Review: Crash & Burn by Lisa Gardner (audio)

Title: Crash & Burn  
Author: Lisa Gardner   
Series: Tessa Leoni, #3   
Narrator: Christina Traister, Mikael Naramore   
Published: February 2015, Brilliance Audio   
Length: 13 hours 27 minutes  
Source: Personal copy via Audible 


The #1 New York Times bestselling author’s latest stand-alone thriller, with a cameo by her fan-favorite character, Boston Detective D.D. Warren

My name is Nicky Frank. Except, most likely, it isn’t.

Nicole Frank shouldn’t have been able to survive the car accident, much less crawl up the steep ravine. Not in the dark, not in the rain, not with her injuries. But one thought allows her to defy the odds and flag down help: Vero.

I’m looking for a little girl. I have to save her. Except, most likely, she doesn’t exist.

Sergeant Wyatt Foster is frustrated when even the search dogs can’t find any trace of the mysterious missing child. Until Nicky’s husband, Thomas, arrives with a host of shattering revelations: Nicole Frank suffers from a rare brain injury and the police shouldn’t trust anything she says.

My husband claims he’ll do anything to save me. Except, most likely, he can’t.

Who is Nicky Frank, and what happened the night her car sailed off the road? Was it a random accident or something more sinister given the woman’s lack of family and no close friends? The deeper Wyatt digs, the more concerned he becomes. Because it turns out, in the past few months, Nicky has suffered from more than one close accident. . . . In fact, it would appear someone very much wants her dead.

This is my life. Except, most likely, it’s not. Now watch me crash and burn.

My thoughts: I love me a good psychological thriller and this is just that! Lisa Gardner has created a twisted, crazy good story with memorable characters that leave you wanting more while at the same time has you sitting on the edge of your seat, almost afraid to see what will happen next. I love books like that!!!

Tessa Leoni is one of my favorite characters and I'm so glad she has her own series! I have loved her ever since she first appeared in Love You More, part of Lisa Gardner's D.D. Warren series, another favorite of mine. And, I love how we still get cameo's of D.D, too!

This story pulls you in right from the beginning. Every time you think you have things figured out, a new curve or twist is thrown at you and you are left scratching your head, trying to make sense of it all. And the characters - such rich, well-developed characters that are not wholly good nor wholly bad. It's hard to know what side they fall on. 

This is one of the best psychological thrillers I've read in a while and definitely one of my favorites of Lisa Gardner's. I can't wait to see what comes next from her - with both series. She is definitely one of my go-to authors and one to not miss if you enjoy a good edge-of-your-seat ride the whole book.


Audio Thoughts: I really enjoyed the audio production of this book. I've listened to Christina Traister narrate before, but it was the first time I've heard Mikael Naramore narrate. I thought they both did a great job and, despite the fact that they each narrated separate sections, they complimented each other - their pacing was the same and there wasn't a jarring difference when the narration switched. I'm eager to listen to both narrators again.


Books in this series:
  1. Love You More
  2. Touch & Go
  3. Crash & Burn