The purpose of Thrifty Thursday is to read a book which was free (at some point).
This is a collection of freebies I have read which are all audio books.
Chirp freebie on April 25, 2025 (currently $1.99 at Chirp as of writing this post)
Kindle freebie October 14, 2023. The ebook is free at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Overall rating 3.88 with 1,448 ratings and 82 reviews
Out of Reach by Kate Bold Narrator: Stephanie King-Myers
Series: Dylan First #1
Published by Self-Published on June 10, 2023
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 245
Length: 5 hours, 58 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Psychologist Dylan First is haunted by the discovery that her mentor was a secret serial killer. Now, with a new murderer mimicking his signature, the FBI needs Dylan to dissect the twisted mind behind the crimes at breakneck speed before more bodies pile up… He is behind bars, but with everything Dylan thought she knew turned upside down, she feels lost when the FBI suddenly comes knocking: a new killer is using her mentor’s trademark signature. And they need Dylan to dissect his mind and stop him before it’s too late.
I had purchased both the ebook and audio of Out of Reach. I chose to listen to the audio since this is audiobook month. I have several books by this author and have wanted to try her. Several of her audios though are synthesized voice but thankfully this one is not.
Dylan works as a psychologist but suffers from her past with a mentor who ended up a serial killer and the death of her father. Her fiance has been flaky then and now. When a copycat starts killing in a similar fashion to her mentor, the FBI asks her to work with them since he will only talk to her.
Dylan learns about herself as she works with the FBI. She pulls herself together to talk to Cameron (mentor) in prison. He is mean and manipulative with a charming face. What we learn about that is scary now and for the future.
The FBI seems almost competent and Dylan does well despite her lack of training. She had been feeling burnout but law enforcement type cases energize her. I have a feeling we may see her in a new career in the future.
Narration:
I don’t believe I have listened to this narrator previously. She had a soft, pleasant voice for Dylan and deeper or more gravelly voices for the men. I was comfortable with her narration at 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Chirp freebie on February 21, 2025 (currently FREE at Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble ebook and $8.99 at Chirp as of writing this post)
Overall rating 4.05 with 1,970 ratings and 125 reviews
Finding Sarah by Terry Odell Narrator: Kelley Hazen
Series: Pine Hills Police #1
Published by Self-Published on December 6, 2013
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Length: 9 hours, 45 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Being robbed at gunpoint wasn't part of Sarah Tucker's business plan. Neither was falling in love with the detective who arrived to solve the case. All Sarah wants is success for her gift boutique, the one she and her husband created. Now, she's living a hand-to-mouth existence. Her husband died a year earlier in a car accident - an accident that was ruled suicide, denying her his life insurance money. Burdened by guilt that she was somehow to blame for his death, Sarah faces one business setback after another. She's determined to succeed on her own, fending off a meddling sister-in-law as well as offers of financial assistance from a former boyfriend. Unaware someone is setting her up for failure, she's totally unprepared to find herself fighting for survival. Police Detective Randy Detweiler thinks the crook is a thief who's been evading cops all over the state. A routine robbery investigation turns into the biggest challenge of his career when he falls in love with the victim and he starts crossing professional boundaries. When Sarah disappears, he's afraid all his detective skills might not be enough to find her in time to save her life.
I put together a list of my audio freebies from Chirp and although this one was longer it was top choice to read. I think because I enjoy police procedurals and she also has a K9 story I want to read.
The story is about a widow running a gift shop in a tourist type area. Sarah is having money trouble and believes her husband David was murdered. Her sister-in-law is hassling her for money for her 20% of the shop even though she contributes nothing. Bad things keep happening like thefts, break-ins, losing artists and vandalism.
Randy who is in the police force takes her issues seriously. He works hard to figure out who is trying to hurt Sarah. They become friendly and attracted. An old high school boyfriend Chris keeps trying to take Sarah out on a date but she is too beset with problems and only sees him as a friend. He keeps offering to help but she doesn’t want to feel beholden to Chris. The personal relationships don’t quite feel authentic to me. I love the neighbor Maggie though!
Randy and Sarah further their relationship and he gets more evidence she is being targeted. I enjoyed the police procedural aspects which seem realistic and with good strategies. But eventually Sarah is abducted and now all the police have to take it seriously, not just Randy. Finding Sarah is the start of the Pine Hills Police series.
Narration:
I haven’t listened to this narrator before. Her voices felt comfortable for me for both male and female. I was comfortable with her narration at 1.75x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Chirp freebie on August 31, 2024 (currently $1.99 at Chirp and free at Libro.fm as of writing this post)
Kindle freebie on June 23, 2023 (currently free at Amazon and Barnes & Noble as of writing this post)
Overall rating 4.01 with 2,933 ratings and 123 reviews
Once He Sees by Molly Black Narrator: Nina Berault
Series: Claire King #1
Published by Self-Published on March 28, 2023
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 146
Length: 4 hours, 55 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
FBI Special Agent Claire King has a reputation for brilliance, for being able to crack serial killer cases that no other agent can. Before she died and came back to life, she relied solely on this brilliance. But now that she has this fleeting, newfound power, Claire is confused: should she follow what she knows? Or what she senses? Are visions more powerful than intellect?
Once He Sees is my first experience with Molly Black; I have both the ebook and audio book as freebies. I have the first 1-2 books in ebook freebies for almost all her numerous series. I have a few of her audio books as freebies. They are in genres I love and the overall ratings are fair.
Claire King is supposed to be a brilliant part of the FBI team. She doesn’t show it. Of course she is severely injured and in a coma at the start of this book. Then she seems to have acquired psychic visions and she is trying to figure out what they mean, if anything. She is trying to do the right thing and get the bad guys.
However, what is she doing out of the hospital? She doesn’t seem to have to get search warrants and just goes into places and doesn’t seem bothered about destroying forensic evidence either. It was completely ridiculous.
There was plenty of action and a decent plot for the mystery but Claire and her team didn’t feel authentic. Once He Sees was easy to read, relatively short, although it seemed a little bit long for a book half the length of my normal read. I will likely try more of her series to see if this is how this author sets up her characters. I do have the second in this Claire King series as an ebook freebie, Once He Longs, and I may try that as well.
Narration:
This was a new narrator for me. I liked the narration and appreciated her voices for both males and females. I was listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
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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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
Yay for getting to your Chirp audio freebies. I’ve got a ton of those Molly Black’s too. Hope the rest are not stretches for the police procedure part. Finding Sarah sounds pretty good.
I keep trying different authors and it’s better free than paying to do it. The Chirp freebies tend to be indie or self-pubbed so they aren’t usually at the library.
Looks like some decent mysteries. I need to remember to download the freebies on Friday!
yes Chirp has a bunch of freebies in different genres. They start on Friday but generally are free for a few days.
Making the most of Chirp freebies!
Exactly. I got them so this is my attempt to listen to some of them and try some new authors.
Freebies can really be hit or miss. Glad the first two were enjoyable.
yes I can always DNF if they are too bad.
Glad you’ve found a selection of well produced, enjoyable audiobooks, Anne – I’m always so impressed that you listen to the stories on such a fast setting! When I was ill, I had to have them 0.75 playing speed or I simply couldn’t take in what was being said. Nowadays I’m back to 1.0 playing speed – but I can’t imagine listening faster than that!
I don’t know Sarah. They just felt too slow at 1x so I always went to 1.25 or 1.5. Now I’m able to go even faster on some.
The last one doesn’t seem to have worked quite as well as the first two. You’re so good going through all these freebies!
Thanks Lisa. I take them as freebies because I want to read them so I have a system to fit them into my reading now.
All new to me!
Well you can maybe gauge how much you might like them by how similar or dissimilar our tastes are.