Audiobook Review: The Good Samaritan by John Marrs
The Good Samaritan
Author: John Marrs
Narrators:
Elizabeth Knowelden
Charlotte Cole
Matthew Lloyd Davies
Tim Campbell
Published: December 1, 2017
Audiobook: 11 hours 36 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: February 6-13, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
She’s a friendly voice on the phone. But can you trust her?
The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life is worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn’t want them to hope. She wants them to die.
Laura hasn’t had it she’s survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for forty, unsettled and angry. She doesn’t love talking to people worse off than she is. She craves it.
But now someone’s on to her—Ryan, whose world falls apart when his pregnant wife ends her life, hand in hand with a stranger. Who was this man, and why did they choose to die together?
The sinister truth is within Ryan’s grasp, but he has no idea of the desperate lengths Laura will go to…
Because the best thing about being a Good Samaritan is that you can get away with murder.
Jessica’s Review:
The Good Samaritan. The title leaves you to believe we are in for a story about a ‘good’ main character, but Laura is just the opposite: She is the villain that you love to hate! I actually listened to this one after finishing Dead in the Water but wish I had listened to Samaritan first.
The Good Samaritan is a dark and twisted novel that plays a cat and mouse game with the two main characters: Laura and Ryan. Laura is a volunteer for End of the Line, which is a suicide hotline. She is a master manipulator who abuses her position to get what she wants: People dying. We also have Ryan who lost his pregnant wife to suicide. He is trying to find answers and Laura is seemingly responsible.
Like always with Marrs’ novels, we have quick chapters that keep a reader/listener coming back for more. I really had no idea what was going to happen at the end. And when you are finished reading The Good Samaritan go ahead and read Dead in the Water for more in this world.
The narrators did a great job with the narrations and one narrator is back for Dead in the Water.
Needless to say, there is a trigger warning for suicide and suicide attempts.
What will John Marrs bring us next?
Audiobook Review: Dead in the Water by John Marrs
Dead in the Water
Author: John Marrs
Narrators:
Will Watt
Elizabeth Knowelden
Debra Michaels
Published: January 20, 2026
Audiobook: 10 hours 10 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: January 29- February 6, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
A chilling tale about life flashing before your eyes—including terrifying scenes you don’t remember.
When Damon survives a near-drowning, his life flashes before his eyes. Every memory is crystal clear—except one. A dead boy. A face he can’t place. A moment he doesn’t remember living. At first he tells himself it’s a trick of the mind. But everything else he saw was real. So why not this?
With his waking life stalked by the disturbing scene, confusion quickly turns to obsession. Desperate for answers, Damon digs into his fractured past, and becomes convinced that the only way to remember…is to die again. And again. And again. When he meets a perfect stranger who’s all too willing to help, the stage is set for his dice with death.
But if this is what it takes to uncover the truth, maybe some memories are better left buried…
Jessica’s Review:
I have to say this: Read The Good Samaritan before reading Dead in the Water. It is not necessary, but I felt it would have added to my enjoyment while listening to Dead. We have is a crossover character from Samaritan who plays a big part in Dead. Once I realized this crossover, I made it a point to listen to The Good Samaritan immediately after finishing Dead in the Water.
Dead in the Water is dark and as messed up as it could be and I enjoyed every bit of it! What does that say about me as a reader, but more importantly what does it say about the author himself: Mr. Marrs!?!?! How does he come up with these stories?!?!?!
We have short chapters that keep you pulled in and you find yourself saying “Just one more chapter”! Marrs really knows how to keep his readers/listeners coming in for more! We have Damon who survives a near drowning and as he very nearly dies his life flashes before his eyes and he sees a dead boy. But this is a boy he did not know. Damon falls into a web of the unknowing and obsession. He MUST find out who this boy was and just what happened to him. And Damon believes the only way to find out these answers is to keep dying, and then being brought back to life. Damon then starts on a dangerous journey into his new world of obsession.
There are trigger warnings: Obviously we have a dead child, and suicide attempts. There is also a bit of supernatural that comes into play.
Oh, Mr. Marrs, I must read all of your books! This was one dark and messed up novel I gave five stars too. Keep on writing these novels for us!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audiobook Review: The Quiet Neighbor by J.D. Barker and Adam Roach
The Quiet Neighbor
Authors:
J.D. Barker
Adam Roach
Narrator: Morgan Hallett
Published: January 27, 2026
Audiobook: 9 hours 16 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: January 15-21, 2026
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Book Description:
A heart-stopping tale of family secrets, buried trauma, and the lengths a mother will go to save her child, even when that child might not want to be saved.
Cynthia Burrows thought she’d built the perfect life—successful law career, loving husband, beautiful daughter. But when eighteen-year-old Tori vanishes without a trace, Cynthia’s carefully constructed world begins to crumble.
The school says Tori was excused by family. Security footage shows her leaving with an older man. And the boy she was supposed to date? His name sends chills down Cynthia’s spine—Alexander Beaufort.
That’s impossible. Alexander Beaufort is the serial killer who destroyed Cynthia’s childhood, murdered her best friend, and forced her into witness protection twenty years ago. He’s supposed to be locked away forever.
But someone is playing a deadly game, leaving clues that drag Cynthia back to her darkest memories. With only three days to find her daughter, she must confront the monster from her past and the shocking secrets Tori has been hiding.
In this quiet suburban neighborhood, everyone has something to conceal. And some neighbors are more dangerous than others.
Jessica’s Review:
J.D. Barker is an author I follow and when I hear he has a new book coming out, whether solely written or co-written, I will look to see what it is about. The Quiet Neighbor is co-written with Adam Roach, and the description of this one intrigued me.
This book has multiple povs and dual timelines: Cynthia’s past and the present. We also have a journal written by an ‘anonymous author’. It’s a race against time as Cynthia only has a few days to find her daughter, and while searching she is learning more about her daughter. How well or little does she know Tori?
There were twists throughout the novel, but the final ‘doozy’ I called very early on. And even though I called it early I still was in for the journey. I know this is fiction, but parts of the novel were far from realistic. Cynthia has a friend who is investigating the case and she all but let Cynthia basically take over. This happening just caused a high lack of believability as time went on. Other than that issue, I did enjoy the novel!
The narrator Morgan Hallett did a good job with her narration. She was extremely creepy when it came to narrating the journal entries.
Thank you to the publisher for granting me a copy to listen to and review!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK