Warrior Pose

Yoga Mat Mysteries

By: Susan Rogers, John Roosen

Narrated by: Rupert Degas

Skulls, Hitmen, and Deadly Secrets—One Explosive Mystery

His life at a crossroads, Ric Peters is torn between his perilous job and dreams of a future with Elaina. But their trip to New Zealand throws them into chaos as they are swept up in a whirlwind of danger and dark family secrets. As Ric grapples with accusations of murder back in Indonesia, the discovery of a mysterious skull at a toxic waste site near his family’s home deepens the mystery.

Bodies appear, old wounds reopen, and Ric’s strained relationship with his father is tested by shadows of the past. An old friend’s disappearance and deadly secrets unearthed at a chemical plant threaten to expose more than just the environmental sins of the region. When a woman’s body is found in the local hills, her face a mask of terror, the danger becomes deadly personal. With Ric's parents drawn into the fray and Elaina targeted by shadowy foes, the stakes soar. Meanwhile, Ric's friends back in Indonesia desperately need his help to evade police and a potential firing squad, relying on him from thousands of miles away.

From high-speed chases across mountainous terrain to close encounters with New Zealand’s breathtaking landscapes and quirky characters, Warrior Pose is a relentless ride through betrayal, love, and survival. Join Ric and Elaina as they navigate a labyrinth of intrigue and danger in this explosive installment of the Yoga Mat Mysteries. Dive into another thrilling chapter of the Yoga Mat Mysteries, where secrets run as deep as the tides and trust is as fleeting as the shifting sands.

©2025 Susan Rogers and John Roosen (P)2025 Susan Rogers and John Roosen

Another great listen!

This was my favorite book yet in this series. As always great story and amazing narrative! Loved learning about Rick’s family. I highly recommend!

A book that refuses to be an ambient soundtrack

Disclaimer: This Audiobook was provided free of charge by the authors in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.

You will lie to yourself at least once when you read it. Whether you choose to play the audiobook through a speaker as you bustle around your living space, with every intention of completing a set list of tasks that demand your attention. Or if you’ve opted to fill in those errant minutes in between scheduled hours that have already been spoken for by placing your headphones over your ears; it is going to happen. What you hoped would be background sound, something to sop up the ambient noises in your surroundings will become a singularity. An entity that feasts upon your time and attention for its very survival. You will try to negotiate. One minute more turns into ten minutes…then thirty, and so on. Your attempts at curbing the intrigue absorbing you right into the matrix of the action, will be entirely dishonest. Your voracious appetite will make you feel as though this story passed you by too quickly, but your conscious mind will mull it over for a long time after the final word is spoken.

As I have learned to do when listening to the previous installments in the Yoga Mat Mysteries, I make sure to keep the title in mind as I go along, using it as a thematic guide of sorts. The warrior poses ignite the most energy out of the titular asanas we have encountered so far. Initially, this felt at odds with the measured approach the main characters take in this book. We witness Ric’s abandonment of his recklessly cavalier manner when caught in a dangerous situation, and a less affected Elaina. Through an overly literal interpretation, considering the virtues of a warrior brought me to my conclusion; restraint is key, mastering the knowledge of when to strike matters more than the power behind the “blow”. Finding alignment and balance whilst in a state of physical or mental strain, standing firm in their position before making their next move allowed our two protagonists to overcome the personal, internal conflicts that have been key focal points in their journeys thus far, often rearing their heads in the previous books. From the perspective of a yoga practitioner, this felt like an internalization of the discipline's principles that other practitioners may also relate to; your practice doesn’t just end when you leave the mat, you carry it with you in all that you do. To me. It signifies an invaluable kind of growth in the characters. They are ever evolving, as are we—the readers.

This series is yet to stumble and I am confident that it never will. Book number five could not be released soon enough!

Top-Tier Storytelling, Great Series!

Ric Peters finds himself torn between a dangerous career and a future with Elaina, only to have their trip to New Zealand spiral into chaos marked by murder accusations, dark family secrets, and a mysterious skull unearthed near his childhood home. As bodies surface and long-buried wounds reopen, Ric is pulled into a web of environmental crimes, personal betrayals, and threats that strike painfully close to those he loves. Against the backdrop of New Zealand's rugged landscapes, Ric and Elaina must navigate danger, deception, and shifting loyalties in this high-stakes installment of the Yoga Mat Mysteries.

Authors Susan Rogers and John Roosen craft an engaging mystery filled with distinct characters, a richly layered plot, and unexpected twists that keep the story compelling. Their vivid, detailed descriptions bring the Australian landscape to life, immersing readers fully in the setting. Throughout the series, their main characters remain consistent and well-developed, supported by a writing style that is smooth, natural, and effortlessly engaging.

Narrator Rupert Degas delivers an intense and compelling performance, offering unique yet consistent voices that carry seamlessly across the series. He brings the story to life with remarkable depth, enriching each character through his expressive interpretation. His clear speech and well-placed tonal inflections fully immerse the listener in every moment.

This series continues to be captivating, immersive, and thrilling!

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Flawless entertainment

Warrior Pose is the fourth thrilling audiobook in the best-selling and award-winning Yoga Mat series of flawlessly written mysteries by the extremely talented authors, Susan Rogers and John Roosen.

Over the last four years, this series has become one of my favorites, and I’m always looking forward to the next adventure. As I said above, the writing is flawless as it feels both natural and effortless. It conveys professionalism and manages to successfully combine the ingredients that are always necessary for great reads: life-like characters and intriguing stories.

Warrior Pose finds Ric Peters unsuccessfully trying to balance a secret life, in which he has some unfinished business and a deepening romantic relationship with Elaina, the woman of his dreams. I love the way in which their love story has evolved in these four audiobooks, and as always, I’m curious to see where it goes next.

When you pick up this audiobook, you should get ready for some high-speed chases across mountains, close-ups with New Zealand’s breathtaking landscapes, and also for meeting some remarkable characters.

Warrior Pose promises Skulls, Hitmen, and Deadly Secrets all wrapped in one explosive mystery, and that’s exactly what it delivers. As I’m not willing to spoil any of those plot points for you, you’ll need to read the book blurb or just go in blind, exactly like I do every time when I get to enjoy one of these highly entertaining audiobooks.

Rupert Degas returns once again as the voice of choice for these captivating adventures, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. For me, as a fan of the series, he is all these characters, and only he can bring to life their stories and the superb writing in such a perfect manner. He reads, he acts, he delights and entertains with his performance, which is everything I could ever ask for.

Warrior Pose continues to build and even improve on what was already a successful recipe for great entertainment, and for that I’m more than happy.

I recommend that you pick up this audiobook, and of course, the other three in this series, as they will provide endless entertainment. Well, not quite endless, considering at some point you will finish listening to them, but definitely unforgettable entertainment.

Another exceptional installment!

Authors and Audiobook Producers Susan Rogers and John Roosen have given fans yet another riveting installment in audiobook 4 of the Yoga Mat Mysteries.  Ric thrives on living his life being pulled in every direction at once, with all the action, intense emotion, and dogged determination to which fans of the series have grown accustomed. Elaina, the yoga teacher who captured Ric’s heart, remains undaunted in facing the danger that goes hand in hand with being Ric’s one true love. Warrior Pose takes the pair on a journey to New Zealand, where Ric continues to face the challenges of a dark past, and their relationship is put to the test yet again.

The audiobook version of Warrior Pose is a must-listen for mystery and thriller fans. As a fan, I can’t recommend this installment without recommending the entire series, but I can say that any listener who chooses to devour this as a standalone will not be disappointed.

Rupert Degas’ narration is nothing short of brilliant as he takes on a multitude of characters and accents and nails each and every one. 

I am always blown away by Rogers and Roosen’s work, and this audiobook installment was no exception. As this series has grown, so has the overall writing. One of the most striking aspects of the narrative is the sheer perfection in the action sequences. With each book in this series, I have been increasingly impressed with the way the authors integrate the thrill factor.

The art of using short sentences that pack a punch and draw listeners directly into the drama is not lost on this writing team. Nowhere is this more impactful than in the scenes when Ric is fighting for his life and battling both the obstacles that await in the wilderness and lurk in the dark.

Narrator Rupert Degas, always mesmerizing in his delivery, utilizes the most wonderful pauses in narration to allow thoughts to settle in. Listeners cannot help but feel as though they are peeking over Ric’s shoulder or standing tall alongside Elaina as she shows all the strength needed to support the man she loves–the one who comes with as much baggage as he does charisma. 

Dynamics, again, are a focal point in Rogers and Roosen’s writing. As a listener who not only appreciates but craves character development in a series, I was beyond delighted to see the ebb and flow of Ric’s relationship with his father. In addition, Elaina’s vulnerability as she faces meeting Ric’s parents in this installment is touching and all too relatable. The mystery surrounding the toxic waste site and Ric’s multiple responsibilities often step aside to allow Elena’s growth to shine through, and that is a development I can definitely get behind.

Warrior Pose keeps listeners guessing to the end and into the story’s epilogue while pulling them deep inside the charm and comfort of Ric and Elaina’s relationship; it is the perfect listen!