About a year ago I registered for an account on Audible. I remember thinking that some insta- gratification of both my book & shopping obsessions couldn’t hurt – in fact it sounded like great fun. Well, guess what? It kinda did, hurt that is…

My ever-growing book and e-book “To be Read” list has been added to at quite an alarming rate these last few months (at least 3-5 audiobooks per week) – to the point where I’ve actually started wondering if I’ll ever manage to get through it all.

“Press Play: Audible Weekly” will make a point of documenting audiobooks that capture my attention online & hopefully offering “upcoming read” ideas to any of you fellow book-aholics out there. It will also feature links to the full reviews, if & when mentioned titles are in fact read.

So, here comes the first installment, which for no particular reason seems to be Crime- Suspense- Thriller themed:

The Misletoe Bride and Other Haunting Tales by Kate Mosse

From Audible:
A wonderfully atmospheric collection of stories from one of our most captivating writers, inspired by ghost stories, traditional folk tales and country legends from England and France.

Spirits and ghosts seeking revenge? Grief-stricken women and haunted men? No need to say any more – you’ve sold me. I’m a total sucker for a good ghost story, so it was only logical that I’d be drawn into this. How good this collection of short stories actually is, remains to be seen. With an overall average of 3/5 stars I’m definitely not expecting the moon, but hoping for at least a greater than average “chill” factor…

Swan Song by Edmund Crispin

From Audible:
When an opera company gathers in Oxford for the first post-war production of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger its happiness is soon soured by the discovery that the unpleasant Edwin Shorthouse will be singing a leading role. Nearly everyone involved has reason to loathe Shorthouse, but who amongst them has the fiendish ingenuity to kill him in his own locked dressing room?

I’m afraid I have never picked up something by Bruce Montgomery (a.k.a. Edmund Crispin) before. But bumping into his series of audiobooks (all featuring intriguing titles and great, retro- looking covers) made me wanna try. Picking up the title with the highest rating (4.8/5 stars) seemed like the most logical option. Plus, who doesn’t like a “locked-room murder” story?

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

From Audible:
What are you thinking, Amy? The question I’ve asked most often during our marriage, if not out loud, if not to the person who could answer. I suppose these questions storm cloud over every marriage: What are you thinking? How are you feeling? Who are you? What have we done to each other? What will we do? Just how well can you ever know the person you love? These are the questions that Nick Dunne must ask himself on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police immediately suspect Nick. Amy’s friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn’t true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they aren’t his. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone.

There’s been a lot of hype over Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl” which was dubbed “Thriller of the Year” 2012 by the Observer and praised by a number of readers I follow. I tend to be sceptical of such books, probably because the high expectations that all the rave reviews create tend to set readers up for disappointment. I usually succumb to peer pressure though, if only ’cause I desperately need to form my own opinion.

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

From Audible:
When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case. Strike is a war veteran – wounded both physically and psychologically – and his life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model’s complex world, the darker things get – and the closer he gets to terrible danger…

I do, largely, enjoy book series and the fact that this is the first installment in Robert Galbraith’s newest one kinda did it for me. Plus, how could I pass on “a gripping, elegant mystery steeped in the atmosphere of London – from the hushed streets of Mayfair to the backstreet pubs of the East End to the bustle of Soho” coupled by a troubled, veteran detective storyline (reminiscent of Jo Nesbø’s, self- destructive, Harry Hole)? Given, the 4.30/5 stars rating helped, too.

Under Your Skin by Sabine Durrant

From Audible:

“This morning, I found a body. Soon the police will arrest me for murder. And after that my life will fall apart.” Gaby Mortimer is the woman who has it all. But everything changes when she finds a body on the common near her home. Because the evidence keeps leading back to her. And the police seem sure she’s guilty….

I absolutely love psychological thrillers and this sounded very intriguing to me.  Apparently it had also proven to be an exceptional read on more than one occasion, if buyers’ reviews are anything to go by. I think this will most probably be the 1st book I’ll read (out of the 5 featured here) – & I’ll be sure to report back with a review, so do keep your eyes peeled.

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