Empty Shell

De: Ashley Fontainne

Narrado por: Sara Morsey

A pair of pink, silk underwear...

The quiet world of Melody and Jack Dickinson is about to be turned upside down. Twenty years of marriage hangs in the balance when Melody finds out about Jack's infidelity. The betrayal is made worse when Melody discovers his lover is Serena Rowland, a young woman who works at Melody's law firm.

A receipt from an overpriced hotel...

Harsh words are exchanged before Melody storms off to work, determined to have Serena fired. But when Melody hears Serena was murdered over the weekend, everything changes. Serena's body is found beaten and strangled with a pair of pink, silk panties, in the same hotel that Jack had admitted staying at over the weekend. Within seconds of hearing the news, Melody's life spins out of control when Jack calls in a panic. The police are at their home to arrest him for Serena's murder.

Pictures of a young woman's scantily clad torso on a cell phone...

Was she married to a monster? One who beat and strangled the young woman to death, or was Jack set up? Did Melody's own dark secret, hidden inside her heart for years, have something to do with the nightmare they suddenly find themselves in?

Melody and Jack are about to discover that one fateful mistake will destroy many.

©2014 Ashley Fontainne (P)2014 Ashley Fontainne

Worth a listen

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. I found the book to be quite interesting and captivating.

Another great book from Ashley Fontainne!

Any additional comments?

Rating: 4 Stars
Title: Empty Shell
Author: Ashley Fontainne
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense
Audio: 12 Hours 45 Minutes
Length: 385 Pages

Who killed the perky, little rich trollop? Melody’s husband of twenty years, Jack, is caught with his pants down and evidence is piling up against him so fast that he’s arrested for the murder scant hours after her body is found. ASHLEY FONTAINNE spins another solid suspenseful tale in EMPTY SHELL.

My husband and I listened to EMPTY SHELL in the audio version when on a cross country trip. I have to admit that there were events in the book that had us looking at each other with our mouths hanging open, never expecting some of the twists in this book. EMPTY SHELL is a great story, has great characters, and great unexpected twists and turns.

The only criticism I have in this book is the main character, Melody. I’m still not sure if I liked her or not. Ms. Fontainne’s female characters are always strong which I enjoy tremendously, but she seemed weak to me, placing blame on others for their actions and then in a complete reversal taking it on herself, which didn’t sit well with me considering the circumstances. This happened a couple of times in the book and it just didn’t come off as something that would actually happen in real life.

If you like mysteries, thrillers and suspenseful reading with strong plots and many surprises, pick this one up. You won’t be disappointed!

Great Read

Any additional comments?

Empty Shell by Ashley Fontaine was a good read. Melody and Jack have a seemingly quiet life that is about to be turned upside down. After a long marriage Melody discovers that Jack has betrayed her by cheating with someone she works with. This was a good book that I enjoyed reading.

A Magnificent and Thrilling Read.

Any additional comments?

This is the second book I've read by Ashley Fontainne and honestly she is fast becoming an author that I will read anything by her. She is a master of suspense and intrigue!!

Melodys life is changed forever when she finds a pair of panties in her husbands briefcase. It's not just the fact that her husband cheated on her with someone she works with, it's the fact that that someone turned up beaten to death in the hotel room where the affair was taking place, it's also the fact that her husband is the number one suspect and is arrested for the murder! How is she supposed to live with the fact that her husband is a monster? Despite his continued declaration of innocence, the evidence is overwhelming and she may just have to face the facts. But is all as it seems? Who can Melody believe and how can she piece her life back together?

So ya, this book was so so good. I flew through this book in a matter of 2 days and was sad to turn the last page.

My heart broke for Melody so any times. Her life is turned on it's axis and poor Melody struggles to fix it. She loves her husband and is heartbroken when she finds out he cheated. They haven't been getting on well lately but Melody never thought he could betray her so completely. Then to hear that he may be a murderer!! It devastated her but she plows along because what else is there to do. She was such a strong character and I loved that about her. What she has to go through through out the book was horrible yet she kept her belief and her fighting spirit.

This author sure knows how to throw the reader off the scent. At no stage did I figure out the villain and for me that is a major bonus! I thought I knew who it was but I had no idea! She also makes her characters so believable and easily relatable. They are well thought out and developed.

Overall, Empty Shell was a magnificent and thrilling read. Through out the story there are twists and turns that will leave you reeling. There is betrayal, death, mystery and lies as well as shocking secrets revealed. You are left with a sense of shock and awe at the way Ashley Fontainne can grab you and leave you breathless.

I listened to the audio of this and loved it! Sara Morsey really did an awesome job of portraying Melody and her strength as well as her sorrow. She had a way of telling the story that was effortless and appealing.

Love, betrayal, murder, family, lies, & redemption

I found this book to be one of the most well-rounded and enjoyable listens that I have come across in quite some time. I have to admit that I have a preconceived set of expectations with just about every book I pick up; this story exceeded all expectations in every category.

I do not want to even hint at any spoilers, but as the title of this review implies, there is something for everyone in this book (even if you are looking for a little sex, violence and substance use). Add to those a significant number of plot twists and suspense resulting in a listen that was difficult to put down. Being a murder mystery, there is a good deal of suspense (though not the edge of your set type) with the perpetrator of the crime(s) being withheld until the very end.

Te characters and story-line are all well developed with just the right amount of background information that you seems as thought you know each one fairly intimately, without getting bogged down. The characters and scenes blend effortlessly throughout the entire book and it is done in a way that you aren't left trying to recall who the heck was that guy/gal or reference. The listener, at least I was, is made to feel as though they are almost a part of the story. This is due to the fact that the story is very very believable and touches upon the very things that many people experience to some degree in their own lives. I could relate and/or empathize with many of the scenes and situations throughout the story.

As for the story, itself, it exemplifies the ripple effect that one person's mistake or poor decision can set of a series of events that leads to the pain, suffering, and even deaths of so many others. Our actions do not take place in a vacuum and the story shows the profound effect a single (in some cases a few) misdeed can have over the course of a lifetime. The story also speaks volumes to the power of forgiveness (or lack thereof) and redemption. How God can use even most difficult trials and tribulations of life and relationships to grow the individuals involved. In my opinion, one the neatest achievements of this book was how the author could effectively weave sex, murder, deceit, and the strength found in the love of God into a suspense story. No doubt it works, as no single aspect of the book overshadows any of the others.

Finally, the narrator did a fantastic job in audibly differentiating between the several different characters (both male and female) which went a long way to bringing the story to life. Great use of inflection with out the over-dramatization that some fall into portraying all the different emotions and turmoil the characters were experiencing.. The narration only served to enhance a really good book. I would recommend this audible book to a wide variety of listeners as it is well worth the time and credit/price.

I hope others find this review helpful in making their reading/listening choices. Also, I would like to note, was supplied a free copy of this audiobook by the author in return for an unbiased review.

character oriented suspense story

Empty Shell is a character oriented suspense story that combines murder mystery with Christianity.

Melody discovers that Jack, her husband of 20 odd years, has been having an affair with a younger woman. To make matters worse, this woman, Serena, has been working alongside Melody, who is a paralegal in a prominent law firm. But it doesn't end there. Melody then discovers that Serena has just been found murdered in a hotel room. And to top it all off, all the evidence points to her cheating husband Jack as the number one suspect. When he is arrested and locked up, Melody's world is threatening to fall apart, but she has the help and support of her best friend, her mother, her husband's best friend and her boss Roger, and above all, her faith. All is not as it seems though, and Melody slowly works out that maybe she should have believed Jack's pleas of being innocent in the murder of Serena. Melody sets out to find justice for Jack, as more and more lies, secrets and cover-ups are revealed.

Empty Shell started off really strong. The characters are well drawn and you really get a feeling for each one. As the story went on though, the frequent references to religion became a bit too much for me. The story really focuses in on Melody's emotions and her feelings of guilt. That part is well executed and will certainly tug at some listeners' heartstrings. I would have liked more of a thrilling mystery with a murderer that was less easy to predict. However, as a slow-burn cozy mystery, this is well written and if you enjoy Christian fiction, then this will definitely appeal.

I enjoyed the narration more than I did the book if that makes sense. Empty Shell is written from the first person perspective of Melody, and Sara Morsey suited that character perfectly. Her narration was very natural and delivered with a wonderful Southern drawl that made Melody come alive. She sounded just as you would Melody expect to sound. She was equally skillful with the different male characters. All characters sounded like authentic people, no silly voices here. There were no problems with the production.

Audiobook provided for review by the author.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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Very Interesting Listen

Really enjoyed the story and narration. This tale has it all~love, loss, faith, murder, mystery, and so many twists and turns. I loved Melody, the main character, and most of her friends (especially Regina, Mel's best friend). Highly recommended.

If I wanted a Sermon, I'd Go to Church

I was captured by the premise of this book, not because the idea was particularly novel, but because I expected a novel about real people dealing with real secrets, real tragedies and real life.
By the halfway point, most of what I read was dialogue between the characters, internal dialogue, and preachiness. The main character receives insight from dreams and buys it completely, believing it's from God. And the idea that she forgives her husband for his infidelity because she emotionally shut down when she found out she couldn't have kids... as a woman, I'm offended. I feel like I was deceived by the book's premise; I wanted a mystery, but by the time I got there I had to slog through sermonizing and internal and external dialogue that didn't progress the story.

I thought I liked the narrator's reading; it wasn't bad but wasn't great... and I have the impression that her southern accent came and went at will...

I won't be reading more from this author, but will look at the narrator's backlist to see if there are other performances to try out.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another Triumph for Fontainne and Morsey

What did you love best about Empty Shell?

The story is so emotionally charged and driven and moved me to the core. The tragedy that Melody endures and how she gets through it is incredible. And Fontainne continues to keep me guessing with her twists and turns. Just when I think I've figured things out, I'm turned upside down on my head in the most enjoyable way. I appreciate her fearlessness in bringing such a strong and positive Godly message within this story in a way that I think we can all relate to. The struggles, pain and feelings of worthlessness and the ability to find strength within the Lord to persevere and survive...all something that we go through and allowed me to dive deeper into Melody's plight and become emotionally involved.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Melody. She's so shattered, so many layers and yet very strong.

Have you listened to any of Sara Morsey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have enjoyed Sara's performances before in another of Ashley Fontainne's books and have found them to be a solid combination of strong narration and emotionally driven story that goes hand in hand. Sara masters the subtly of Ashley's characters that make them easy to relate to, believable and like-able. She really pulls you into the story with her performance in such a way that isn't distracting but still riveting enough to make me want to only concentrate on her storytelling.

Prepare yourself a whirlwind

So many twists and turns but loved every bit of it and as usual the person you trust the most is the one who betrays you. Great read.
I received this free for an honest review.