Dark Beach: A Coastal Carolina Romantic Mystery, Book 2

By: Doug Burris

Narrated by: Anna Starr

Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Dark Beach is book two of the Coastal Carolina Romantic Mystery series. Book one of the series, Young Love Lost, is a previous #1 in Kindle Top 100 Free with more than 100,000 downloads. For your best enjoyment, the series should be heard in order, although Dark Beach can be a stand-alone...

What happens when the quiet coastal town of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, is terrorized by a sadistic killer?

David Jennings and Mary Roberts expected their life to return to normal after devastating events nearly tore them apart. But moving forward isn't easy with the ghost of their past still haunting them. Mary is trying to forget the past, but David is stuck there.

Then one dark night, as he strolls along the beach, David discovers the body of a missing mayor. Her death was brutal, and it has people whispering about cults, Satanists, and witches.

As the bodies begin to pile up, fears spiral out of control. Witches are called out, but Mary doesn't believe the nature-loving Wiccans she knows could be so evil.

Dark Beach is a romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat to the bitter end.

©2015 Doug Burris (P)2015 Doug Burris

A Great Story

Would you listen to Dark Beach: A Coastal Carolina Romantic Mystery, Book 2 again? Why?

No, I don't re-listen/read a book once it's been read.

What did you like best about this story?

I really liked that faced with all the controversy and such Mary and David were able to stay together.

Which character – as performed by Anna Starr – was your favorite?

I don't really have a favorite. I liked all the characters as the narrator brought them all to life. She had a really smooth voice so it made the story flow.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I felt sadness through out the story when the main characters Mary and David went through their troubles and what had happened to them in the past. I really liked the cleansing they did.

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com.

good book

"I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com.”
i really enjoyed this book

murder and witches and sand, oh my!

This is one of those books that is difficult for me to review, because it is a “borderline” book. There are elements in it that appealed to me very much, and others that emphatically didn’t. I had not read the first book in this series, but the author made it easy enough for me to orient myself and catch up on past events, without detracting from the new story.
While some of the plotting was excellent and nicely complicated, it wasn’t as developed as I like. For a mystery plot to work, there should be some strong foundations, so that, when everything is complete, we can trace the indications of the villain’s identity back through well placed incidents in the book, and that foundation just wasn’t there. Oh, there were hints about the perpetrator, but they were entirely too fleeting, and too vague, because when we learned the motivation, it came as a surprise, and I found myself thinking “where did *that* come from?” Also, although the author uses some standard devices they aren’t used very effectively. Again, having the least suspicious of the cast the perpetrator isn’t new by any stretch, but in this case, it just wasn’t grounded thoroughly enough.

Also, with a few exceptions, many of the characters were one dimensional and almost “off the shelf”. Had this book been just a bit more thorough in its construction, and the characters been a bit more 3 dimensional, this could have been a really fine mystery story, because all the elements are there, as well as both a lovely setting and the addition of what turned out to be both a minor distraction and a unique side plot.

I did very much like the way the author handled the relationship of the main characters, and the way they resolved, or at least began the process of resolving, the effects of their past traumas.

I have always maintained that a narrator’s performance couldn’t ruin a book for me, but the performance of this narrator very nearly did. For one thing, I found her voice unpleasant, (though that is my personal taste, and has nothing to do with her abilities). It is too high and too child like for me to listen to for extended periods of time. Also, her rate of speech was too fast, she slurred her words, and her expression was flat.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for this unbiased review from AudioBookBlast dot com.

Romantic suspense at it's best!

**I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another great listen by Doug Burris. I do suggest reading Young Love Lost first, the background is helpful, but this book can stand alone. You always wonder what happens to the couple after the first book ends, and so many times an author does not give you the opportunity to see. Doug Burris brings you to the next stage of David and Mary's life, along with some suspense and romance. I loved this book. From the beginning, it was intriguing with the scene of Sarah Jennings...is she dead? I am thinking she isn't but you just can't tell. Jump to David and Mary setting up house, going to school, stumbling on dead bodies, getting new jobs, introducing new characters...and who is killing these people? During the book several times I had different suspects in my mind. Since I couldn't decide, it made this book all the more fun.

Anna Starr gives another great performance, keeping the voices for the characters she used in the first book, which I absolutely love with a narration. If you love romantic suspense, read these...and hope there is a third.

Second in Series

Was looking forward to catching up with Mary and David but was disappointed that they did not seem like the same characters from YOUNG LOVE LOST. David was having a hard time and Mary's attitude annoyed me at times. Personally, I did not care for the Wicca theme throughout and the mystery ended rather unbelievably but the epilogue was good.

I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com

Death to Mayors

Being a mayor in Atlantic Beach is a deadly position as both the mayor and then the succeeding mayor are murdered. David who is having a hard time coping with his father's death, his guilt over his girl friend's abduction and the betrayal by his sociopathic mother discover's the first mayor's body while walking the beach.

David and Mary are in a crisis in their relationship due to the issues that they both and especially David has to come to grips with. The detective Sam Rogers is encouraging David to consider law enforcement as a profession.

The story is good and entertaining but could be stronger and more well developed. For example there could of been a more detailed history and psychological make up regarding the villain. It wasn't a three star story however it wasn't quite on the level of a story that I usually give 4 stars to. However I am hooked on the series and am looking forward to the next book.

The main draw back is the narration. The narrator does a good job giving each character his/her own distinctive voice. The problem is that the narrator sounds like an elementary school child reading in front of the classroom.

I really feel for David and hope he can get his life on track. Fortunately he has two people, Mary and detective Sam Rogers in his corner.

“I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot come”

Well written mystery

If you could sum up Dark Beach: A Coastal Carolina Romantic Mystery, Book 2 in three words, what would they be?

Quick easy read

Any additional comments?

I was provided a copy of the audio version of this book to review.

This is a sequel of a previous book, which I have not read. This book does well as a stand-alone book. There were references to the story line of the previous book but not enough that you would get lost.

The story line is about a young couple that are both coping with tragedy in their past and live their daily lives as town leaders are being murdered around them.

It is well written and well narrated. It holds your attention from beginning to end.

I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of the authors work.

Boring narrator

least liked narrator. Very boring cadence with a repetitive beat. No change for different people. Ruined the book