★Friedman, Terry. Bone Pendant Girls. CamCat. Jan. 2024. 10:40 hrs. ISBN 9780744307979. $20.95. THRILLER

Andi Wyndham has seen and communicated with spirits since she was a child. At a gem expo, she is drawn to a pendant inscribed with a girl’s face, which seems to call out to her. Upon purchasing the pendant and a companion piece, Andi is shocked to discover that the pieces are made from human bone and depict two real missing/presumed-dead girls, Bennie and Mariah. The girls’ spirits urge Andi to find a man they call “the Fisherman.” Teaming up with a handsome private investigator, she works to lay their souls and bodies to rest while staying clear of the Fisherman’s trap. Friedman offers a thrilling debut full of mystery, murder, and hope. Rachel Fulginiti, Danny Campbell, and Jesse Vilinsky give voice to Andi, the girls, the Fisherman, and the people trying to bring justice to the victims. Their tense narration adds a level of discomfort and humanity to the novel. VERDICT Friedman’s fast-paced thriller is both heart-pounding and heart-wrenching. Share with fans of paranormal psychological suspense in the vein of Karen Brown’s The Clairvoyants.—Elyssa Everling

★Michaelides, Alex. The Fury. Macmillan Audio. Jan. 2024. 8:08 hrs. ISBN 9781250329523. $26.99. THRILLER

In Michaelides’s (The Maidens) latest novel, listeners get front-row seats to a tale of murder and love, told by unreliable but delightful narrator Elliot Chase. Elliot shares a story about his dear friend Lana, a retired movie star who has invited her closest friends and family on a quick getaway to her private Greek island. Overnight on the island, someone is murdered. Elliot willingly provides the details of how and why the murder occurred, all while embellishing a tad, as good storytellers often do. As always, Michaelides creates dynamic characters with complex flaws and weaknesses and explores the psychology of motivation, manipulation, and desire. Although slower in pace than his previous novels, this latest is still a fun and dramatic thriller. Narrator Alex Jennings offers a sparkling performance, providing layered character portraits and enlivening the story with British, American, and Greek accents. Jennings’s Elliot is entertaining, and it is obvious that Jennings himself is a seasoned performer. VERDICT Recommended for all thriller audio collections. Listeners who enjoy whodunits and closed-circle mysteries will want to pick this one up.—Lacey Webster

★Simon, Nina. Mother-Daughter Murder Night. HarperAudio. Sept. 2023. 12:38 hrs. ISBN 9780063315075. $31.99. M

Simon’s (The Art of Relevance) charming fiction debut features a mother-daughter-granddaughter trio who must work through their complicated relationships to solve a murder. After being diagnosed with cancer, glamorous Los Angeles real estate tycoon Lana Rubicon moves in with her adult daughter Beth and Beth’s teenage daughter Jack in their somewhat shabby cottage in a sleepy coastal California town. Jack, who is still in school and also works part-time as a kayak guide, becomes a murder suspect when a dead body is discovered in the waters where she was leading a tour. Beth pleads with her mother to help pay for an attorney for Jack, but Lana (who has already redecorated Beth’s entire house and is looking for another distraction) decides that she herself will investigate, find the real murderer, and clear her granddaughter’s name. Soon Beth and Jack get roped into Lana’s sleuthing, creating a hilariously dysfunctional multigenerational investigative team. Narrator Jane Oppenheimer portrays the three women’s forceful personalities with gusto, perfectly balancing the novel’s humor and tension as Lana, Beth, and Jack try to find a killer without killing each other. VERDICT The family dynamics are just as entertaining as the well-constructed plot in this heartwarming audiobook, perfect for listeners who enjoy lighthearted mysteries featuring strong women protagonists.—Beth Farrell