The Bluff

A Thriller

By: Bonnie Traymore

Narrated by: Meghan Kelly

“What do you have to lose, Kate?” Ryan asked me, as we stood on the bluff looking out on Lake Michigan.

Turns out, almost everything.

When I first moved from Manhattan to this small town six years ago, I worried about many things. I worried about finding a job. I worried that I’d be bored. I worried that my relationship with charming photographer Ryan Breslow was moving too fast. But I never worried about whether the ground beneath my feet would crumble—both literally and figuratively.

My marriage didn’t go as I’d imagined. A year ago, Ryan met his untimely death in a car accident that’s still under investigation. Isolated and alone, all I wanted was to sell my home and leave Crest Lake and its painful memories behind. But with my home inching ever closer to the edge of the crumbling bluff, the property has become unmarketable. All of us on the lakefront have lost chunks of property, and tempers are at a boiling point about what to do next.

And now, on the evening of a contentious vote about how to fix this pressing issue, my nemesis on the shoreline committee has been murdered. I know how it looks, but it’s not what it seems. But I have to get my plan passed and cash out.

Because I do have secrets.

And they won’t stay buried forever.

©2024 Bonnie Traymore (P)2024 Bonnie Traymore

Critic reviews

"Gripping and full of surprises, THE BLUFF is a clever psychological suspense with layered characters and an atmospheric setting. Traymore masterfully ratchets up the tension little-by-little until the surprising, explosive end."—Tracey Devlyn, USA Today bestselling author

The Bluff

What a well balanced story. It has all the perfect hidden secrets that slowly come out. I also loved how she used her education to learn more about her husband’s behavior. Great characters as well and I loved the ending! I think we all love a good karma ending. For me it was a fast listen. Once I was invested I needed to finish! The narration was spot on. She did an amazing job with the cast.

Amazing Story and Ending!

Wow!  Bonnie Traymore has done it again, but this time you just won’t believe it when you get to the end of this book!  I love all the previous books I have listened to before this one, but this one is my new favorite! Once I started listening, I couldn’t stop until I finished.  This is a must listen book with lots of action, twists and turns and total shock along the way.  Meghan Kelly does a fantastic job at narrating this thriller with all the different voices and emotions.  I can’t wait for Bonnie’s next book!

Amazing!

If you want a spine chilling story, then grab this one. It kept me on the edge of my seat.
Meghan Kelly can deliver a thriller like no other with her narration. She is so talented.

You never know who is surrounding you

I found this story entertaining and had an opportunity to play a guessing game about who the real killer is. I appreciated how the lead character used her training in psychology in her personal life and maintained her composure under trying circumstances. The unexpected conclusion contributed a small bit of karma.
Meghan Kelly did an excellent job narrating. The story was entertaining to listen to and easy to follow.

A thrilling story of psychological suspense!

Mother Nature is claiming the bluff on Lake Michigan. As their lake front properties are eroding, the Crest Lake citizens are fighting over the best way to stop the damage. Kate Breslow has a good plan to present to the town council, but on the night of the crucial vote her nemesis is found dead. Shockingly, this is not the first time Kate is a person of interest in a suspicious death. This is an excellent psychological thriller with a lot of unexpected twists and turns and a shocking ending. The narration by Meghan Kelly is outstanding. She creates different voices for each character that is perfect for their description and personality. Her performance is also perfect for the suspenseful atmosphere of the story. The narration brings the whole story and characters to life. Overall an absolutely amazing audiobook!

The Bluff

This was a well written,very good book.I enjoyed it. Narration by Meghan Kelly was terrific! I was given this book free for an honest review.

Never would have guessed

I’ve listened to several of Bonnie Traymore’s books. I’ve liked all of them but this was by far the best. It really kept me guessing and revealed things at just the right times. Now to go find another one!

Riveting, Suspenseful and Masterfully Plotted!

The Bluff is crumbling … If it collapses into the sea, several homes will go with it. It seems everyone on the shoreline committee has a different plan to “fix” the problem and someone’s determined to insure that Kate Breslow’s plan NEVER sees the light of day… Riveting, suspenseful and masterfully plotted, “The Bluff” kept me guessing long into the night! I loved the realistic interplay between the characters! Being from a small town with “complicated” politics, this plot AND these characters rang one hundred percent true and one hundred percent authentic! I could actually “see” real people in a few of the “locals” as I listened, … I have lunch at same the local eatery as they every day! Brought to life by astounding, emotive, clear, concise and consistent narration, I was thoroughly in the moment, RIVETED, from the opening lines of this brilliantly plotted thriller, to the stunning, heart stopping conclusion! Five fantastically fabulous stars! Oh how I wish I could give so many more! “The Bluff” was truly AMAZING and I loved every second!

Good!

I’ve never read anything by this author before, but after reading The Bluff, I believe I’ll pick up more from her. The beginning felt a little a bit convoluted, but it pulled together after a couple of chapters and seemed to flow much more smoothly. I think the plot was original, and I really did enjoy the way it played out. I liked the conclusions for most of the characters quite a bit.

The narration was good, though I did need to speed it up to more of a conversational speed than the standard 1.5 I usually listen at (I upped it to 1.7, which seemed perfect). The narrator did a good job at altering her voice and inflections for the different characters. I never had to wonder which character’s POV I was listening to.

I do think there was a small issue with splicing the audio towards the beginning - one brief section was jarring, and not the fault of the narrator - but the rest was good.

I look forward to seeing more from both the author and the narrator!

Who do you think did it? Wrong….think again.

Small town politics. Family drama. A NY transplant in MI. The unstable weather of MI and the Great Lakes. All in a classic who done it. Good read. Interesting end! That was a twist! Voice performance was great but there is something about a female voice for a male character that always puzzles me.