Gaele Hi
AudioBook Review Stars: Overall 3 Narration 3 Story 2 Notable for the unique characters and small town setting that drive this series, the third book in the series picks up with the next big town celebration, the renewal of a May Day festival. Amy, our librarian with a penchant for solving murder, has done the research into this long-defunct town tradition, and has prepared a presentation for the tourists and locals the event is meant to bring. If you’ve followed along, you’ll know that Amy is a research demon, and her innate curiosity have had her right in the mix of earlier cases. And this will be no exception. The bonfire was to combine research, storytelling and a fun night for university students turned into so much more: on the outskirts of the fire Amy spots someone who she hadn’t seen in ages and had no idea why he was in Taylorsford, and then a student goes missing – turning up with no memory of what happened and next to a body. The mystery and questions are afoot and from here we see how the story will unfold: suspects, questions and all. Driving this series forward, more than the mysteries that pop up are the characters and their relationships – feeling natural, plausible and developing in ways that honor past events and propel us forward for more. More even than in the last story, the action, lies and discoveries come fast and furious here- and perhaps feel occasionally forced in what was a rush to solve the murder and discover the culprit. Not quite as many red-herrings, and moments of unevenness in pacing and forward motion made this the least successful of the series - but still wholly enjoyable. It’s a clever escape to a small town where the personal connections are clearly as intriguing and interesting as the mysteries – the series has plenty to offer as it is clear, from development and time passing, to see changes in connections, a sense of ‘home’ from Amy and plenty of humor and history as Taylorsford is described and its history revealed. Narration for this story is again provided by Colleen Marlo – and her ability to present the story, allowing for moments one needs to process information, without guiding listeners to any one specific conclusion is a solid asset to this series. While the zanier characters are allowed their moments, the descriptions, conversations and Amy’s character are allowed to feel natural and plausible: she’s someone you want to know – and travelling through a mystery with her is much like an adventure- her curiosity is never-ending and her ability to sort through it all, even with the deceptions, is enjoyable. While not my favorite in the series, this was a solid installment that tied neatly to the books before it, and gave me more to look forward to with the next. I received an AudioBook copy of the title from Tantor Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.