Audiobook Review: The Date by T.H. Murdock
The Date
Author: T.H. Murdock
Narrator: Rory Barnett
Published: July 1, 2026
Audiobook: 10 hours 18 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 19-25, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Book Description:
What would you do if your first date ended in murder?
A year ago, after a perfect date, Miles Deverill was charged with murder. The handsome young actor became front-page news when he was accused of killing Caira Kennedy, a social worker he had just met that night.
Now acquitted, Miles can’t escape the past. He tries to rebuild his life, but journalists won’t leave him alone. And then the threatening messages start—in Caira’s own voice: This is not over. Is she still alive or is someone playing a twisted game?
Desperate to escape, Miles joins friends on a remote road trip. But deep in an isolated forest, one of their group is murdered. Someone close to Miles knows exactly what happened on his date—and this time he has to face the truth. Guilty or innocent, there is nowhere left to run…
Jessica’s Review:
The premise is intriguing and starts off with many things that I enjoy including multiple povs! We have Miles who a year ago had a first date and after that date, Caira was found dead. The trial proceeds and we get snippets of that, (which I was all about that trial!). Miles is found not guilty, this is not a spoiler as this story focuses after the trial with Miles trying to move on. But Miles has a stalker! Or is it Caira??? Because Miles is getting emails in Caira’s voice and she’s dead. Or is she????
Miles joins his sister and a couple of friends and they head to New Zealand. They meet up with two other young ladies and they all go on a road trip in an RV. But things go downhill fast and one of them is murdered. Two murders around Miles? Who is responsible?
Overall, The Date was a decent read. The last act of the story could have been improved upon, along with who the killer was and their motive. It just didn’t work for me. This was a debut novel and I would be willing to read Murdock again. And he has another novel coming out in October and a third scheduled for release in March at this time. I enjoyed the narrator, Rory Barnett. He did a good job.
Many thanks to the publisher for granting me a copy to listen to and review!
Book Review and Movie Comparisons of The Running Man
The Running Man
Author: Stephen King as Richard Bachman
Narrator: Kevin Kenerly
First Published: May 4, 1982
Audiobook: 7 hours 42 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 13-17, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
In the year 2025, the best men don’t run for president, they run for their lives…
Ben Richards is out of work and out of luck. His eighteen-month-old daughter is sick, and neither Ben nor his wife can afford to take her to a doctor. For a man from the poor side of town with no cash and no hope, there’s only one thing to do: become a contestant on one of the Network’s Games, shows where you can win more money than you’ve ever dreamed of—or die trying. Now Ben’s going prime-time on the Network’s highest-rated viewer participation show. And he’s about to become a prey for the masses…
Jessica’s Review:
Stephen King was ahead of his time! He first wrote The Running Man over the course of just a week in 1972 or 1973. It was first published in 1982 under his Richard Bachman pseudonym and takes place in a dystopian America in 2025, which is now our past. The Running Man shows how difficult of a world 2025 is. But to lighten the people’s spirits, we have one of the highest rated television shows: The Running Man and everyone in the USA can participate!
Ben Richards is just 28-years-old and is married with an 18-month-old daughter who is sick. Everything is extremely hard to come by and you need ‘new money’ to get anything. With seemingly no other option, he ends up on the show The Running Man. He is given a twelve-hour head start and has 30 days to survive and the longer he lasts the more money he earns. But things are not as they seem. As we all know, ‘reality television’ isn’t actually real. We see the constant manipulation of the media on everyday people who are extremely poor. But Ben fights to survive and help save his daughter. His wife and daughter are his sole reason for doing this.
The reader goes on the journey with Ben. In some parts of the novel, you can see how it has aged, at times not well. Part of this is with Ben’s personality. Richards is not likeable, but I was rooting for him to make it to the end to help his family. The entire novel is dark, but has an even darker ending. At first I was giving the novel 3.5 stars, but as I got to thinking more about it I decided on four stars. Not enjoying an ending is not a reason to give a lower star rating when in fact the author did accomplish what he intended. For that reason I gave The Running Man the rating I did. This novel won’t be for everyone, but it was in fact a good dark read about a ugly Dystopian America. Again, it was written in the 1970s but still accomplishes what it was meant to even today!
The narrator Kevin Kenerly did a good job with his narration. I never lost interest in the story.
Movie Comparisons:
My Thoughts on the 1987 Film:
I had never seen the 1987 version and at first, I was going to skip it when I read the description and saw it is nowhere near to the book. It is about convicted criminals fighting to get a second chance. But then I saw some reviews where people were talking about how much they enjoyed it. I decided to watch it fully knowing it won’t be like the book.
And this version is NOT like the book at all. The film takes place in 2019 and in 2017 the global economy collapsed. It has Arnold Schwarzenegger as Ben Richards who ends up competing in the Running Man. He was a police detective who the audience is led to believe did something that he did not do. Richards and two others are put into the ‘game’ and are ‘runners; while they are hunted down by ’stalkers’.
Unlike in the book, we get to see parts of the television show and also ‘behind the scenes’. It is more of a game show than reality tv, with the audience wanting the runners to be killed and adoring the ‘stalkers’.
This version of The Running Man is a quintessential 1980s film! So you better know what you are in for: It is campy, corny and has lots of cheesy one liners. We also get Arnold saying his most famous quote: “I’ll be Back”. Taking into consideration that this film is extremely not similar to the book, I really enjoyed watching this version. Would I watch it again, no. It’s a one time viewing for this reviewer. I know some people grew up watching this film and loving it. But not me. The overall rating I would give the 1987 version would be a strong 3 stars.
My Thoughts on the 2025 Film:
This is a film that is overall faithful to the book. It does have its differences, including a major change to the ending, but this is a good film! Taking place in present day, we do have some homages to the book and 1987 film: Arnold is on the ‘new money’ and at one point in the film you see a store called “Bachman’s’. I loved seeing those easter eggs!
Ben Richards is a little older than the Richards of the book. ‘Film Richards’ is 35 years old and is very much likable unlike ‘Book Richards’. He is also entertaining and seems like a realistic ‘every man’ who has no other choice but to try and get on a game show and seemingly finds himself on The Running Man. This Richards is made more heroic and spares some of those hunting him down. I was rooting for him and hoping the film would have a different ending, which it does. The book’s ending is very dark and I can’t see that ending being made. If you want to know that ending, then read the book!
We get more of the actual television show and ‘behind the scenes’ in this film.
Casting wise we have Glen Powell as Ben Richards, and wow, he did a fabulous job. We also have William H. Macy as Molie and he was enjoyable! I adored Molie for the short time he was in the film. The scene stealer was none other than Colman Domingo! He was perfection as Bobby T, host of The Running Man. Charismatic yet also full of himself, Domingo knows how to portray these types of characters. I have been a fan of his since he was on Fear the Walking Dead and even had a chance to meet him 10 years ago. And he is quite the entertaining man! It’s a story to share for sure.
The 2025 film version of The Running Man I give 4 stars to, and I would watch it again!
Me with Colman Domingo in 2016 at Walker Stalker!
Purchase Links:
Book:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
1987 Film:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
2025 Film:
Amazon US It is currently available for free if you have Prime!
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: With a Kiss We Die by L.R. Dorn
With a Kiss We Die
Author: L.R. Dorn
Narrator: Full Cast Narration
Published: July 11, 2023
Audiobook: 9 hours 29 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 5-11, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Two college lovers suspected of a brutal double homicide enlist a podcasting crime journalist to proclaim their innocence in this psychologically riveting and compulsively enjoyable novel of love, lies, and murder, perfect for fans of The Lady Vanishes podcast and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark.
I’m Ryanna Raines. And welcome to “The Raines Report.”
Ryanna Raines is the host of a popular true-crime podcast. Her specialty is investigative journalism, her style is truth-seeking moxie, and with millions of listeners along for the ride, her star is rising. But when an intriguing message is left on her tip-line, the reporter is pulled into the most challenging case of her career.
The mangled bodies of a husband and wife have been discovered in their multi-million-dollar estate in Southern California. The prime suspects are their twenty-two-year-old son and his girlfriend, two college theater students who are now facing arrest and indictment. In a surprising move, they only want to speak with Ryanna, offering exclusive interviews in exchange for her help getting their side of the story told.
Instead of a badge or a weapon, Ryanna carries her voice recorder onto the battlefield of the high-profile murder investigation. Through a series of interviews, Ryanna examines her subjects from multiple angles and diverse points of view, breaking past the walls of “he said, she said” to pierce at a dark and horrible truth.
Written in the style of a true-crime podcast, With a Kiss We Die is a heart-racing mystery and thought-provoking tale about love and secrets that unfolds episode by episode as it hurtles towards an explosive conclusion. L. R. Dorn has crafted a suspenseful examination of our cultural obsession with true crime, the complicated moral obligations between journalists and their subjects, and the often-deadly line between performance and deceit.
Jessica’s Review:
This is a book that is meant to be listened to! I can’t imagine reading it after listening to the audiobook. If you enjoy true crime podcasts/ documentaries then you will enjoy this! And I have been on a Netflix true crime documentary kick lately. I’ve been watching so many of those that it is interfering with my reading of physical/kindle books, but I am seemingly addicted to them right now. Thanks to The Crash I have fallen down this rabbit hole!
In With a Kiss We Die, we have a college couple Jordan and Victoria who are accused of brutally murdering Jordan’s parents. They then went to a resort in Mexico. Arrest is seemingly imminent and they contact popular podcaster Ryanna Raines to give their side of the story before their silence happens. They want to give their side in a unique way: Podcast interviews as the story seemingly unfolds in real time. Ryanna agrees and finds herself in a unique situation and as she uncovers more as the case progresses, things are not as they seem! And yes, there are Romeo and Juliet references including the title throughout the novel.
This is my first novel by duo L.R. Dorn and I really enjoyed it. The audiobook enhanced the story 1000%. We have a full cast of narrators which includes a couple of my favorites: January LaVoy and Thérèse Plummer. This novel definitely has a unique premise with what is becoming a more popular subgenre of thriller/crime novels dealing with podcasts. As our world constantly evolves, so do our stories that we love to read or listen to!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK