Take the Monkeys and Run (A Barbara Marr Murder Mystery #1)

A Barbara Marr Murder Mystery

De: Karen Cantwell

Narrado por: Nan McNamara

Film lover Barbara Marr is a typical suburban mom living the typical suburban life in her sleepy little town of Rustic Woods, Virginia. Typical, that is until she sets out to find the missing link between a bizarre monkey sighting in her yard and the bone chilling middle-of-the-night fright fest at the strangely vacant house next door. When Barb talks her two friends into some seemingly innocent Charlie's Angels-like sleuthing, they stumble upon way more than they bargained for and uncover a piece of neighborhood history that certain people would kill to keep on the cutting room floor.

©2010 Karen Fraunfelder Cantwell (P)2014 Karen Fraunfelder Cantwell

‘nod and a wink’ to the listener is omnipresent

AudioBook Review:
Stars Overall: 5 Narration: 5 Story 4

This is my second encounter with both this author and narrator, and I was utterly delighted with this pairing again.

Take the Monkeys and Run is the first in the Barbara Marr mystery series, and while it has a clever murder mystery at its heart, the hijinks and humor add to the story and present Barbara as a character with a singular ability to function when all around her is chaos.

Recently divorced with no real explanation for the dissolution, she is still in love with Howard and can’t quite really move beyond those emotions, even though there is a very willing and interested man in her circle, Colt, a PI who steps in to help her solve the mystery. But, Barbara has much more to deal with – a troop of monkeys have suddenly appeared, and the vacant house next door is suddenly sounding like an episode of Scream. While I was expecting a shrunken head (from the monkey references) that didn’t happen, but the murder and the associated sorting out the whodunit was fun, funny and clever.

Told in Barbara’s voice, I love her growth in confidence: thinking of herself as ditzy and rather useless, if not dumb she is far more together than her comforting ‘go to’ persona would have you believe. This entire story was an experience, from her growth and increase in self-confidence to the funny mystery that was referenced to and influenced by several films. While far more lighthearted than most murder mysteries, these are more wacky and out of the box, fueled by caffeine and sugar with the associated silly moments that are common in say, I Love Lucy reruns.

Narration is provided by Nan McNamara and as in my first encounter with her presentation, I loved her approach and style. Her ‘nod and a wink’ to the listener is present throughout the more outrageous moments, and her character presentation is spot on. Slight distinctions between characters presented with pitch and cadence changes work to keep the flow smooth without distracting the listener. I couldn’t imagine, after finishing this listen, another narrator presenting the title.

Overall, while there were some moments that I found over the top, I was expecting a fun, funny and outrageous story, and that is exactly what I got. Cantwell has a unique sense of humor that shows through in her writing, and made this a perfect introduction to the Barbara Marr mysteries.

I received an audiobook copy of the title from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

It was okay; no glaring errors

(As posted in GoodReads)
It didn't do much for me. There were no glaring errors in the plot, but it still wasn't that fabulous. Oh well, sigh…

Cute story

Karen Cantwell has written a nice first book in a new series. Nan McNamara did a good job of bringing the characters to life. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, you won't want to miss this one.

Hilarious Entertainment!

Other reviews have already outlined the plot, so I will just give my opinion of the book.
I read the book and liked it so much that now a couple years later, I listened to the audio book. The writing is very well crafted and the plot leads you on a rollercoaster ride of hilarious escapades. Throw in a soccer mom, an estranged husband that looks like George Clooney, an ex-boyfriend and some mafia characters and you are in for an entertaining ride!
I have already read book 2 and plan to read the rest in the series and anxiously wait for more!

Cute

Cute. A bit over the top, but in good fun. Glad it's first in a series, looking forward to the next.

Wonderfully quirky mystery!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This murder mystery is exciting, kooky and fun. A wild ride that you don't want to get off of. I laughed out loud and sat on the edge of my seat.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The reader is brought along with the main character on her crazy adventures by exciting and colorful details.

What about Nan McNamara’s performance did you like?

Nan McNamara was an artist! Her talent brought all of the characters to life.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Monkeys, murder & mayhem!

Any additional comments?

I will be enjoying all of Barbara Marr's adventures!

Great Clean Title to Listen to in Mixed Company

Would you listen to Take the Monkeys and Run (A Barbara Marr Murder Mystery #1) again? Why?

I would absolutely listen to this again. It's funny, the performance was engaging, it's safe to listen to with others around. In other words, it wasn't a story that I would feel that I would have to turn off if someone walked into the room.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I loved this plot, although it reminded me somewhat of the movies that Barbara Marr is so fond of. Not a bad thing. It was a fun, engaging listen.

Any additional comments?

Narrators can make or break an audio book. Nan McNamara did an outstanding job. I could picture every character in my head as I fell in love with the entire motley crew!

Fun

You will enjoy this fun filled murder mystery! Great on a road trip, at the beach or summer vacation to fill in those lazy days of summer.

Really goofy

While this was a very goofy book I actually finished it. So I guess it wasn't too bad. It is unlike any other murder mystery you will ever listen to because it is too light-hearted and ridiculous.

Murder in the Suburbs

I had only experienced one series by this author before, and it left me thoroughly captivated. So naturally, I was eagerly anticipating diving into this new installment. I'm delighted to say it was a fantastic choice. From the very beginning, I found myself drawn to the characters, except for the husband, who struck me as rather insufferable. This, I realized, was a testament to the author’s skill in crafting complex and engaging personalities.

The novel is a delightful romp filled with light-hearted humor, featuring a witty and charming narrator named Barbara Marr. She exudes warmth and tenacity, radiating such infectious energy that you’d definitely want her on your team if you were tackling any sort of criminal investigation.

Barbara, a quintessential suburban mom, leads a seemingly ordinary life in her quiet little town of Rustic Woods, Virginia. However, her world takes a peculiar turn when she decides to investigate the strange connection between an unexpected monkey sighting in her backyard and the eerie disturbances at the vacant house next door during the dead of night. With her quick wit and adventurous spirit, Barb manages to persuade her two friends to join her in a lighthearted, Charlie’s Angels-style sleuthing mission. What begins as a simple exploration quickly escalates into an adventure that unravels deeply buried secrets of the neighborhood—secrets that some residents would go to great lengths to keep hidden.

As I read, I found myself laughing out loud, captivated by the clever banter and hilarious escapades shared among Barbara and her friends. Their interactions were filled with such sharp wit that I often found myself getting upset with her husband whenever Barbara expressed a desire to see him. The story takes an unexpected turn with a twist ending that, while I probably should have anticipated it, caught me off guard in the most delightful way.

Nan McNamara, the talented narrator, brought the story to life with her superb performance. She imbued each character with distinct voices and unique quirks, allowing me to easily connect with them as they navigated their quirky little world. Her narration was like a symphony of personalities, each playing its part in making the experience utterly enjoyable and memorable.