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Hey there, fellow travelers and tale-chasers,

It’s not every day you stumble across a story that pulls you in like a riptide off a pristine beach, but “Murder House” by David Ellis and James Patterson, narrated by the phenomenal Therese Plummer, does just that. Picture this: I’m winding my way through the Hamptons, that stretch of Long Island where wealth drapes itself in shingled mansions and sea-salt breezes. The audiobook hums through my rental car’s speakers, and suddenly, I’m not just a travel writer anymore – I’m shadowing Detective Jenna Murphy, stepping into the gothic shadows of No. 7 Ocean Drive, the infamous Murder House.

The story unfolds like a coastal fog rolling in slow and thick, revealing its secrets one chilling layer at a time. Jenna, a former local turned big-city cop, returns to this playground of privilege to unravel a brutal double murder. The house itself – abandoned, cursed, whispering its bloody history – feels like a character, its creaking bones and dark corners brought to life by Plummer’s narration. It reminds me of a time when I was holed up in a crumbling hacienda in Oaxaca, listening to the grandmother of the house spin tales of ghosts and betrayal. Her voice had that same hypnotic pull, that intimate draw, and Plummer captures it here – every pause, every inflection dripping with suspense.

The plot twists hit like waves crashing against the shore. What starts as a seemingly straightforward case – a Hollywood bigshot and his mistress found dead – spirals into a labyrinth of hidden pasts and buried truths. Jenna’s own history haunts her steps, and as more bodies pile up, you can almost feel the sand slipping beneath your feet. Patterson’s signature pacing is in full force, sharpened by Ellis’s knack for gritty detail. Together, they craft a mystery that’s as much about the human soul as it is about whodunit. It’s the kind of audiobook experience that makes you miss your turn-off because you’re too gripped to care.

Therese Plummer’s performance is the wind in this story’s sails. Her voice shifts effortlessly – soft and vulnerable for Jenna’s quieter moments, steely when she’s facing down danger. She gives the Hamptons a texture you can taste: the salt in the air, the polish of moneyed voices, the undercurrent of fear. I’ve listened to plenty of narrators on the road – heck, I once lost myself in García Márquez’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude” while crossing the Atacama Desert, the narrator’s warmth mirroring the surreal dunes outside – but Plummer stands out. She doesn’t just read; she inhabits. The audio quality is crisp, too, every sound effect subtle yet immersive, pulling you deeper into the Murder House’s eerie embrace.

That said, it’s not flawless. The sheer number of twists can feel like overkill – like a chef piling too many spices into a stew. At times, I wanted to linger longer with Jenna’s inner struggles, to savor the quiet before the next storm. And while the Hamptons setting is vivid, it occasionally leans into cliché: the rich are always decadent, the locals always suspicious. Still, these are small pebbles on an otherwise gripping path.

This isn’t my first dance with the mystery-thriller genre – I’ve devoured everything from Tana French’s brooding Dublin tales to Dennis Lehane’s raw Boston streets – but “Murder House” carves its own niche. It’s less introspective than French, punchier than Lehane, a police story with a pulse that races like a summer thriller should. If you’re a fan of Patterson’s relentless energy or just crave a listening experience that keeps you guessing, this one’s for you. New to audiobooks? Start here – it’s a masterclass in how narration can elevate a tale.

For me, this audiobook stirred up more than just suspense. It took me back to a night in Portugal, sipping vinho verde by the Douro River, swapping stories with a fisherman about a local legend – a house no one dared enter. “Murder House” feels like that: a place you’re drawn to, despite the chill in your bones. It’s about facing the past, about the stories we tell ourselves to survive. As I drove past those Hamptons estates, their windows glinting in the dusk, I couldn’t help but wonder what secrets they held – and how Plummer’s voice would bring them to life.

Until our next journey, keep listening and exploring,
Marcus Rivera