Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
You Can't Catch Me by Catherine McKenzie Narrator: Julia Whelan
Published by Brilliance Audio on June 9, 2020
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Length: 8 hours, 35 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible
Twelve years ago Jessica Williams escaped a cult. She reintegrated into society, endured an uncomfortable notoriety, and tried to put it all behind her. Then, at an airport bar, Jessica meets a woman with an identical name and birth date. It appears to be just an odd coincidence—until a week later, when Jessica finds her bank account drained and her personal information stolen.
Following a trail of the grifter’s victims, each with the same name, Jessica gathers players, one by one, for her own game. According to her plan, they’ll set a trap and wait for the impostor to strike again. But plans can go awry, and trust can fray, and as Jessica tries to escape the shadows of her childhood, the risks are greater than she imagined. Now, confronting the casualties of her past, Jessica can’t help but wonder who will pay the price.
There are some narrators who I like enough to pay attention to an audio book when they are the narrator. Julia Whelan is one of those, so I saw she was the narrator and decided to get this one for review.
At the very beginning, I knew what was going to happen as it happened. You Can’t Catch Me is a stolen identity story and so much more. Our main character is Jessica Williams. Jessica is so much more calm than I would be about losing most of my money and not having a job. She grew up in a cult and we get that story in contrast with her current issues, in alternating portions.
The past has many of the usual aspects of a cult where the head guy, Todd, gets all the money, gets all the girls when they turn 18 and so forth. There’s more to learn in what happens to different children she knew and what happened after Todd died. There’s also Liam who got his brother out and then continued to help others leave including Jessica.
The current day story revolves around Jessica having her money stolen and how she sets out to track down the woman, after gathering a group of other women who also were scammed. Who would think there would be so many woman with the same name born the same day?
Law enforcement is no help and it’s a little scary but they continue their planning and searching for the thief. Things do not go as expected in many ways and the end is a twist I never saw coming.
Narration:
Julia Whelan is one of my favorite narrators and influenced my decision to review this audio book. She infuses the story with such authentic emotion. Her voices are distinct for males and females.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Julia Whelan
Julia Whelan is a screenwriter, life-long actor, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She graduated with a degree in English and Creative Writing from Middlebury College and Oxford University. While in England, her flirtation with tea blossomed into a full-blown love affair, culminating in her eventual certification as a tea master. When not writing her own books, you can find her reading other people’s out loud into a microphone.
About Catherine McKenzie
Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. A graduate of McGill in History and Law, Catherine practices law in Montreal. An avid runner and skier, she’s the author of numerous bestsellers including HIDDEN, FRACTURED, THE GOOD LIAR and I’LL NEVER TELL. Her works have been translated into multiple languages.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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I have to admit that seeing Julia Whelan was the narrator influenced my decision to get this audiobook, too? Excellent review, Anne, and you’ve got me excited?
She’s really excellent. I like how she doesn’t sound the same on all her audios. I mean I recognize her but if I didn’t think about it I wouldn’t immediately. This one is a mind twist.
It’s great that the narrator is such a good one there!
She’s a favorite.
Whelan is one of my favorites, too, Anne! I enjoyed this one also. Great review!
Thank you.
great cover and it sounds like one i would enjoy too
I hope you get a chance to read it.
This scenario never gets old. Sounds like a good one too!
There were many aspects which ended up surprising me.
I agree….Julia Whelan is a narrator that I watch out for as well. I really like the dynamics of the heroine growing up in a cult. Sounds so intriguing.
Lovely review.
Thank you. Cults are always infuriating because it’s an old white guy controlling everything.
SAME… love Julie Whelan. I will say the character’s history intrigues me.
Julia is a treasure. I seem to be listening to more of these type of mystery thriller standalones with family or cult or foster home history drama and current issues which bring it up or it all finally is a secret which is revealed or something.
I really enjoy Julia Whelan’s performance as well. I’ll have to check this one out. 🙂
I hope you like it.
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this one. I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a book Julia Whelan has narrated so I really need to change that since she seems to be so popular. 🙂
She’s a favorite. There are many options for her. There is also My Oxford Year which she wrote and narrated, her first book she’s written. But I have heard her narrate many times so it would be easy to find a whole library of her stuff on Goodreads or Audible. She won an Audie this year.