Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Devil You Know by PJ Tracy Narrator: Abby Craden
Series: Detective Margaret Nolan #3
Published by Dreamscape Media, Minotaur Books on January 12, 2023
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 320
Length: 7 hours, 55 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Los Angeles has many faces: the real LA where regular people live and work, the degenerate underbelly of any big city, and the rarified world of wealth, power, and celebrity. LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan’s latest case plunges her into this insular realm of privilege, and gives her a glimpse of the darkness behind the glitter.
The body of beloved actor Evan Hobbes is found in the rubble of a Malibu rockslide a day after a fake video ruins his career. It’s not clear to Nolan if it’s an accident, a suicide, or a murder, and things get murkier as the investigation expands to his luminary friends and colleagues. Meanwhile, Hobbes’ agent is dealing with damage control, his psychotic boss, and a woman he’s scorned. But when his powerful brother-in-law is murdered, he and Nolan both find themselves entangled in a scandalous deception of deadly proportion that shakes the very foundation of Hollywood’s untouchables.
The series has settled into being the Detective Margaret Nolan series written by the daughter from the mother-daughter writing team. Detective Nolan, along with her partner, is sort of a main character, with supporting characters in her friends, family and love interests. But Sam Easton is equally important, along with the people in his life.
In The Devil You Know, Nolan is more central to the story. She is adjusting to a relationship with someone else from her work. She is enjoying it but is not used to having anyone in her life so much. Margaret lost her brother recently; he was in the military. The case involves several high profile Hollywood people who are narcissists, used to getting their way and not being questioned.
Sam’s role here is like a sub-plot which never goes anywhere.  He was also in the military, having lost much of his team and suffering physical injuries. Sam started out as a suspect or at the least a witness, when his wife is murdered in the first book. We see him getting back into life and taking a long time friendship into more.
There were all kinds of characters with rough emotional situations and high monetary stakes. Then people start dying. There are plenty of suspects and motives. We get the development of those characters and even some of their points of view.
I appreciated both the personal and professional growth in the “series regulars” along with quite a bit of development of the characters in this case. I always enjoy a police procedural with a mystery or multiple mysteries intertwined. I’m enjoying the glitzy light of Hollywood contrasted with the dark side of murder.
Narration:
Abby Craden has been narrating this series. It took me a bit to settle into her performance but it fits for me now. Her voice is low for a female which makes the character voices a bit unusual. I listened comfortably at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:Â HERE
About PJ Tracy
PJ Tracy is the pseudonym of the mother-daughter writing duo P.J. and Traci Lambrecht, winners of the Anthony, Barry, Gumshoe, and Minnesota Book Awards. Their cyberthriller “Monkeewrench” series (Monkeewrench, Live Bait, Dead Run, Snow Blind, Shoot to Thrill, Off the Grid, The Sixth Idea, and Nothing Stays Buried) were national and international bestsellers. After PJ’s passing in 2016, Traci wrote two more books in the Monkeewrench series (The Guilty Dead and Ice Cold Heart), and the psychological thriller Deep into the Dark, which is set in Los Angeles, where she lived for many years. She now resides in Minnesota and continues to write about murder and mayhem.
P.J. Lambrecht
P.J. Lambrecht always loved to tell people she was a college dropout and had no qualifications for being a writer except for a penchant for lying. She had her first short story published in The Saturday Evening Post when Traci was eight, still mercifully oblivious to her mother’s plans to eventually trick her into creating a family business.
Traci Lambrecht
Traci Lambrecht spent most of her childhood riding and showing horses. She graduated with a Russian Studies major from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she also studied voice. Her aspirations of becoming a spy were dashed when the Cold War ended, so she began writing to finance her annoying habits of travel and singing in rock bands. Much to her mother’s relief, she finally realized that the written word was her true calling. Together, they had a long, prolific career writing together in many genres until PJ’s passing in December 2016. Traci continues to write like a maniac, with PJ’s spirit sitting on her shoulder, cracking wise.
| 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.
- Love You A Latke by Amanda Elliot @AmandaPanitch @BerkleyPub @BerkleyRomance #HoHoHoRAT2024‏ - December 5, 2024
- 🎧 Echo by Tracy Clark @tracypc6161 @ChanteMcCormick #BrillianceAudio #LoveAudiobooks #KindleUnlimited🎧 - December 3, 2024
- Read-along & #Giveaway: Edge – Innkeeper by Ilona Andrews @ilonaandrews @reneeraudman @natalienaudus @AceBooksPub @nyliterary @TantorAudio @AudibleStudios #Read-along #GIVEAWAY #LoveAudiobooks - December 1, 2024
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 23-COYER
I’m intrigued by this one based on your review. Seems I’ll have to check out Book 1 of the series first though.
I always think it’s better to read a series in order. There are often personal and professional developments that build throughout a series
Another series I’ve got to start this year! Great review, Anne💜
Thank you Jonetta. I want to go back and read the original series. It’s set in MN which I know well.
I’ve heard good things about this author. I’m glad you’re still enjoying the series.
Thank you Wendy. I’m finding the series interesting but would like to read the older series as well.
Wow a lot of trauma for the characters in this one, but it sounds good.
yes these characters have had to survive a lot. The personal side is a growth area for them.
I read Monkeewrench and enjoyed it years ago. I do want to go back and read more of the mother/daughter books as well as those written by just the daughter.
I want to read the Monkeewrench series, set in MN which I know well.
Great review! I’ve read a couple of the Monkeewrench books by this author and really enjoyed them. This series sounds great too and I think I would also like the contrast between the Hollywood setting and the darkness of the murder.
Thank you Suzanne. I definitely also want to read the Monkeewrench series. I lived in MN many years.
Poor Sam!!!
Margaret and Sam have both suffered losses. It has affected their personal relationships.
I agree, Sam didn’t have much movement in this one. I enjoyed this one, but not as much as the previous series. Still, entertaining and that surprise at the end was good.
Thanks Rachel. I haven’t read the previous series yet but I want to read it. I lived in MN for many years so it’s a strong connection there for me.