While the home invaders wait for instructions from a mysterious caller, Gnarly must plot to stop them. Can Gnarly save Christmas with only the help of an 8-pound Maltese dressed in an elf suit? (Previously published as a single short story by the same name.) To read more audiobook reviews, please visit Lauren Carr's page on iRead Book Tours. Buy Spring Thaw: Amazon ~ Audible Add to Goodreads MY REVIEW:(LAWonder10) This audio is a culmination of a few short stories, including, Chis Matheson, his mother & daughters, David O'Callaghan, the, now, District Attorney Thornton and his wife, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates, Mac, Archie and, who else but Gnarly! Of course, there are other interesting characters which the tales are based on their stories. The first story involves retired Federal Agent Chris Matheson, plus, his mother Doris, and retired police dog, Sterling, whose day begins normally, except Chris is a chaperone for his daughter's field trip. As he awaits on his daughter, Doris discovers the news about a murder case being reopened, since a new witness has come forth. A former close friend of theirs is the one accused! The man is accused of murdering a minister. Chris and Doris are convinced thus isn't possible. There is a humorous , suspense tale of Mac & Wife, Archie, along with another wealthy couple, attending Mac's first estate auction. In addition to the mystery and suspense, this is full of hilarity, involving Mac and Gnarly! The action and humor is a delightful introduction to the other following tales. Another favorite was an episode in the life of District Attorney Thornton and his wife, Homicide Detective Gates. Attorney Thornton was called in the middle of the night by his cousin, a doctor, at the request of a dying woman. She had failed to get enough information on her own to prove her son innocent of a murder he was convicted of. Her dying wish was to have Thornton prove hs innocence before shed dies... She only has days to live! The action and adventure just keeps increasing as the narrator reads the story. Each story was a very entertaining suspenseful tale. Lauren always creates characters one feels one knows and creates scenes in a manner that the reader feels he/she is there. The final one were especially entertaining because Gnarly was "Showcased". It was truly hilarious! Lauren Carr is a very talented author. Each of her books captivates its reader and keeps him/her guessing "who done it" until the very end. There is always a little humor and romance in her stories. However, there was some rougher language, in a couple of them, than she usually uses. The couples sometimes talk of sexual things, but there are no explicit scenes in any of her books. I didn't care for the Narrator, Mike Alger, at first, because he sounded like he was a commentator on a sports channel, rather than narrating a suspense/romance story. As he progressed in his narration, his "voices" grew stronger and his voice "grew on me", so to speak. I actually became impressed how well he did the various "voices" without sounding the same or confusing any of them! I feel my first impression if him was incorrect. On the whole, I offer a Five Stars rating for the tales, Three and a Half on the Narrator, ending n a Five Stars rating. Praise for Lauren Carr's books: “Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list." - Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental "Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!" - Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R "Lauren Carr's books are never boring, that's for sure. They entertain, give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren Carr's series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one book!" - Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads "She is an amazing author that draws you into the story, makes you fall in love with the characters (they feel like family!) and keeps you guessing right to the very end." - Working Mommy Journal "Lauren Carr does a good job of moving the quirky storyline along nicely with an abundance of witty dialogue. And you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are until the end." - Every Free Chance Book Reviews ![]() 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. Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram Enter the GiveawayPrizes: Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card courtesy of Lauren Carr, author of Crimes Past (open internationally to wherever Amazon delivers / 1 winner) Ends Dec 22, 2018 a Rafflecopter giveaway
4 Comments
12/7/2018 10:22:11 am
Thank you so much for the great review of SPRING THAW. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
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12/17/2018 11:40:57 am
thank you so much for the updated review, LuAnn! As a fellow migraine sufferer, I know intimately what you are talking about. there are days I spend hiding under the covers because the light makes my headache worse--which makes me relate to what vampires must go through. Here's hoping you have a merry (migraine-free) Christmas and a very happy New Year!
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Lauren, I am so sad you are plagued with migraines, too. A dim light does not bother me as much as in the former (menopausal) years, but any noise is excruciating to me. I don't know which is worse. I hate not being able to enjoy my grandkids and family gatherings. They began getting better before the year long battle with WordPress repeatedly destroying my site last year, then this whole year has been constant severe illness and medical tests and various doctor visits. The culmination was when my husband also had to have doctor visits and tests which was cancer. We still won't know for another month whether or not the treatments worked. I can't even begin to picture a life without him.
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