Arrested Flight

The McLaren Mysteries, Book 8

By: Jo A. Hiestand

Narrated by: Callum Hale

Ex-police detective Michael McLaren is determined to have a peaceful holiday after the fiasco of his first attempt at Windermere, so he stops at a bed-and-breakfast in Moorton, a village in Cumbria. But mystery and murder seek him out, and he soon succumbs to the B&B owner’s plea to investigate the year-old death of her daughter’s fiancé, a young musician.

The Lake District parish seems peaceful, but a rival musician’s jealousy and a business partner’s anger boil beneath the façade. Mix that with "Barmy Barry’s" sightings of fairy lights at the castle, references to Uther Pendragon's return, and the secrets in the woods, and McLaren finds his sanity shaky.

When the vicar is attacked and Barry disappears, McLaren sets a trap for the killer. But as it plays out, his concern shifts from the potential capture to praying he and his friend can escape with their lives.

©2017 Jo A. Hiestand (P)2022 Jo A. Hiestand

Hair-Raising!

This was definitely one of those suspenseful mysteries that had me on the edge of my seat at times, and yes, had the hair on my arms tingling. Mike McLaren once again gets himself into some hair-raising situations and had me wanting to fast forward to see if he was actually going to get out of them safely. (Of course I never did because I was afraid that I might miss something important.) McLaren continues to be a character who I find to be endlessly fascinating. He can take me from laughter, with some of his antics, to tears as I empathize with the loss of his fiancé. I was pleased to see that he had a bit of a love interest again in this book. It will be interesting to see if that will develop in future books. Callum Hale is simply amazing. His narration always makes the listening experience so incredibly enjoyable and you feel as though you are listening to these characters in real life. Kudos to him for another enjoyable narration. This is definitely a book I will recommend to my friends and to anyone interested in a good suspenseful mystery.

greed and lies

McLaren's vacation was anything but a relaxing vacation. He volunteered to check into a cold case and ends up running into much more unlawful activities. He also started a relationship with a woman. There is more than meets the eye, and murders are also uncovered. McLaren and Jaime almost meet the same fate as others before that interfered with these thugs. Very suspenseful and McLaren was a bit disappointing in the relationship department. I enjoyed every fear filled moment. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest opinion. The narrator did an excellent job of bringing the characters and storyline to life.

Another excellent McLaren book!

I thoroughly enjoyed Arrested Flight (#8 in the McLaren Series) by Jo A. Hiestand. Michael McLaren is in need of a peaceful holiday to mourn his fiancee and finds a quiet bed-and-breakfast in Moorton. The B&B owner, Melanie, asks him to look into the death of her daughter’s fiancee the previous year. Unfortunately, McLaren is a magnet for mystery and death and the bodies start dropping as his investigation progresses. I have read these out of order and enjoyed them as stand-alones. The narration by Callum Hale is wonderful. He performs the character with unique voices and accents and brings the story to life. I received a free audiobook code for my honest review.

Another exciting police procedural

I thoroughly enjoyed “Arrested Flight: A McLaren Mystery, Book 8” by Jo A. Hiestand, expertly narrated by Callum Hale. This is my second listen from the author, and I'm impressed by the duo’s expert delivery of intriguing subplots and pitch-perfect vocals. I’ve added more titles from this series to my wishlist and look forward to continuing my journey with McLaren’s investigations. This time, we follow ex-police detective Michael McLaren as he attempts a much-needed holiday in Cumbria, only to be drawn into a mysterious death from the previous year. As he gets deeper, he encounters a web of secrets, lies, and shocking surprises. The welcome addition of eccentricities and the eerie atmosphere add to the thrill. Hale’s narration brings the story to vivid life. I appreciate the author’s kindness in providing me with free codes and introducing me to this series. For those who enjoy British police procedurals with intricate twists and turns, I highly recommend the McLaren Mystery series.
✍️👏🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✍️👏

What a brilliant performance by Callum Hale!

Summary –

A restful holiday without talk of murder is all McLaren wants but no such luck in Moorton. Retired detective McLaren is in need of a break, so he finds a bed and breakfast in the village of Moorton. No investigating murders, just a relaxing vacation, is all McLaren craves. No sooner has he gotten comfy in his accommodations when the B&B owner asks for McLaren’s assistance in tracking down her daughter’s fiancé’s murderer. What a conundrum for McLaren. He finally relents but soon discovers a laundry list of subjects and a witness account of fairy lights seen at the castle. As McLaren reaches his limit, he ensnares the killer…or will the killer snuff him out?


Narrator’s overall voice –

Callum Hale is a magnificent narrator, one of the best I’ve heard. His voice creates the imagery needed to follow the story. His soothing British accent works flawlessly for this story.


Does the narrator fit the characters?

Callum uses different dialects for each character which is beneficial while listening. There were many times I would close my eyes and could imagine what was going on. Callum also invokes emotion while reading. I found myself getting carried away into the story.


Narrator’s reading style –

Callum’s reading style is the perfect rhythm, allowing the listener to be fully invested in the story.


Narrator’s impact on reading experience –

Callum makes this one of the best books I’ve listened to. Everything from his pacing to the inflection in his voice to the recreation of the characters to the emotional impact on the listener all combine to make this an outstanding performance.


Narrator’s pacing –

Callum’s pacing is lingering in parts, fast in others, on pace with the natural ebbs and flows of the story. It’s a delightful performance.


Audiobook flow –

The flow of the audiobook is right in line with the pace of the story. I submerged myself in the mystery and thoroughly adored it.


What makes this audiobook unique –

What a brilliant performance by Callum. He becomes McLaren, at least for my imagination.


Would I recommend this audiobook –

YES! It’s such a delightful listen, especially for fans of British mysteries and mysteries.


My Rating: 5+ stars