Mariachi Meddler

An Andy Veracruz Mystery, Book 1

By: D.R. Ransdell

Narrated by: Philip Anthony-Rodriguez

Andy Veracruz leads a mariachi band in Southern California, but when the owner leaves town and asks Andy to take charge, the restaurant turns to chaos. Andy sidesteps Rolando’s flirtatious wife, but when Yiolanda is implicated in a colleague’s death, the musician isn’t sure whether to help her or turn her in. He pops up to Vegas to learn more about her past but returns with a longer list of suspects than before. He asks his look-alike brother to cover for him at the restaurant while he snoops around, but can he outwit a murderer before it’s too late?

Join amateur sleuth Andy on his quest to save the restaurant and his band members too!

Author D.R. Ransdell plays the violin in mariachi band in Tucson, Arizona. Between scheming colleagues and curious customers, her night job gives her plenty of ideas for fictional plots. For her day job, she teaches composition at the University of Arizona.

Narrator Philip Anthony-Rodriguez makes his audiobook debut with this starter to the Andy Veracruz series. He currently is recurring on both The Lincoln Lawyer and Bosch: Legacy, and had decades of TV and Broadway experience.

©2023 D.R. Randsell (P)2025 Leonardo Audio

Excellent Book, Excellent Performance--5 Stars

I very much enjoyed this audiobook! The story is strong and engaging and the performance by Philip Anthony-Rodriquez was top notch. It really was a performance, not just a narration! He does a great job with the voices, sounds, and the feeling behind the words.

Author D. R. Ransdell really understands men and musicians, capturing the naivety and immaturity of her narrator and protagonist, Andy Veracruz. Andy and most of his buddies in the Mariachi band are sex-obsessed and commitment-averse, which struck me as quite accurate for a lot of men in their 20s and 30s. Ransdell must have heard a lot of this during her music career, because it rings true to my ears! Andy wants to understand the truth, but can he show any restraint when a beautiful and enticing woman pursues him? And can he stay alive as danger approaches and the more victims emerge? Listen (or read!) to find out.

Great listen

I really enjoyed both the story and the narrator’s performance. This story did something that I really enjoyed which was have the main character behave like a normal person would when thrown into a similar situation. No average Joe instantly morphing into a super hero or other fake plot designs.

Mariachi Mystery Tale - authentic voices

Great job by the narrator. The tale is intriguing but a bit too long to firmly hold interest. Will enjoy seeing how Andy Veracruz does in the follow up book.

A sharp, fast-paced mystery with real personality.

Mariachi Meddler is fun, unpredictable, and full of color. D.R. Ransdell drops you into a world of music, jealousy, and murder, and Andy Veracruz makes for a great guide—relatable, flawed, and in way over his head.

The real standout here is Philip Anthony-Rodriguez, who brings the whole thing to life with a confident, character-rich performance. Every voice feels distinct and lived-in, and there’s an ease to his narration that keeps you locked in from start to finish. I can't wait to hear what he does next.

Another smart pick from Leonardo Audio, which is quietly building something pretty special.