Old Loves Die Hard

I have enjoyed spending several hours over the past week walking around my town even though I have actually been thousands of miles away in my head. It's what I love most about listening to a good audiobook - exercise without realising it! Old Loves Die Hard is the second in Lauren Carr's Mac Faraday mysteries series, but I was able to fully enjoy the story without having read the first instalment because concise recaps fill in the gaps. Mac is now ridiculously rich after an unexpected inheritance, but still wants to spend his life solving local crime of which there is rather a lot in Spencer.

Carr introduces us to a large cast and, although she has a good eye for characters, I wasn't always immediately able to remember who was who in the early chapters. I thought that James Lewis did a good job of the narration though which helped immensely. His creation of numerous different voices meant that, once the book was underway, I could often tell who was speaking without being told. I was surprised by how much Mac and Archie were able to be involved in the police case despite being civilians themselves. Enough money opens many doors! In this aspect I was reminded of vintage British mysteries such as Agatha Christie novels where amateur sleuths tend to be the most adept. Carr's emphasis on the affluence and old money of the Washington communities also helped reinforce this vibe.

The mystery itself is intricately plotted and ultimately satisfying to unravel. A good level of concentration is needed throughout the story and I think I did miss some of the clues. I had worked out some elements but not others so felt both pleased with myself and surprised at the end.