Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Behind Closed Doors by Carol Wyer Narrator: Bronwen Price
Published by Brilliance Audio on December 6, 2022
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 11 hours, 10 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible
When Stacey’s ex-husband turns up on her doorstep begging her to help save his kidnapped thirteen-year-old daughter, Lyra, the terror is all too familiar. Stacey’s own violent kidnapping thirty years ago was never solved, and while a severe case of amnesia spares her from recalling the specific horrors, she remembers enough…
Stacey knows her father never paid the ransom—she has the missing pinkie finger to prove it. She knows she was only saved because of an anonymous tip-off to the police. And she knows her captor was never apprehended.
Lyra’s kidnappers have made it clear the police must not get involved. But Stacey can’t shake the eerie similarities between the two cases, and she’ll use whatever she can, from her journalistic powers to her shady contacts, to save Lyra from the same nightmare. Desperate to find any link between Lyra’s abduction and her own, Stacey forces herself to revisit her forgotten, traumatic past for clues.
There is a real mix of past and present for our main character, Stacey. She started out with parents more interested in themselves and their relationships than their daughter. Her attitude was not the best, accordingly. Her mother committed suicide and she was kidnapped.  She doesn’t remember everything about the kidnapping but she has picked up and made a good life for herself. Although, she left her husband and marriage because he was too controlling.
Now her ex-husband, Jack, shows up and wants help since his daughter, Lyra has been kidnapped. I didn’t like him from the start. He claims to be reformed but I don’t see it. Why does he expect Stacey to drop her life to help him, or cough up her life savings for ransom or bug her ill father for the money? He acts like, no he couldn’t ask her do to that, but then accepts it.  I get that she is a journalist so she has some investigative skills and contacts, and also experience being kidnapped but he never thought she had talent in the past. He also doesn’t come up with any plans to get ransom money from his own savings or assets.
Stacey is quite talented in her ideas for the investigation. She works really hard and calls in favors from friends to really narrow things down. One old friend, who used to be police, but now is a private investigator is especially helpful. He is smart enough not to trust Jack either.
Stacey even starts seeing a therapist almost daily to take her to the past for clues in case it is related to her own case. She gets flashbacks under hypnosis and also they start coming when she is on her own and gets new information. I am impressed with Stacey and her detective skills, and her strength in facing the horror from her past.
By the end, I had guessed some of the mystery of the kidnappers. Stacey, though, learns much more about her past, and her parents, in the process. I was a little frustrated at her with protecting everyone but herself. At least, it’s a happy ending for the kidnappees.
Narration:
This narrator was new to me with this audio. I was comfortable with her narration right away and felt the emotional tone for the characters. Both male and female voices sound appropriate for the region.  I listened a my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Carol Wyer
A former teacher and linguist, Carol began writing full-time in 2009 and enjoyed much success with several comedies and humorous non-fiction books, one of which, Grumpy Old Menopause won her the People’s Book Prize Award in 2015.
January 2017, saw her move into police procedurals with Little Girl Lost, the first in the DI Robyn Carter series, that featured in USA Today Top 150 best selling books and became the #2 best-selling book on Amazon. The books, set in Staffordshire where Carol has lived for over 30 years, earned her acclaim as a crime writer and in 2018, a new team lead by DI Natalie Ward was introduced to her readers.
She currently lives on a windy hill in rural Staffordshire with her husband Mr Grumpy… who is very, very grumpy.
When she is not plotting devious murders, she can be found performing her comedy routine, Smile While You Still Have Teeth.
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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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Well, I obviously made a mistake giving this a pass. Glad you enjoyed and great review, Anne💜
Thanks Jonetta. While I guessed at some of the villain stuff I still really enjoyed reading this one.
This sounds really good! It sounds like Stacey has a lot going on and I am really curious about what happened in her past.
I thought this was very interesting and well developed the characters. The mystery was more the past one than the current one but it all wrapped up well.
Nice review, Anne. I like that she found out more about her past. Those scissors on the cover make me want to go out and get a tetanus shot! LOL.
Thanks Wendy. I enjoyed this one and it’s gruesome how those scissors were used.
I hadn’t heard about this book yet, but now I’m intrigued. Great review!
I enjoyed it. I think it’s better than some of the earlier books from this author.
Good narration from what I listened to!
Yes I really enjoyed this one.