The Broken

Echoes from the Past, Book 8

By: Irina Shapiro

Narrated by: Wendy Wolfson

Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

2015. When the skeletal remains of a dismembered infant are found in an elderly couple’s garden, Quinn is called in to investigate the circumstances of the child’s death. As the case unfolds, she finds herself overwhelmed both by the tragedy she’s forced to witness and a devastating betrayal in her own life. Blindsided, Quinn must examine her own choices before she loses everything she holds dear.

1955. When Helen meets David, she thinks she’s finally met her soulmate, a man who not only loves her but understands her and shares her hopes for the future. When she stumbles onto a long-buried secret, she finds herself on a collision course with destiny and discovers that disaster can strike in unexpected ways.

©2019 Merlin Press LLC (P)2020 Irina Shapiro

The Broken

This is a fantastic series that I really enjoyed I love how the Author tided all the ends up. The Author has brought to fruition a fantastic series of stories in a very unique way that really kept me captivated. I could not put this listen down until I was done listening to it. The Author has done a fantastic job with this series and The Narrator has done a fantastic job with all the voices of the characters as well. I would love to see this series made into a series. But I definitely recommend this series the Author has a very creative mind and created a fantastic series. If I could give it more than 5 stars I definitely would.
Shauna Joesten

A Perfect Ending

In 2015 Dr. Quinn Allenby is called to inspect the skeletal remains of an infant for the hit TV show Echoes from the Past, a program that “solves” old murders and deaths from centuries ago. A mother herself, the work is especially difficult, as the remains have been tampered with and the skeleton is new enough that, for the first time, the family might be still alive. But with the help of a broach found with the baby, she’ll work to put a name to the remains.

In 1955 nurse Helen meets David, who sweeps her off her feet. At first, their courtship is secretive, as Helen’s mother despises the thought of her only child being whisked away. And once they’re allowed to wed, Helen believes herself to be the luckiest woman alive. But when a chance discovery in her mother’s bedroom threatens not only her marriage, but her immortal soul, Helen will have to decide if the truth is worth her happiness.

Through the decades, a secret has been kept, one buried in the garden of an unassuming London home.

As always, I was immediately drawn into the story in a way I’m normally not when it comes to most books. Falling back into Quinn’s complicated life with her messy, extended family is always fun, as is following her into the past to untangle the life of someone who’s only left bones behind. Her tale is one of back stabbing siblings, unreliable parents, and a marriage stronger than most I read about. She has to fight for the shreds of normalcy like packing her daughter Emma’s lunch for school and setting up coffee meetings with her boss in between fact checking her visions.

Since this is the last book in the series, I’ll miss it greatly. The way Shapiro is able to weave the past and present together to form a seamless story is something I’ll always admire. She ended the series in a strong, yet organic, way where most storylines are tied up, and while the future is uncertain for some of the cast, they’ve all more or less ended up just where they needed to be.

Overall, and as always, I recommend this book, and all of Echoes from the Past to all contemporary and historical fiction fans who are looking for their next 5 star read.

Superb bit if entrancing storytelling.

History, Scifi, and Romance. What else would you want? Irina is consistent in her ability to provide you with hours of adventure.

Wonderful Series

Echoes from the Past is a wonderful series for those of us to enjoy time travel. Irina Shapiro has written stories that provide excitement and adventure not only in the story of the past lives but also in the main characters lives. It was hard for me to stop listening and once finished with one book eager to begin the next one.
Wendy Wolfson was a excellent choice to narrate this series.

Audible please provide more books by Irina Shapiro

Love This Series!

This story in the Echoes from the Past Series was really great. Based on the time period of the story of the “past”, I had a foreboding while listening to this story and knew what was in store for Helen and David. There’s plenty of dreadful surprises in both of the stories in this book, and both the conclusion and the shocking epilogue will leave you thinking about the events of this book well past its end. (I had a premonition, though, that this is what really happened…) I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Wow!

Epilog...I didn’t see that coming!! Another great book Irina...
Please write another in the series 😢.
Quinn’s brother tipped the creep meter. So let’s have him take over for Quinn with her as an advisor

Extraordinary!!

Love! Pain! Hate! And confusion. One feels it all in reading these beautiful books and I’m sure so does the author Irina Schapiro. I look forward to reading her next book like I would look forward to a good meal after three days of hunger except after meal your sated, after reading her books, you want more more and more.
I would recommend this book to everyone and I gave it a 100% five star review because that’s what it is one of the best. Excellent narration also thank you to both.

The Broken

Echoes from the Past is a great series! The characters are interesting and well developed. I love Irina Shapiro’s story telling method using two time periods in this series and her “Wonderland” series. I hope she writes some new series with dual time periods exploring mysteries in ancient civilizations with modern characters. Wendy Wolfson’s performance was terrific!

Review of all eight in the series

This series is one of the best I’ve ever read. Each book focuses on an episode of a TV program for the BBC. Over the 8 books the cast of characters is large but Ms Shapiro expertly weaves their storyline into that of the main character. While many of the loose ends are tied up by the end of this series, to me the sign of a good storyteller is when you want to be able to grab the next book because you still want to know more about all of the characters. Since joining Audible I’ve read at least 100 books and enjoyed all of them but this is my first review, it was that good!

We all have secrets

Oh my! So many secrets that affect so many lives. I’ll admit that I didn’t read the other books in this series. The idea of the mystery of the dismembered baby is what caught my attention. Some of the characters back stories were a bit confusing because I didn’t read the other books, but it didn’t matter to me. I was hooked! Great suspense, great plot. I’ll be looking into more books in this series!

The final book in the series

In this final book of the series, Quinn is called to a body of a baby. It is found in the garden of a couple who only bought the house a short while ago. The baby has no limbs. Just a torso with a head, wrapped up in a scarf with a broche of the letter H on it. You can't imagine what could have gone wrong here, but as you continue things get clearer and the title says it all. In her personal life everything goes haywire. Jo, her newfound twin sister is not the sister she imagined her to be. Gabe is being seduced but his love for Quinn and their kids is too strong to even think about it. But it strains the marriage. On top of that, Quinns brother from America turns up to apologise again for his actions back in Louisiana. And he will do everything in his power to get through to her. The end is thrilling, and it leaves you with soo much emotions. But that is what Irina is so good with. You're addicted from start to finish. Wendy Wolfson again has done an excellent job in making this story come alive. I'm kind of sad this story has come to an end as it finishes with Quinn's retirement from the programme. But who knows, maybe at some point she will be back to have her talent work for us. I can only hope it does.

Unnecessary tragedy

Having listened to all the books in this series I have to say this one started as the most macabre in the series. Will not enlighten you with more information (no spoilers).
It saddens me that this series is coming to an end, I will no longer get to visit with Quinn & Gabe, Alex & Emma.

If you haven’t started this this series go grab it now, it is well worth it.
Wendy again has done an excellent job narrating this story.

🤩

Loved it written fantastic narrative fantastic this story had me on the edge of my Seat still the very end I didn’t see the ending coming