Before There Were Skeletons

A Marketville Mystery

By: Judy Penz Sheluk

Narrated by: Laurie Harmon

Length: 7 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

The last time anyone saw Veronica Goodman was the night of February 14, 1995. The only clue to her disappearance was a silver heart-shaped pendant found in the parking lot behind the bar where she worked. Twenty-seven years later, Veronica’s daughter, Kate, just a year old when her mother vanished, hires Past & Present Investigations to find out what happened that fateful night.

Calamity (Callie) Barnstable is drawn to the case, as the similarities to her own mother’s disappearance on Valentine’s Day in 1986 is hauntingly familiar. A disappearance she thought she’d come to terms with. That us, until Veronica’s case and five high school yearbooks take her back in time. A time before there were skeletons.

©2022 Judy Penz Sheluk (P)2023 Judy Penz Sheluk

Well written and narration well done

The story is interesting and is well written. Presentation was outstanding. I look forward to listening to more such books by both author and narrator.

Jim in Kansas City

Interesting Enough Mystery

I found the mystery investigation and follow up information that lead to some answers fascinating. Book was a bit slower then I like, also why detail information on what she ate, was not like it anything really important.
Narrator does a good job with the entire storyline.

Before there were skeletons

I found this book very similar to the others.The story was good. Narration by Laurie Harmon was very good. was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Fun listen!

full disclosure, I was given a code for an audio copy of this book. having said that, though, I very very much enjoyed this book. it had a lot of twists and turns and was really interesting since it's focused on missing persons and reuniting loved ones. The reading was very good, clear and at a really nice pace. Would recommend this book

If ever a story needed telling, this is IT!

Painstaking research, fabulous attention to detail, beautiful writing, fantastic characterization, and fabulous narration combine to make “Before There Were Skeletons” a powerful, enthralling must listen with a very real and convincing feel! Without engaging in spoilers, I think what really resonates with me is that with THIS story, like in life, not everything is tied up with a pretty bow, nicely resolved, with happy endings all around. This story rings true, and needs to be heard. I am so very glad I listened. Don’t pass this one by! Five outstanding stars!

An onion of a story

When PI Calamity (Callie) Barnstable is hired to solve the cold case of Veronica Goodman, an eighteen-year-old single mom who went missing in the small town of Miakoda Falls in 1995, she soon finds that the case is related to two other cold cases. Her search becomes analogous to an onion as she peels back layer after layer in her quest for the truth.

Not every question is wrapped up and tied with a bow at the end, making this a realistic account of an investigation.

Great narration!

Interesting premise...

This was an interesting enough mystery that I listened to the full book with mild interest. It did go 100% as I’d predicted from early in, so nothing groundbreaking but it was mildly entertaining to listen to it play out.

Based on this read, would I read more from this author? I’d be open to it IF someone else produced the audio.

Overall for the story:
3 stars.

Audio:
The narrator has a rather weak voice that I could only endure in small doses. Obviously this is subjective and I’m sure plenty of people enjoy her.

The production itself has some quality issues—it sounded like maybe the narrator was far away from the mic, or something like that? For a few chapters, there would be a noticeable difference as it abruptly sounded as if she was under water. Then it’d abruptly switch back. Both options were hard to take.
Also: the volume fluctuated. There were several times where a new chapter would start up … and the sound would all but disappear, until it went back up a chapter or two later.

Good Mystery

A good, well-written mystery. Follows PI Callie who was hired to solve a cold case of missing Veronica finding that it was connected to 2 other cold cases. The characters are relatable and the events convincing. The narrator did a great job; however, there were times it sounded like she moved away from the microphone or changed rooms, changing the sound of the narration. I found it distracting. This is book 4 of the series and the first I have read from this author. I have not read the other books in the series but believe this read well as a stand alone book.