Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Devil's Playground by Charly Cox Narrator: Kate Zane
Series: Detective Alyssa Wyatt #4
Published by Tantor Audio on June 14, 2022
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 11 hours, 30 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm
From behind her came a noise, and she whirled around. Two pairs of cold, murderous eyes stared back at her from beneath hooded cloaks. She stood cemented in place, even as her brain screamed at her to run…
It’s their usual Thursday girls’ night in, and best friends Skye, Elena, and London are enjoying hanging out at Skye’s house in New Mexico, eating junk food, drinking wine, and playing with Skye’s little children, Carter and Abigail.
Until the intruders arrive.
Hearing the horrific screams from Elena and Skye, London hides the children, tiptoes out to see what has happened… and disappears.
After Carter raises the alarm, Detective Alyssa Wyatt is called in to investigate a bloodbath that appears to have no motive, no evidence, and worse still – no sign of London.
As Alyssa and her team dig deeper, the truth is always out of their reach… but what is clear is that they need to find London, and fast.
And as they uncover a link between the murders and a sinister local cult, can Alyssa find the young woman who has vanished without a trace – before London joins the list of victims?
I am really enjoying the Detective Alyssa Wyatt series. I’ve come to know the characters and members of her team and also some of their family members.  Alyssa is a head of a major crime team. She cares about family and her team is part of her “family.”  They are a bunch of good people who see the absolute worst. The story layers include the team and some of their family members as well as victims and criminals and witnesses. The world and characters are well-developed.
In The Devil’s Playground, there is very little of their families involved compared to earlier books. I think one could read it as a standalone, although I have read the series in order, and always prefer to read in order. It’s nice knowing the background but not necessary for the roles they play here.
A child of six, Carter, and his younger sister Abigail are key characters and I love them so much! Carter is amazing. The police come to his home where they find two women brutally murdered. The investigation tells them there are three women who are close friends and the third woman is missing.
I always like to follow the police interviews and evidence gathering to solve the case. Things went pretty well here. It was very suspenseful. The killers think they are smarter than they are.  I was glad to see the police succeed and the small children safe. A dog plays a key role in the end and I love that too.  I’m always looking forward to more of this series.
Narration:
This narrator is the voice of this series for me. I appreciate her distinct voices and have really enjoyed the emotions her performance has engendered. The male and female voices both were comfortable. I was able to listen at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Charly Cox
Born in the South, raised in the Midwest, Charly now resides in the Southwest in the Land of Enchantment where she enjoys eating copious amounts of green chile and other spicy foods. When she’s not reading, writing, or plotting sinister evils with her antagonists, she enjoys doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles, hanging out with her husband and her spoiled Siberian Husky, visiting her son in Arizona, and traveling, preferably to places surrounded by sun, sand, and warm uncrowded beaches.
| Rating Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
 |
| Writing |
|
| Characters |
|
| Narration (Audio) |
|
| Overall: | |
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.
Friend or follow me at Goodreads.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 22-COYER
Looks like an interesting series I need to check out. Excellent review, Anne💜
Thank you Jonetta! I was just thinking of you as I like this much better than some of the other ones I have read.
Sounds like a great book! I love that there’s a dog and an awesome kid in it. I’ll have to check this series out. 🙂
I love this series but it’s very gritty. It’s very well written.
A dog and adorable kids always make things better. Terrific review, Anne
They do. Thank you Wendy.