Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the ALC of #CrimeTime in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio
Published: December 12, 2023
Summary:
The first audio original from Jeneva Rose, the author of blockbuster bestseller The Perfect Marriage, #CrimeTime is a full-cast mystery written with her husband, Drew Pyne, perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building and Finley Donovan Is Killing It.
Going viral has never been so dangerous.
Nadiya loves her privacy: living alone and writing a popular series of crime novels under a pen name, she’s worked hard to build the quiet life she cherishes. But all that changes when her long-lost half-brother Chase comes to town, needing a place to stay until he can get back on his feet. Chase’s dream job is Nadiya’s worst nightmare: he’s an aspiring TikTok star, oversharing on the internet at every opportunity.
When a burglary occurs in the apartment upstairs, Chase decides to film and post all the action. Unbeknownst to him, this was not a random break-in, but a targeted operation run by dangerous criminals. Overnight, Chase’s videos go viral, garnering millions of views and amassing a huge following of loyal #Chasers. It’s everything he’s ever dreamt of, except the attention has brought the wrong kind of heat. Chase and Nadiya are plunged into a world of organized crime, and together, they must uncover the truth and clear their names before they become the next victims.
Performed by a full cast and filled with both laugh-out-loud banter and shocking twists, #CrimeTime is a delightful romp through the murky, unpredictable realms of crime, family, and the TikTok algorithm.
My thoughts:
I’ve been meaning to pick up something by Jeneva Rose for a while, so when I was offered the opportunity to listen to this audio original co-written with her husband, I couldn’t resist. I am all about audiobooks lately and I especially love full cast narrations!
This started off good and I liked the idea behind the story – it is based on something that actually happened to Jeneva and Drew – but unfortunately this just did not work for me. It was way too campy and silly for me. I can see it working for others, but I found myself just cringing at how over the top and ridiculous it was – and maybe that was the point, but for me, I just didn’t see the point. The story became way to annoying to actually enjoy. Maybe I’m just not the right market for the book – it might be geared towards the younger generation.
However, I will say the audio production was amazing. That kept me listening because between the narrators and the sound effects, it was actually doable. So…perhaps you will find it more entertaining than I did, but for me, this is a pass.
