Outstanding!

Wow. Well written. Hits all the spots. storyline. emotion. lesbians. a real timeline.
And the narrator was fantastic. One of the best I've listened to actually.

5 people found this helpful

YA?

I got tickled as this book rolled along - I wondered who would play the girls' parts in the movie- maybe the young Shirley Temple and Haley Mills? (yes, I am older) This book started well, promises of good plot and serious police work. But there were so many side trips into character development ( except the victim's) that the grist of what could have been a very good book didn't quite make it. Hopefully the author will buckle down, get a good editor and produce more books in what could be a good series. Worth the cost for a light read with better to come.

3 people found this helpful

Atmospheric Dark Thriller Performed Perfectly

This was fantastic. First off, the setting of the mystery—the Peak District—lived and breathed as part of the story. Fans of setting-centered mysteries will adore that facet of this book. I cannot tell you how amazingly immersive this was, and especially having grown up in the north of England, it was like walking back in time, frankly. I picked this up after a recent visit to the very area in question, (I even took a walk along the Peaks).

The set-up begins with the discovery of a woman who has escaped capture, only to fall among the treacherous geography of the area. Detective Sanne Jensen and Dr. Meg Fielding are our heroines, and their characterization peels back in onion layers, piece by piece. They've been friends since their rocky childhoods, and sometimes more than that, but neither is willing to quite risk more than their odd, not-quite-defined partnership of support, caring, and—yes—sometimes sex. The relationship between the two women carries as much of the story as the hunt for the sadistic bastard still at large.

This dark story doesn't hold back any punches, many of which land squarely on the chins of the main characters. I really enjoyed this aspect: by the end of the novel, both characters are crossing the finish line mentally and/or physically drained, and that felt real.

I should mention I listened to this on audiobook, and I say that because the audio performer was sheer bloody perfection. Nicola Victoria Vincent blew me away. Accents, characterization, cadence, and pacing? Every step of the way, her performance had me drawn completely into the narrative. It's always a joy to listen to an audiobook done well, but it's even better to find an audio performer who is so good I'm bookmarking all of their other work.

I'll be picking up the next Dark Peak audiobook right away.

1 person found this helpful

Seriously, LOTS of Room for a Series

You know what I like about Cari Hunter's characters -- other than the way Nicola Victoria Vincent narrates them? The characters are this blend of serious, funny, cheeky, strong women. The characters aren't a blend of some formula.... I can see the rescue worker in Snowbound interacting with Meg in this book, No Good Reason. I can see Sane (Sah'nah) hanging out with Alex from Desolation Point.

I like Nelson well enough, but if Alex and Sarah ended up in North Umberland for peace and quiet of rural England, and Alex chose to get back on the horse as a copper under Eleanor.

Then, were Alex to be partnered with Sane or Sane and Nelson, that'd be just fine with me. American and U.K. police work combined.... THEN all they'd need is a nice portion of Irish and Scottish lasses for the culmination. That'd be cool. Great righting! Cheers!

1 person found this helpful

Great Story!

A very entertaining read! My biggest issue had to with the break neck speed of chapter changes. They were pretty jarring and sudden. I'm hoping the next book's audio is edited a little better.

Gruesome, hard listen, but excellent writing and narration

This is my second book I’ve listened to by Cari Hunter. I listened to Unbreakable, her latest book first, which I recommend more than this one, simply cuz the crime in this early book is too horrible for my delicate psyche. Excellent writing and narration. For the the tougher listener, this is fine work of murder mystery/detective genre.

Awesome Series

Everything by Cari Hunter is fantastic! This series in particular is a really good read and Nichola does a wonderful rendition.

Thoroughly enjoyed it!

The story got my attention right away, and firmly held it throughout. Enjoyable character relationships, as well as relatable conversations. Happy to have found this author. Well done! Am on to the next book!

Why did I wait so long to experience this book?!?

After reading so many good things about the Dark Peak series and Cari Hunter's books in general, I finally gave one a try. Wow! I'd read that Hunter had written some Rizzoli and Isles fanfic and that's exactly what I thought of while listening to this. I'd also heard raves about narrator Nicola Victoria Vincent and now understand what all the fuss was about. I've been quite spoiled by some of the best narrators in the business and it's great to add another quality voice actor to the mix. While I usually tend to gravitate more towards romances, this suspense thriller has romantic elements and I was completely engaged. The MC - Junior Detective Sanne Jensen - has a best friend with benefits relationship with Dr. Meg Fielding. It was great that Sanne had Meg to lean on while working an emotionally wrenching case. I definitely look forward to seeing how things evolve between those two going forward.
The story line around the case was well developed and strong. I'm definitely in for the rest of the series - and likely more!

Everything in this book is 5*, narration included

I am now an official Cari Hunter fan. Every book I read (or listen to, rather, lately), I am sure I am going to love. Not necessarily enjoy (they’re awfully grim), but love. Cari Hunter creates the most wonderful and relatable characters then proceeds to make them suffer every which way, whether it be in their past or in the present day, making them face the darkest side of humanity (or rather, from the few books I’ve read so far, of men). They’re everyday heroes, good people who can’t help doing the right thing.

No Good Reason begins with a woman escaping her kidnapper only to find herself in some sort of no man’s land, in the dark. She’s found half-dead by teenagers, whose calls for help are heard by Sanne Jensen, a police detective who, by chance, was on her daily run close by. At the hospital where the woman is flown, Meg Fielding, Sanne’s best friend and occasional lover, takes care of her.

I love a good police procedural when it’s well-written, and this one couldn’t be better. While the work might be tedious (door-to-door enquiries, searches in the moors…), the narrative never is. The pace is excellent, slow when needed, gripping at other times, with just the right amount of details for the reader to feel involved but not enough to be boring.

I also love the relationship between Sanne and Meg. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. They’re not a traditional couple, but they have more chemistry than the characters supposed to fall in love in many romance novels I’ve read over the years. If they weren’t so scared of messing up everything by making it official, they’d be relationship-goals all the way. They have everything: chemistry, love, respect. No wonder their dates with other people never lead to anything. Sanne is driven and smart, with great instincts. Meg is precise and meticulous at work, forgets everything outside of it (ask for coffee, you’ll get tea, that kind of forgetfulness). They complement each other ideally.

Everything in this book is 5*, the mystery plot, the twists, the characters, the writing. I listened to the audiobook, and Nicola Victoria Vincent‘s narration is perfect too. She’s great with accents, and her voice for Sanne when she talks to Meg breaks my heart a little every time, there’s something so genuine and innocent in it. I hate to state the obvious, even though it’s necessary sometimes, but a fantastic narration such as this one makes an already awesome book even better. Definitely 5*.