Near You

By: Mary Burton

Narrated by: Melissa Moran

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

In a scorching novel of obsession and revenge, New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton ignites fear in the heart of a woman targeted by a killer who knows her secrets.

Forensic psychologist and single mother Ann Bailey has joined forces with Montana Highway Patrol officer Bryce McCabe. An expert in untangling the motives of depraved minds, Ann is tasked to help solve the mystery of two murdered women doused with gasoline and set aflame. 

It’s not hard for Ann to be reminded of the charismatic Elijah Weston, who served a decade in prison for arson - a crime that nearly cost Ann her life. Elijah may have been exonerated, but the connection to these rage killings is impossible for Ann to ignore. One of the victims has been identified as an obsessed Elijah groupie. Elijah has obsessions, too. Ever since Ann returned to town, he can’t take his eyes off her. And as a mother with a secret, she’s the perfect victim for an infatuated psychopath.

The deeper Ann and Bryce’s investigation goes, the nearer they get to each other and to danger. After another murder hits close to home, Ann fears a clue is hidden in her own past. Only one thing terrifies her more than the reveal of her long-held secret. It’s that the secret itself has put Ann into a killer’s line of fire.

©2021 by Mary Burton. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Better than the first one!

Yeah, I liked this book so much better than the first one. Things really get shaken up in Montana with this sequel.

Riveting story!

Ann has a secret...someone knows that secret and is intent on getting revenge. Forensic pathologist, Ann Bailey, is good at her job and she is intent on providing that Elijah Weston is guilty for the recent murders of two women...who had been doused in gasoline and burned. But what if the real killer is closer than she thinks? Can Ann protect her sin from a killer who knows her secret? Riveting story and worth the read/listen.

Finished in a day

Mary Burton is an amazing author! Every one of her books is always good. Melissa Moran is a good narrator too.

Good listen

This was a good listen. Narration was okay. Melissa Moran isn't the best but I have definitely heard worse.

What it lacked in narration I think it made up for in story. I guessed who it was about half way in. but it still held my attention.

It would have been nice to know beforehand that there was a previous book. But I wasn't completely lost.

Narration distracting and story predictable

It was obvious very early on who the killer was, so there wasn’t much mystery to it. The main issue for me was the narrator — I’m not sure how to describe it, but her reading was kind of robotic and/or overly formal. I’m not sure if that’s was the way she read or the book itself, but both could have benefited from a contraction every now and then.

Good story.

I enjoyed this story and it’s predecessor “Burn You Twice”. However, the perpetrator in both books being easy to detect very early (IMO at least). I will be watching for Ms. Burton’s upcoming books and hope they will revolve around at least one, if not both, of the single male characters finding love.

Good crime fiction

A good storyline but Melissa Moran doesn’t change the voices between the characters enough for me. I really like Mary Burton’s books , they are usually a bit darker than this one but it’s still a good suspenseful story

Romance disguised as mystery/suspense

Some soft porn throughout the book. I figured out who the murderer was right away. I wish there had been more focus on forensic psychology aspect and less romance.

Great Author

I really enjoy reading books by this author. I did notice that contractions aren’t used frequently which makes for unnatural conversation when listening to audible book.

Terrible narrator

The narrator sounds like an early reader the way she emphasizes each syllable in a complete monotone with awkward pauses. I can't even rate the book because she was so terrible.