Audiobook Review: Close to the Bone by Kendra Elliot

 

 

Widow’s Island Novella Series, Book 1

 

• By: Kendra Elliot
• Narrated by: Christine Williams
• Series: Widow’s Island Novella, Book 1
• Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
• Unabridged Audiobook
• Release date: 10-23-18
• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

 

FBI Special Agent Cate Wilde is back home on a remote Pacific Northwest island when she gets the call: a teenager’s skeletal remains have been found on a nearby island.

Together with Tessa Black, a childhood friend turned local deputy, Cate confronts dreary weather and bleak leads to make sense of the death. The complications pile up as Cate is distracted by the coroner on the case—and by nagging memories that draw her twenty years into the past. The remains suggest eerie similarities between this victim, and Cate and Tessa’s friend Samantha, who disappeared when she was fourteen.

Cate finds herself up against closemouthed locals, buried town secrets, and even her own heart. As the case unravels, will she be able to cut through the fog and find justice for the missing and the dead.

 

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Bestselling author Kendra Elliot kicks off a great beginning to the Widow’s Island series! This was so well written it didn’t really seem like a novella. It had all the necessary elements of a full novel complete with mystery, suspense, crime, character, and a touch of romance. I thought the idea for the Widow’s Island setting was genius; the culture, secrets, history of families, it made the story very appealing.

 

 

NARRATOR PERFORMANCE:

• Narrated by:   Christine Williams

 

• Narrator-Story Connection: 8/10

Narrator Christine Williams fully embodies the story in her performance. I could tell

she was absorbed by it and displayed good skill.

 

• Voice Creation/Switch Over: 7/10

There wasn’t much variation as far as voice creation goes for different characters. Didn’t know if if was deliberate or not because it’s a novella. However, the narrative voice was so compelling it was hardly noticed. If the book was longer then there’d be room for improvement here.

 

• Pacing 8/10

Pacing throughout the book was good, consistent, matching they mysterious nature of the book. Very smooth performance.

 

• Emphasis 7/10

There could’ve been more emphasis on character traits, or subtle things that help the listener distinguish who’s speaking, but still effective enough for the story.

 

• Reader-Story Connection  8/10

When it’s all said and done, I was drawn into the story and finished quickly, which is always a good sign.

 

• Emotional Intensity  6/10

This is a new category I’ve been wanting to add for some time now. The numbering doesn’t mean either good or bad. It reflects on the narrators style of displaying emotion overall.  For instance, a 1 or 2 would be monotone seriously lacking in variation. And on the opposite side of the spectrum 9, 10 would be too much emotion. 5-6 is moderate and 7-8 would be ideal in my opinion.  This only applies to emotional intensity and not to the other aspects of the performance.

 

• Sound Quality: 10/10

Publisher:   Brilliance Audio

Great sound quality and production.

 

• Overall Performance: 7/10

Overall I really enjoyed the book and narrator performance by Christine Williams. She has a very effective, smooth style of narrating that helps bring out the story.