The Cottage

A McLaren Mystery

By: Jo A. Hiestand

Narrated by: Callum Hale

Former police detective Michael McLaren is at the home of his lady friend, Melanie. The house is sold, the removal van is booked. All that is left is to help her pack her belongings for her move to his village. But the laborious task is interrupted when one of Melanie’s neighbors asks McLaren to investigate the circumstances of her parents’ murders.

McLaren’s reluctance to take it on and abandon Melanie appears to be solved when his best mate, Jamie, steps in to help with the packing. It’s not the easy investigation McLaren was hoping for, however. Sightings of Mordred and a ghost, and a burglary at the local Tudor Hall complicate the murder inquiries.

What had seemed to McLaren a perfect remedy with Jamie close at hand now disintegrates into a horrendous mistake. And McLaren questions if the investigation is really worth it, especially when he puts the people he cares about most in danger.

©2023 Jo A. Hiestand (P)2024 Jo A. Hiestand

5++ stars for this British mystery gem

Story Impressions –



McLaren is asked to investigate a pair of murders while helping his beloved Melanie pack up and move to his village. What starts as a favor soon becomes a nightmare as he thrusts Jamie and Melanie into grave danger. With every McLaren audiobook, Callum Hale gets better and better. Callum become McLaren and others while bringing the well-crafted mystery to life. Forget streaming, this is the only way to immerse yourself in a British mystery.



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 hearing the mystery. 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 an engrossing listen, especially for fans of British mysteries and mysteries.



My Rating: 5++ stars

Good "Who Dun it!"

I enjoyed the book. The storyline was good, the mystery was intereating and the characters were likeable. The Narration was super and I definitely recommend this book.

Suspense At Its Best!

The Cottage is another nail biting suspense in the McLaren Mystery Series. Mike is helping his lady love, Melanie, pack up her possessions as she prepares to move into her new home in his village. However, as usual, he is drawn into looking into a murder mystery. This time one of Melanie’s neighbours asks him to look into the murder and of her parents. His friend, Jamie, ends up coming to help with the packing while Mike is working on the case and, needless to say, things eventually get complicated. There are always some good twists and turns to maneuver, as well as some chuckles, and this one has some heart tugging scenes that will have you reaching for some tissues. I found this book very difficult to put down. Callum Hale never ceases to amaze me with his amazing ability to make each character sound unique and memorable. The emotion he puts into the appropriate scenes is unsurpassed. Kudos to both the author and narrator on this one. I can highly recommend it!

Fantastic

This is a most excellent mystery. The journey to the truth was twisted but Mike's tenacity and perseverance won the day. Barry is a wonderful character that adds greatly to the storyline. Jamie is a great friend to Mike and vice-versa. These two get in a d out of scrapes and are thick as thieves as good friends should be. I had a lot of possible suspects but only one lasted to the end. This was a great journey I enjoyed immensely. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest opinion. The narrator did an excellent job bringing the characters and story to life. I highly recommend this series.

Wonderful!

Michael McLaren is determined to do nothing else but help his friend Melanie pack up her house in anticipation of her move to Derbyshire. But, a friend of Melanie convinces him to help find who murdered her parents. The investigation turns dangerous, but Michael persists. I’ve read several McLaren books out of order and each holds its own as a stand-alone. The writing is great and the book is full of twists and turns and a lot of suspense. The narration by Callum Hale is outstanding.

ANOTHER GREAT "NOT-TO-BE-MISSED" MCLAREN MYSTERY❣️

What a treat! I love how McLaren and Jamie work together and support each other as the great friends they are, to solve complicated mysteries. The romance remains in the background and behind closed doors, and while it adds color and texture to the story, Ms. Hiestand always maintains a balance and keeps the mystery firmly front and center.
The complexity of the cases are always fun to try to figure out right up to the end. None of the knowing whodunnit by chapter 4!
Callum Hale makes you feel like you're right there the whole time, or, at least, watching a movie peopled by a full cast! There is none better!
The best part of this series is that you can start with any book and be assured that the author will bring you up to date in a quick, no-nonsense way.
The author and the narrater are so good together, that it really is a case of 1+1=3.
Don't miss this wonderful audio!

A Smart Listen

I use the word “smart” because it is a stylish mystery and also it challenges the mind. I listen to many audiobooks and I often speed them up in order to get to the next listen, but The Cottage required my full attention because it is a classic ‘whodunit.’ That was a lovely surprise. It is my first McLaren mystery and though it is number 18 in the series, everything is explained well enough that I never felt lost. It was fun to hear the clues and try to figure it all out. (I grew up listening to recordings of old radio shows such as Sherlock Holmes that my grandpa had, and it instilled a life-long love of clever detective stories.) I realized 1 hour in that I want to go back and start the series at the beginning. McLaren is a rather old-school sleuth in a modern age (though the modern world does not intrude too much in the story). I highly recommend this book and the series promises to be a great one. Last but by no means least- THE NARRATOR. Callum Hale. What a find for me! His voice is fantastic! He is perfect for this series. He has not narrated many books outside this series, but I hope he does more in the future.

Great listen!

I received a free code to get this book and review. I have never read anything by Jo Hiestand before though so wasn’t sure what to expect. It was an excellent mystery. I enjoyed the twists and turns and the narrator was very good as well. He really made the different characters come alive. I will definitely be looking at more books in the McLaren mystery series in the future. I would recommend this book.

I’m loving this newly discovered series

I was thrilled to find Jo A. Hiestand's McLaren Mystery series, and “The Cottage” (Book 18) did not disappoint. Narrated by Callum Hale, this engaging audiobook follows former police detective Michael McLaren as he investigates a murder in a quaint British town. Hale’s brilliant narration brings the characters to life, expertly conveying their unique inflections and personalities. Hiestand's skilful storytelling weaves an intricate thriller filled with unexpected twists, eccentric characters and surprising revelations. I was hooked from the start and appreciated the clever plot that kept me guessing until the very end. Thank you to the author for providing a complimentary code. I’m eager to continue the series with “Arrested Flight” and enjoy more of McLaren's intriguing adventures. Don’t miss out, get this now. Epic, indeed!

💥✍️🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟✍️💥