This was actually a huge surprise. Remarkably good.

A solid mystery. Jammed with warm, endearing characters, a horribly tragic backstory, the storyline plays out beautifully, I guessed the twists then doubted myself only to be right all along but I had a hell of a lot of fun getting there and that’s what really matters!

The narration by the author was good, but there were a few little sound quality issues that I’m sure will be corrected in time for publication 🎧

Huge thanks to Harper Collins audio U.K. and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

I drive a lot for work, before discovering audiobooks I used to listen to Radio 2. My favourite presenters were Ken Bruce and Jeremy Vine. We all know that a good narrator is a big plus, so this murder mystery written and narrated by Jeremy Vine, seemed like a fairly safe bet.

Edward Temmis was a popular radio host, personal tragedy and the station’s attempts to attract a younger audience have led to him hanging up the headphones.

Edward has lost his purpose in life until he meets Stevie whose grandmother (a devoted listener) died in a suspicious house fire. Could Investigating this case be the spark that Edward’s life is missing?

I have to say I’m very impressed, Jeremy Vine has drawn a great cast of characters and paints a vivid Sidmouth, south coast Devon scene. Never one to shy away from metaphor and simile, there’s plenty of humour, much of it coming from excellent character writing. The characters have some depth and I found it really quite moving in several places.

The character writing and development, humour and narration are all spot on. It’s very well plotted, although I was a little disappointed to spot the villain quite early on, but maybe I’ve been spoilt by twistier thrillers. Stylistically, I’d liken it to Anthony Horowitz’s Hawthorne series with a similar self-awareness, humour and the intricacy of the plotting.

Very highly recommended, the audiobook is a must for fans on Jeremy Vine on the radio, and I’ll happily listen to the next in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio

I liked the story, it is a slow burn but once it gets into it it becomes good. I especially liked the premise and the rationale for the murders - quite unique.

What I struggled with was the narration - it didn't feel right for the book and it didn't engage me.

I love a good cosy crime novel, and I was attracted by the synopsis of Murder on Line One. I was delighted to receive an early copy of this audiobook, read by the author, who did a brilliant job as narrator. He has a wonderful voice, and although I initially thought the pace was a tad too fast (this was probably just me as I was at home with a very heavy cold at the time of listening) I very quickly settled into the rhythm and thought it was just right.
The opening chapter! Wow, it made me gasp! I was really shocked and rather emotional (I do think this was the writing and not my illness!). The rest of the book gripped me and continued on this level, holding my attention and I wanted to listen at every available opportunity.
I loved the main characters, Edward the long standing radio talk show host who has to come to terms with so much, including the fact that his services may no longer be required at the radio station. Stevie, a young woman whose grandmother recently died in a fire, and seeks out Edward as her Grandmother was a regular listener to his show. Also,
Kim, who sold Edward his house (and had a sexual encounter with him) and who helps Edward and Stevie with their investigations. What will the trio be able to find out? Will anyone take them seriously? Will they be able to prove their theories?
I really enjoyed this and look forward the second series. The only reason I have not given this five stars, is because there are a few too many recaps of the story, which became a little bit frustrating as a listener of the audiobook. This was when one character would tell another what is happening and then would repeat again soon after to another character. This would not have been an issue for me had I not been housebound and binged the book in a short time (i didn't need recaps), or if I had been reading a kindle/ hard copy as I could have skimmed over it, but when reading an audiobook, I don't like to forward books as I am concerned I'll miss something. One other issue, is at one point, in the latter part of the book, Edward refers to a new person working at the radio station, and their preferred pronouns. It did not seem to add anything to the story, was out of character for Edward and I wasn't sure why it was included. I felt it was unnecessary, and would have preferred if it hadn't been included in the book, as it seemed as though Edward or the author was making an issue of something that did not even need mentioning.
Having made these two minor criticisms, I must say I really enjoyed the book and rate it highly.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.