Out of the Shadows

A Detective Amy Sadler Mystery, Book 1

By: Michelle Arnold

Narrated by: Lisa L Wiley

Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

A woman who has been missing for three months is found dead with over 200 tally marks carved into her skin. For Detective Amy Sadler, who is still recovering mentally from a past undercover operation gone wrong, the case is as unsettling as it is frustrating.

As more bodies appear with the same tally marks, Amy's only solace from the seemingly unsolvable case is the romance blooming between herself and forensic pathologist Dr. Lira Ward, a beautiful soul with a past even she doesn't understand. But that solace is shattered when the case collides with their personal lives in a way no one sees coming, and Amy is left wondering if she can salvage what they once had.

©2017 Michelle Arnold (P)2018 Michelle Arnold

Uncomfortably Good

I'll be honest... I skipped through most of the intimate and very sexual scenes because it made me feel slightly uncomfortable. This was mostly to the fact that this murder mystery story is about a serial murderer/rapist that is going around whilst two women are being intimate in detail. Other than those parts I skipped through, this was a great book. It shows the growth of a relationship and how a couple can go through the hardest of times and still come back on top; all while catching a bad guy.

"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

Detective mystery done right!

First, I have to start off by stating that I got this book free of charge in exchange for a review, but as I always state, this does not in any way impact my review. My reviews are always honest and my own.

A strong book, emotional, at times horrific, but always believable. A normal reaction to what any normal person would feel in the same situation. A very strong ending but not for one minute does the author allow readers to forget everything they went through to get there. Highly recommended.

What would you do for love?

Detective Amy Sadler has the unfortunate task of finding out exactly how far you’ll go, when her girlfriend is kidnapped! This is a really good mystery & is narrated so well by Lisa! I really enjoy Michelle’s stories & I’m happy this is book one of a series!

Very entertaining first book

An investigation series with a detective and pathologist partnership that focuses on the characters and their relationships. A mash-up of a Bones/Rizzoli and Isles relationship that develops into more as the story progresses with a backdrop of a sadistic killer causing mayhem. The book is at it's strongest when focusing on the character moments which is the majority of the book, but sometimes doesn't quite meld the investigation and character-driven storyline together perfectly. I am sure the next books will balance everything a little better and it will be as enjoyable as this book was.

The narration by Lisa L Wiley was great throughout, and really kept me engaged and entertained the entire time. I really felt like I was listening to these characters interacting together and thought Lisa captured the characters perfectly. I hope to hear more of her work in the future. The book is a solid and entertaining first book to a promising series.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Great!

The story was very intriguing. Chose to listen to it without checking reviews, was pleasantly surprised by the entire plot line. Some very cheesy moments that made me say Ugh but definitely a satisfying ending. Looking forward to the next in the series. Excellent narration!

Out of the Shadows

This was a good story.There is a serial killer and the two principal characters are a cop and a coroner.They are also a couple.I wish there had been more solving a mystery and less sex.It seemed to overwhelm the story to me.I'm not a big romance or porn fan. Lisa L Wiley did a fine job narrating. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.' 

Really great story

This was a very engaging story and the use of multiple story arcs was really fantastic.

Didn't finish

I hate to say it but I did not finish this listen. The blame falls completely on me. I did not read the synopsis well enough to know that even though this is a murder mystery, it involves two women as the romantic leads. While I have no problem with that, it was not a backstory I wanted in my ear.

For the record though, this book had an opening sequence (the murder that sets all into motion), that was so chilling and raw, I had to stop for a minute just to shake it off.

I loved the narration. For awhile, I thought the voice would be enough to make me continue. It was not.

This was a well-written book. It was incredibly well-narrated. I am just not comfortable with two female characters taking the romance helm.

Too much & too little

Maybe it’s just me, but I expected a book on murder and investigation to be more about that and less about the romance of the characters. I like the romance, but it took over the story.

Two great female protagonists make this book great

First of all: "This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."

This is not the best written thriller I've ever read. Nor is it entirely plausible. But I found it to be quite charming, and really enjoyed it.

The two female protagonists are both very likable and easy to relate to. I enjoyed the fact that they both were genuinely nice people. Too many thrillers and authors of thrillers seem to think that at least one main character needs to be a complete jerk. So I'm glad to see that pattern broken.

The story is quite engaging and moves forward in a natural way without ever losing your attention. The eventual climax and resolution are plausible and satisfying without being cheesy or formulaic.

The narrator does a great job of conveying the emotion of the events without ever losing the nice quality of voice that she has. Her voice really is quite lovely and adds more emotional depth to the relationships that develop.