Angel's Trap

The Secret of the Oxpen's Angel, Book 1

By: Lei R. Tasker

Narrated by: Jen Ulman

The Secret of the Oxpen’s Angel: Angel's Trap

Listen to one of the most gripping women's crime fiction novels here!

Paige left the only life she’s ever known in Cardiff to move to Oxford, hoping to escape her cheating ex-boyfriend Rufus, and start anew.

At Oxford, with some help, she swiftly finds a job as a research assistant to a retired yet eccentric professor, Hugh Eckland, and quickly discovers that the seemingly quaint atmosphere of her new home is only skin-deep, as unnerving secrets start to make their way to the surface.

Her life started to take a turn for the worst, as a series of anonymous and cryptic text messages lead her deeper into the shady underbelly of the university.

In the genre of suspense thrillers and crime fiction, no one comes close to the skillful way the author is able to portray plots and characters that take listeners to the edge of their seats…and keep them there.

A gripping, spine-chilling story brimming with secrets and lies. If you loved The Girl on the Train, or The Woman in the Window, then this dark, twisted, psychological thriller is guaranteed to have you spellbound!

Here’s what you can expect in her new book, The Secret of the Oxpen’s Angel: Angel's Trap:

• A fast-paced psychological thriller that will leave you guessing at every turn
• A frightening murderer at large, a suspicious Oxford’s Professor, and a series of anonymous texts: What would the fate of this young and smart woman?
• A dilemma on who to trust: Who can Paige turn to for help when everyone around her has their own dark secrets?
• And so much more!

Brace yourself as you go on a nerve-wracking journey into the lies and secrets of an unassuming town, and be ready to catch your breath as you navigate every corner of each character’s intentions…whether pure or not.

If you’re a fan of Gillian Flynn and SJ Watson, you’re going to love this book!

Scroll up, click on “Buy Now”, and get your own copy today!

©2020 Bee Yoke Goh (P)2020 Bee Yoke Goh

Short and full of action

Great start to a thriller/crime series
Short and full of action
This book ends in a pretty big cliffhanger so I’m looking forward to the second instalment.

Narration is good and fits the novel well.
Interesting female lead.

Gifted audio in exchange for an honest review

This read is a teen book

After listening in it's entirety, I decided that it's simplistic writing as opposed to adult reads of the same genres makes it a teen and young adult type nook. It is more innocent and mild, yet interesting. I believe the other ratings reflect this. If you are used to a heart bounding adult thriller, this book is not for you.

Suspence, drama - and the cliffhanger from hell

This story is an easy listen with a twist. You KNOW it is suspense and mystery…but you do not know the extent or nature of it. To me that is the hallmark of a fine novel – and boy does this one deliver. We are quickly drawn into a mystery that deepens and gets creepier with “every turn of the page” so to speak.

The story starts out innocuously enough, with a slightly struggling academic, who leaves her home to seek her fortunes elsewhere. Entering the employ of a truly eccentric, British academic, she thinks mostly nothing ill, until several seemingly unrelated but shocking occurrences disrupt her daily – if not quite normal – routines.

This is where the web of connections is truly spun and the suspense builds. Pieces of detail suddenly start to fit eerily together and the people around her deliver certain facts and knowledge (and slightly disturbing behavior) that leave not doubt that “something bad is about to happen”. What is cool is that we get the revelations real time, as Paige figures them out (ok, granted – there is some of it we the readers could have figured). There is no parallel story arc to pre-inform or later explain (yet) what is happening as we go. That is awesome.

I like that many details seem so random at the beginning – but become very important. Quirky turns of a phrase – miss it and you will MISS it. That is the twist with this book. Paranoia is your best friend – take it ALL in. This is what makes this a storywise impeccable peace of work: It is so cleanly executed. It is easy in the sense there is little furfarah – very little ornamentation to distract you – so the little things matter and you cannot “afford” to miss anything. So listen up! :)

There are some occurrences in the book, which I would call “plot breakers”. Things that make me think “well..if that hadn’t just happened – the book would have stopped”. Call him Rufus. Nevertheless, it does not stop. On the contrary. Weirdly, impressively the web just tugs at the corners, bringing even more detail and coincidence to light – which is a delightful experience. Without spoiling too much I think it safe to say that there are layers to the scheming and levels to the book I have not yet realized – so there are contingensies and explanations for everything.

Unfortunately, just as the plot thickens to the point of “and here we go” the book ends. Just as we realize just how deeply involved the complete cast (save for precious, innocent few) are. Leaving me wondering and asking for more.

Words on the narration:
Jen Ulman is not a native Brit. I am a stickler for accents matching the setting, so to me that was somewhat of a detractor, given story takes place in the most British of the UK. I think most others would easily let it slide.

In my opinion, the narration could be clearer and I did feel that commas, punctuation and flow did not quite hit the mark, giving the odd break in the delivery. In longer books I might be more forgiving on this, but in this very condensed narrative, it really did take away some.

BUT! (Now comes the praise)
I did really enjoy the tone set by Ulman. She certainly manages to convey the suspence and the dramatic events very convincingly. The way she manages to instill a sort of muted unease and even the slightly humourous quirkyness of her employer is captured really well. Characters seem alive, even if they did not have defined voices, which is a fine example solid narration.

Having a female narrator -yeess the male listener goes gender - gives this an interesting spin on the dark thriller voice I would usually expect a deep voiced man or perhaps a softspoken Zachary Quinto to deliver. (I consider him one of my favourite suspence narrators). In my mind, there is a sneaking deviousness in it, which I thought work really well - if for no other reason than that the protagonist is a woman.

All in all, a very clean, enjoyable listen - without a HEA (yet) and a cliffhanger that begs listening to book 2.

Enjoy !!

I thought the book was great I would recommend it I will probably read it again