海角大神

This month, check out these easy-on-the-ears mysteries. Stories include culinary hijinks, nonfiction accounts with a surprisingly compelling account of truffles, and an in-depth look at Harper Lee鈥檚 struggle to finish her last book.听

Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee, by听Casey Cep

Read by Hillary Huber;听Random House Audio; 11 hours and 30 minutes

Harper Lee published 鈥淭o Kill a Mockingbird鈥� in her early 30s. Its so-called sequel 鈥淕o Set a Watchman,鈥澨齬eally the first draft of 鈥淢ockingbird,鈥� was published just before her death in 2016. She produced little else. Casey Cep鈥檚听investigation into her life reveals a multiple murder case that she planned to turn into a true-crime novel along the lines of 鈥淚n Cold Blood,鈥� which she had helped research for her friend Truman Capote. The project never came to fruition. Here, Cep enables the background of the murders to flow into an account of Lee鈥檚 life and each part is riveting for both the writing and Hillary Huber鈥檚 pleasing and professional narration, enhanced with regional accents. Grade: A

The Truffle Underground: A Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and Manipulation in the Shadowy Market of the World鈥檚 Most Expensive Fungus, by听Ryan Jacobs

Read by Ari Fliakos;听Random House Audio; seven hours and 50 minutes

Narrator Ari Fliakos has yet to disappoint, and his rendition of skullduggery in the overpriced world of fancy fungi is no exception. He keeps the pace quick and doesn鈥檛 overdo, which would have been overkill for this larger-than-life story that pushes past the glamour and expense of truffles into the tawdry world of crime in which lesser mushrooms are switched and sold as the good stuff. The truffle business is dotted with eccentric and often nefarious characters, many of whom bob to the surface in this deep dive into what the author describes as a mostly tainted industry. This is one morsel that is truly hard to resist.听听Grade: A

Murder with Collard Greens and Hot Sauce: A Mahalia Watkins Soul Food Mystery by听A.L. Herbert

Read by Janina Edwards;听HighBridge Audio; seven hours and 45 minutes

The spirited, take-no-prisoners performance of narrator Janina Edwards elevates this already fun audiobook. A little more adult than some cozy mysteries, this is mostly clean, clever fun and remains a bit more complex than most in the genre. Though the third in the Mahalia Watkins series, one can jump into this without worry 鈥� it stands alone. A little too much time is spent on discussions about hair care, but the food sounds scrumptious and the ladies of a local caf茅 and a local hair salon are fun and flirty. This is not high art, but it is entertaining. Grade: B

The City Baker鈥檚 Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

Read by Jorjeana Marie;听Penguin Audio; 10 hours and 30 minutes

Louise Miller, a Boston-based pastry chef and writer, may not have penned听a particularly听memorable debut novel, but it proves to be a听light and breezy romance that鈥檚 thoroughly entertaining.听Olivia Rawlings, an award-winning pastry chef, leaves Boston and a doomed听 love affair to reinvent herself as a baker at a charming Vermont inn. Predictability aside, the food sounds yummy and this fish-out-of-water story allows narrator Jorjeana Marie to conjure up a variety of voices, though her older women do tend to sound alike. Miller鈥檚 plot may be familiar, but she shows a deft hand when conjuring up brisk walks in the woods, the scent of nutmeg, and the warmth of a welcoming kitchen.听Grade: B-听

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