-
It's Murder, My Son
- A Mac Faraday Mystery
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Old Loves Die Hard
- A Mac Faraday Mystery
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: James C. Lewis
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Old Loves Die Hard, Lauren Carr continues the rags-to-riches story of Mac Faraday, an underpaid homicide detective who inherits 270 million dollars and an estate on Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Mac is settling nicely into his new life at Spencer Manor when his ex-wife Christine shows up-and she wants him back! Before Mac can send her packing, Christine and her estranged lover are murdered in Mac's private penthouse suite at the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort built by his ancestors.
-
-
Lauren Carr is amazing
- By Taj-Marie Lingofelter on 02-20-19
By: Lauren Carr
-
Ice
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappears, the court of public opinion finds young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot!
-
-
Ice
- By Christy D on 05-12-18
By: Lauren Carr
-
Dead on Ice
- A Lovers in Crime Mystery
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Spunky Cameron Gates is tasked with solving the murder of Cherry Pickens, a legendary star of pornographic films, whose body turns up in an abandoned freezer. The case has a personal connection to her lover, Joshua Thornton, because the freezer was located in his cousin's basement. It doesn't take long for their investigation to reveal that the risqué star's roots were buried in their rural Ohio Valley community, something that Cherry had kept off her show business bio.
-
-
A new Lauren Carr series!
- By Lelia T on 10-16-19
By: Lauren Carr
-
Twofer Murder
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Mike Alger, Anita Alger
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The guys go away for a fishing weekend, only to get caught up in the murder of a journalist investigating fraud at a timber company. Meanwhile, the ladies are spending the weekend in the presidential suite at a posh resort, where Jessica Faraday is to accept a lifetime achievement award for her late grandmother at a murder mystery writers conference. But before they have time to get their facials, they get wrapped up in their own real mystery when an up-and-coming author ends up dead!
-
-
Good for Carr fans; not best place to start new
- By DabOfDarkness on 06-13-18
By: Lauren Carr
-
Kill and Run
- A Thorny Rose Mystery, Book 1
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: C.J. McAllister
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed. Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.
-
-
Kill and run
- By jey cee on 11-04-16
By: Lauren Carr
-
Killer Deadline
- A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery, Book 1
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Anita Alger
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist. When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life - the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.
-
-
What fun!
- By Sue Means on 08-10-20
By: Lauren Carr
-
Old Loves Die Hard
- A Mac Faraday Mystery
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: James C. Lewis
- Length: 7 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Old Loves Die Hard, Lauren Carr continues the rags-to-riches story of Mac Faraday, an underpaid homicide detective who inherits 270 million dollars and an estate on Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. Mac is settling nicely into his new life at Spencer Manor when his ex-wife Christine shows up-and she wants him back! Before Mac can send her packing, Christine and her estranged lover are murdered in Mac's private penthouse suite at the Spencer Inn, the five-star resort built by his ancestors.
-
-
Lauren Carr is amazing
- By Taj-Marie Lingofelter on 02-20-19
By: Lauren Carr
-
Ice
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Sandy Lipton and her unborn child disappears, the court of public opinion finds young Chris Matheson guilty. Decades later, the retired FBI agent returns home to discover that the cloud of suspicion cast over him and his family has never lifted. With the help of a team of fellow retired law enforcement officers, each a specialist in their own field of investigation, Chris Matheson starts chipping away at the ice on this cold case to uncover what had happened to Sandy and her baby and the clues are getting hot!
-
-
Ice
- By Christy D on 05-12-18
By: Lauren Carr
-
Dead on Ice
- A Lovers in Crime Mystery
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Mike Alger
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Spunky Cameron Gates is tasked with solving the murder of Cherry Pickens, a legendary star of pornographic films, whose body turns up in an abandoned freezer. The case has a personal connection to her lover, Joshua Thornton, because the freezer was located in his cousin's basement. It doesn't take long for their investigation to reveal that the risqué star's roots were buried in their rural Ohio Valley community, something that Cherry had kept off her show business bio.
-
-
A new Lauren Carr series!
- By Lelia T on 10-16-19
By: Lauren Carr
-
Twofer Murder
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Mike Alger, Anita Alger
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The guys go away for a fishing weekend, only to get caught up in the murder of a journalist investigating fraud at a timber company. Meanwhile, the ladies are spending the weekend in the presidential suite at a posh resort, where Jessica Faraday is to accept a lifetime achievement award for her late grandmother at a murder mystery writers conference. But before they have time to get their facials, they get wrapped up in their own real mystery when an up-and-coming author ends up dead!
-
-
Good for Carr fans; not best place to start new
- By DabOfDarkness on 06-13-18
By: Lauren Carr
-
Kill and Run
- A Thorny Rose Mystery, Book 1
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: C.J. McAllister
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed. Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.
-
-
Kill and run
- By jey cee on 11-04-16
By: Lauren Carr
-
Killer Deadline
- A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery, Book 1
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Anita Alger
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist. When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life - the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.
-
-
What fun!
- By Sue Means on 08-10-20
By: Lauren Carr
-
A Small Case of Murder
- A Joshua Thornton Mystery Series, Book 1
- By: Lauren Carr
- Narrated by: Kevin Foley
- Length: 15 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Small Case of Murder is set in the quaint town of Chester, West Virginia, where everyone knows everyone, and there is never a secret that someone doesn't know. In such a small intimate village, how many disappearances can be left unquestioned? Following the death of his wife, Joshua Thornton moves into his ancestral home across country with his five children. While clearing out the attic, the children find a 34-year-old letter to their grandmother that implicates a local minister in an unreported murder.
-
-
Great book
- By Kathy on 12-31-08
By: Lauren Carr
-
Say You're Sorry
- Morgan Dane, Book 1
- By: Melinda Leigh
- Narrated by: Cris Dukehart
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the devastating loss of her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane returns to Scarlet Falls, seeking the comfort of her hometown. Now, surrounded by family, she’s finally found peace and a promising career opportunity - until her babysitter is killed and her neighbor asks her to defend his son, Nick, who stands accused of the murder.
-
-
Trite, tired dialogue
- By C. Owley on 06-17-17
By: Melinda Leigh
-
The Boy from the Woods
- Wilde, Book 1
- By: Harlan Coben
- Narrated by: Steven Weber
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thirty years ago, Wilde was found as a boy living feral in the woods, with no memory of his past. Now an adult, he still doesn't know where he comes from, and another child has gone missing. No one seems to take Naomi Pine's disappearance seriously, not even her father - with one exception. Hester Crimstein, a television criminal attorney, knows through her grandson that Naomi was relentlessly bullied at school. Hester asks Wilde - with whom she shares a tragic connection - to use his unique skills to help find Naomi.
-
-
Coben could do a whole series on Hester!!!!
- By shelley on 03-18-20
By: Harlan Coben
-
No Place to Hide
- Cherringham. A Cosy Crime Series - Mystery Shorts 41
- By: Matthew Costello, Neil Richards
- Narrated by: Neil Dudgeon
- Length: 3 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Ed Finnlay - computer programmer and devoted father of two - goes missing, there's not a lot the local police can do. After all, Ed himself told them he would be gone... for quite some time. As the weeks go by with no news, his wife reaches out to Jack and Sarah for help. But they soon learn that there are odd secrets about this missing husband and that he might not only be gone, but also in serious danger. Can Jack and Sarah do what seems impossible.
-
-
always a treat
- By Kathryn Scarborough on 05-30-22
By: Matthew Costello, and others
-
Cross Her Heart
- Bree Taggert, Book 1
- By: Melinda Leigh
- Narrated by: Christina Traister
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide…. Until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished.
-
-
A good procedural drama with a hint of romance
- By Yara N. on 03-30-20
By: Melinda Leigh
-
Front Page Fatality
- A Nichelle Clarke Crime Thriller, Book 1
- By: LynDee Walker
- Narrated by: Therese Plummer
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When two rookie cops are killed in a fiery crash near Richmond, Virginia, crime reporter Nichelle Clarke is sent in to investigate. But as Nichelle digs deeper into the case, she discovers this was no ordinary accident. People and evidence soon begin to disappear. Someone is one step ahead of her. A master criminal with a deadly secret, covering their tracks with ruthless efficiency. The killer will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden. But as she draws closer to unraveling the mystery of two dead cops, Nichelle realizes that she's become the next target.
-
-
Love this narrator!
- By donnacdavis on 09-11-19
By: LynDee Walker
-
Heathcliff Lennox - France 1918
- By: Karen Baugh Menuhin
- Narrated by: Sam Dewhurst -Phillips
- Length: 1 hr
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Spring, 1918. The Great War is at a crucial stage, the Germans are making one last push into France, and the Allies are struggling to hold them back. Battle lines are shifting, and men, and their machines, are being sent up and down the front to shore up defenses. Major Heathcliff Lennox, and his batman Greggs, are told to report to their new HQ. They set off on a sunlit day to fly the distance, but the enemy is never far away, and disaster strikes. They're sent crashing to the ground behind enemy lines, where life, death, and love await.
-
-
Another great Heathcliff Lennox
- By Katydid65 on 06-04-21
-
The House in the Woods
- Atticus Priest, Book 1
- By: Mark Dawson
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On Christmas Eve, DCI Mackenzie Jones is called to a shooting at a remote farmhouse. Ralph Mallender believes his father lies dead inside. When three more bodies are discovered, it's clear a festive family gathering has turned into a gruesome tragedy. At first it seems like an open and shut case: a murder suicide committed by Ralph's volatile brother Cameron. Then new evidence makes Mack suspect the man who reported the crime is in fact the perpetrator. But Mack isn't the only one with a stake in the case.
-
-
Pure reading enjoyment
- By VA Barnhill - Author on 06-10-20
By: Mark Dawson
-
Grimm Up North
- A DCI Harry Grimm Crime Novel
- By: David J. Gatward
- Narrated by: Aubrey Parsons
- Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detective Chief Inspector Harry Grimm is forced to take leave from Bristol’s Major Investigations Team when his boss, tired of Harry chasing the ghost of his murderous father, sends him north on secondment. Used to city life and high stress, Harry fears his life will now be spent handing out speeding tickets, finding lost sheep, and directing tourists. But when a local teenager runs away, Harry finds himself pulled into an investigation much worse than anyone could have ever expected.
-
-
An enthralling and entertaining new mystery series
- By Diana in SC @AudiobookObsession on 03-15-21
By: David J. Gatward
-
The Life We Bury
- By: Allen Eskens
- Narrated by: Zach Villa
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran-and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.
-
-
Disappointed
- By Casey Gimbel on 12-17-19
By: Allen Eskens
-
Louisiana Longshot
- A Miss Fortune Mystery, Book 1
- By: Jana DeLeon
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It was a hell of a long shot.... CIA assassin Fortune Redding is about to undertake her most difficult mission ever - in Sinful, Louisiana. With a leak at the CIA and a price placed on her head by one of the world's largest arms dealers, Fortune has to go off-grid, but she never expected to be this far out of her element.
-
-
Disappointed but trying next in series
- By Catherine on 02-09-18
By: Jana DeLeon
-
An Ambush of Widows
- By: Jeff Abbott
- Narrated by: Christine Lakin
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Henry North is a down-on-his-luck cybersecurity expert from New Orleans. Adam Zhang is the cofounder of one of Austin’s most successful venture capitalist firms. These two men didn’t know each other. They had never met. Yet they died together, violently, in a place neither had any business being. When Henry doesn’t return from a business trip, his wife, Kirsten, panics - and then gets an anonymous phone call: “Your husband is dead in Austin.”
-
-
Good listen
- By DJR on 10-24-21
By: Jeff Abbott
Publisher's Summary
“An exciting mystery with plenty of intriguing and enigmatic characters, It's Murder, My Son is not a read that should be missed for mystery fans.” (Midwest Book Reviews)
What started out as the worst day of Mac Faraday's life would end up being a new beginning. After a messy divorce hearing, the last person that Mac wanted to see was another lawyer. Yet, this lawyer wore the expression of a child bursting to tell his secret, which would reveal Mac as heir to undreamed of fortunes and lead him to the birthplace of America's Queen of Mystery and an investigation that will unfold like one of her famous mystery novels.
Soon after she moves to her new lakefront home in Spencer, Maryland, multi-millionaire Katrina Singleton learns that life in an exclusive community is not all good. For some unknown reason, a strange man calling himself “Pay Back” begins stalking her. When Katrina is found strangled, all evidence points to her terrorist, who is nowhere to be found.
Three months later, the file on her murder is still open with only vague speculations from the local police department when Mac Faraday, sole heir to his unknown birth mother's home and fortune, moves into the estate next door. Little does he know as he drives up to Spencer Manor that he is driving into a closed gate community that is hiding more suspicious deaths than his DC workload as a homicide detective. With the help of his late mother's journal, this retired cop puts all his detective skills to work to pick up where the local investigators have left off to follow the clues to Katrina's killer.
More from the same
What listeners say about It's Murder, My Son
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jan M
- 01-10-19
Awesome Listen!
It's Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr is awesome! I loved the meeting of Mac Faraday with Archie and Gnarly. It was wonderful getting the back story on these favorite characters of mine. I had previously listened to a prior recording of this book, and I must say that Mike Alger has done a fantastic job bringing the characters to life in this book. He gives distinguished voices for the various characters. I loved the imagery in this book too. I can envision so much. There are unexpected twists, some great humor, well developed characters, a complex plot, and a surprise killer. I love it when I do not have the killer figured out. I requested this review copy audiobook and have voluntarily written this review. I will definitely listen to more books by this author and narrator. This book is the first of the series and is a standalone listen. I loved it!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Taj-Marie Lingofelter
- 01-28-19
Funny and mystery mixed together
This book cracked me up and had me on the edge of my seat! I do have to say the dog is my favorite character! This is a story that I will be recommending! The narrator's voice was a bit nasally but fit the characters well.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Pam W
- 08-08-21
Try this book!
Wow, lots of twists and turns, with great narration. Payback. It can be a heck of a problem. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- kayek
- 01-28-21
very interesting
The first book in the series. I thought it was well written and well plotted
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Meagan @ Blooming with Books
- 10-01-20
Deep Creek is no small town escape
It's Murder, My Son
A Mac Faraday Mystery #1
By Lauren Carr
Narrated by Mike Alger
Mac Faraday has just come into an inheritance he never expected. The mother who gave him up for adoption has never stopped loving him and has left him a legacy. A legacy that includes a German Shepherd named Gnarly. And Gnarly is quite a legacy to inherit - Mac's life will never be the same again.
Deep Creek is a small community that is a destination to get away to. At least until the murders start piling up. With a chief of police anxious to close the cases as soon as possible evidence is being ignored or thrown out. As a former homicide detective, Mac is not about to sit on the sidelines as a murderer gets away with a crime. Are the murders related or has Deep Creek just become a new crime hot spot? With the help of his late mother's assistant Archie Monday, his just discovered half brother David O'Callohan, and his delinquent German Shepherd a killer just may be brought to justice.
The narration by Mike Alger is well done so that this listener's attention didn't wane as the story progressed. The pacing didn't drag in any way. The narrator has a good voice for presenting the story which is always a plus so that one isn't distracted by a poor presentation, rather his voice draws one into the story.
I have to say Gnarly makes the series and the book! His antics are what keeps bringing me back. Who could say no to a kleptomaniac dog with a hidden past (classified, might I add) who has political aspirations? If you are in the mood for a small town caught up in a rash of murders and political corruption, this is for you.
I received a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations - all thoughts expressed are my own.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- LAWonder10
- 09-17-20
You will be hooked on this series after listening
Several years ago I read reviewed the book,' It's Murder, My Son' and I remembered I loved it, but I had forgotten much of the story. listening to it was fantastic!
This is a story of a former Chief of Police, who retired when he discovered he was heir to millions from his birth mother he never knew. He is adjusting to his new "plush "life. He was less happy to discover he was the owner of a huge German Shepard. H becomes more disgruntled when he discovers "Gnarly" has some disturbing habits.
Shortly after arriving to his new home, meeting his mother's editor living on the estate, people begin dying in this very small town of Spencer. He and Archie cannot avoid becoming involved, especially when it becomes personal!
This non-stop mystery, adventure is captivating, suspenseful and hilarious!
The character will, surely, capture your heart. Their individual personalities are so different, yet fit so well together.
The Tittle & Cover re simple, but fitting. From the first page to the last, it will, certainly, maintain your interest.
Narrator, Mike Alger, was a perfect "voice" and mannerism for "Mac" & his half brother, David, which are the key characters. On some of the other "voices", his higher pitched male voice wasn't a great fit, but I still feel he was PERFECT for this narration.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Buckeye_gal4
- 07-10-19
I just love Lauren Carr and her books
This is my third audiobook by Lauren Carr and it won't be my last, and not just because I am reviewing another book by her next week. In fact, since I am reviewing The Mac Faraday series book #1 and book #13, I'm going to have to read books 2-12. I just have so many questions, but for now, I will focus on the first book in this series, It's Murder My Son.
Here, we have a mystery series that begins in an extremely unlikely place. A police detective who retires because he learns he has inherited a massive fortune from his late mother, whom he never knew. As Mac begins to adjust to his new life, with a new dog, he finds he also has a new roommate and a mystery to solve.
This kind of mystery is different from the pulse pounding, gripping suspense novels that I am used to. Here we have a very funny, character driven mystery with a true whodunit plot twist. Mac Faraday was likable from the jump and easily became a hero we could root for. The other characters add so much nuance to the story that I reminded of Lauren Carr's other books and her ability to write a complete cast so well.
It must be mentioned, as I have in my other reviews, how much I like the dogs in these books. They are so extraordinary, with different facets to their personalities. They propel the story forward in a humorous way. At times, I even found myself yelling, "Just listen to the dog!" Which is really dumb, because if my dog was digging a hole, I probably wouldn't think he was being more than just a nuisance. I definitely wouldn't think he was finding solving unsolvable mysteries.
In conclusion, I just love Lauren Carr and her books, but I particularly loved this series. With a hint of romance, and a tough puzzle to solve, this is perfect rainy day couch reading.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- JBronder Book Reviews
- 06-21-19
An Wonderful Start to An Amazing Series
Mac Faraday has just hit rock bottom as he comes out of his divorce hearing. But things are looking up. It seems that he is the son of America’s Queen of Mystery, Robin Spencer and he has inherited her fortune. Mac retires to his new home in Spencer, Maryland but finds this his new neighborhood has a murder in it and he just has to stick his nose into the case to help out.
Katrina Singleton is rich and single. She made her living in movies and has now found that staying young looking is harder than she thought. Then someone calling themselves Pay Back starts stalking her. Could it be her ex that took off? What about the local author that seems to think he is the cat’s meow?
I have loved the Mac Faraday series since I started reading a while ago. When I had an opportunity to see how everything started I just had to jump at the offer. Mac may have just gotten the break of a lifetime with his inheritance, even if you consider Gnarly part of that inheritance, but he is still a cop at heart and can’t let the murder of Karina Singleton go unsolved.
I love the introduction to everyone and connecting the current to the beginning. Of course you have an amazing mystery that will keep you guessing right up to the end. This is a great series that you can skip around in but what better way to enjoy it than to read it in order. I also have to say that Mike Alger is the voice of Mac Faraday. He is an amazing narrator!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- DabOfDarkness
- 06-14-19
Where it all began
I had the pleasure of listening to and reviewing this book some years ago. And now it’s back with a new audiobook addition, this time narrated by Mike Alger (instead of Janean Jorgenson). It was so good to pick this book up again. The Mac Faraday mysteries are my favorites by Lauren Carr and I love this opening tale that introduces us to Mac, Gnarly, and Archie.
Mac Faraday receives the best news of his life on the toughest day he’s had yet. Just finalizing his messy divorce, he learns that his deceased birth mother who put him up for adoption has left him a fortune. Now Faraday has moved to Spencer Manor in an effort to connect with the mother he never knew. But murder lurks just around the corner and Mac puts his DC detective skills to use.
I’ve been listening to several Lauren Carr books recently and I love that they can be explored as stand alones. It was great to go back to Book 1 and see how things got started for Mac, how he met Archie, learned about his mom, and adopted Gnarly dog. While this isn’t my favorite book of the series, it’s a solid start to an entertaining murder mystery series.
Set in Spencer, Maryland, the Spencer Manor sits next to the lake in a gated community that harbors many secrets. Mac is new to wealth and he finds it takes some skills to navigate this new economic reality he’s landed in. It’s good that Archie is there to help him fit in. She was Robin Spencer’s assistant and lives in the guest cottage.
A few months before Mac moved in, a neighbor in the area was strangled to death. Katrina was a very charming woman who had a stalker. Of course, the husband Chad has to be cleared first but after 3 months, there are few clues to David (the local police officer) to continue on with the investigation.
I really enjoyed learning about David in this book. He’s Mac’s younger half-brother. The two have never met and it’s a bit awkward. Toss in David’s current problems with his boss, Chief of Police Roy Phillips, and David’s got a few reasons to be angry. Things get even more aggravating for the two experienced investigators when Phillips brings in his ‘expert’, a crime fiction author. Awkward, indeed!
Gnarly was the star of the show once again. He has his own insecurities and is something of a klepto. Mac has to learn about this the hard way and Archie does her best to keep Gnarly out of trouble. Of course, that all goes out the window when Gnarly turns up with a human skull. Good boy! Er… maybe not. Where did you get that? No! You can’t eat it! Here! Have my breakfast instead.
There are lots of characters in this novel and I sometimes had trouble keeping up with all of them. I think it could have been slimmed down a bit and the plot would have been less tangled. I also would have liked a bit more Archie. I feel she’s underutilized even though I know she comes into her own later in the series. Still, it’s an entertaining read and I’m glad I skipped back to this book to see how things got started for Mac. 4/5 stars.
The Narration: Mike Alger is at his best as Mac Faraday. I don’t think I could picture any other voice for Mac. Over all, this is one of his better performances. I like his voice for David as he does a great job of making him sound related to Mac but also younger. His voice for Archie is also well done. The pacing is perfect & there’s no issues with the technical recording. If anything, Alger could have a little more variation in voices. 4.5/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dawn H
- 05-21-19
Great series
I chose to listen to this book after receiving a free audio copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
I’ve read several of Lauren Carr’s books about Mac Faraday and his family and they’re always a good read. I was thrilled to listen to the first Mac Faraday book. I knew his story from reading later books but it was nice reading how his life of wealth began as well as the start of his relationships with Gnarly, Archie, and his brother.
Mac started his new life in Deep Creek Lake helping to solve a murder mystery. He just thought he was going to be retired! There’s also a thief that the town is looking for…will he be able to figure out the murder and the thief? It almost seems like one of his mother’s novels come to life. There’s never a dull moment in Deep Creek Lake!
The characters are great, and I feel like I know most of them already. I also like the narrator. I’ve come to associate his voice with Lauren Carr’s books/characters. Now that I’ve finished this book, I’m going to listen to #13 in the Mac Faraday series.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Simon Gibson
- 01-12-19
A Community Full of Secrets
Mac, an about to be bankrupt, police detective unexpectedly inherits millions from his estranged, detective fiction author, mother. Mac is soon retired and taking up residence on his mothers estate. He learns of the recent death of a neighbour and, as a former homicide detective, can't help but become embroiled in the suspicious circumstances. A wonderfully immersive novel with great characters, lots of plot twists and turns plus expressive narration. Very enjoyable.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Julie
- 06-02-22
It's murder but very good
I enjoyed this book. I have listened to a number of books by this author (and have given them all Five stars so far) so i wanted to go back to the beginning to see how it all began and I am so glad that I did because it was good. This book might not contain as many plot twists or action scenes as her more recent books but there is still a lot going on that will keep you guessing and saying arh as it is revealed. The story is nicely blends with mystery, humour and entertaining characters, I especially loved the dog Gnarly and all the mischief he gets into. I think everybody knows a Gnarly. The mystery has a lot of suspects and I think I suspected every single one at one point or another which kept me hooked until the very end. I can't wait to get stuck into this next adventure.
Mac Faraday lost his job and his wife so the last thing he wanted to see was a lawyer. However when he finally caught up to him he changed his life for ever. The famous author and the the woman who gave him up for adoption has left him everything, including a house, a food stealing dog, a very capable assistant in Archie, a police detective as a step brother and a murder to solve. His mothers neighbour was found dead after a storm and with no sign of a break in everybody jumps to the easy answer of her stalker having killed her. Mac and his brother, David, don't think it is that easy when Gnarly brings home a head. The only problem is pushing to get the case reopened means that David becomes the number one suspect and is tired from his job. Can Mac, David, Archie and Gnarly uncover the secrets and find out what happened on that stormy night and why so many of his neighbour are keeping secrets and willing to get a killer to free?
I liked the narrator. He used his voice well to bring life into some already great characters.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.