Audiobook Review: #CrimeTime by Jeneva Rose and Drew Pyne
#CrimeTime
Authors:
Jeneva Rose
Drew Pyne
Narrator: Full cast narration
Published: December 12, 2023
Audiobook: 3 hours 45 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: July 19-20, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
The first audio original from Jeneva Rose, the author of blockbuster bestseller The Perfect Marriage, #CrimeTime is a full-cast mystery written with her husband, Drew Pyne, perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building and Finley Donovan Is Killing It.
Going viral has never been so dangerous.
Nadiya loves her privacy: living alone and writing a popular series of crime novels under a pen name, she’s worked hard to build the quiet life she cherishes. But all that changes when her long-lost half-brother Chase comes to town, needing a place to stay until he can get back on his feet. Chase’s dream job is Nadiya’s worst nightmare: he’s an aspiring TikTok star, oversharing on the internet at every opportunity.
When a burglary occurs in the apartment upstairs, Chase decides to film and post all the action. Unbeknownst to him, this was not a random break-in, but a targeted operation run by dangerous criminals. Overnight, Chase’s videos go viral, garnering millions of views and amassing a huge following of loyal #Chasers. It’s everything he’s ever dreamt of, except the attention has brought the wrong kind of heat. Chase and Nadiya are plunged into a world of organized crime, and together, they must uncover the truth and clear their names before they become the next victims.
Performed by a full cast and filled with both laugh-out-loud banter and shocking twists, #CrimeTime is a delightful romp through the murky, unpredictable realms of crime, family, and the TikTok algorithm.
Jessica’s Review:
This is an audio only novella written by Jeneva Rose and her husband Drew Pyne and I absolutely loved it! This is an audio production, not just a full cast narration: We get sound effects that enhance everything with the story! I would advise against listening while driving, due to some of these effects (there are gun shots and I was glad I was not driving while listening to the last third of the novella!).
Based off of an actual event in a former apartment which the couple discusses in the authors’ note after the novella ends. This is the first writing collaboration of Jeneva and her husband Drew. I follow her on Instagram partly because of them as a couple as they are just hilarious. At the time I am writing this review (July 20th) we are waiting on another of their collaborations: The birth of their first child. Hopefully their baby will have made an appearance by the time my review posts on my website (July 29th).
This novella is not to be taken seriously… AT ALL. This. Novella. Is. Satire! I laughed throughout my listening. The story does get outlandish, but it was all in total fun! The audio production just makes this story: It’s perfection with it.
The characters are hilarious and the banter between Nadiya and Chase is perfect! Chase is a total Gen Z stereotype and Nadiya is the millennial stereotype. The story is outlandish, but a very fun journey to go on.
Definitely listen to the author’s note after the novella ends, we have both Jeneva and Drew talking about the real event that is fictionalized in this novella. We also get to hear them interact back and forth as a married couple.
I really hope that Jeneva Rose and Scott collaborate again, I would love to see these characters all return! And if you know anything about Ms. Rose and her writing journey, then I can’t help but mention we have a dirty cop named none other than Scott!
Bravo on this novella and full audio production! I really enjoyed this!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Review: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: Illustrated Edition
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: Illustrated Edition
Series: The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy #1
Author: Douglas Adams
Illustrator: Chris Riddell
First Published: October 12, 1979
Hardback: 320 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: October 13- November 12, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
A beautifully illustrated edition of the New York Times bestselling classic, timed to celebrate the pivotal 42nd anniversary of the original publication–with never-before-seen illustrations by award winner Chris Riddell.
Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker’s Guide (“A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have”) and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox–the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod’s girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.
Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? Why do we spend so much time between wearing digital watches? For all the answers stick your thumb to the stars. And don’t forget to bring a towel!
Jessica’s Review:
This book is out of my genre and was not my choice to read: One of my reader groups of friends all picked out books to pass amongst ourselves and annotate with the intention of it being our Christmas gifts to each other for this year. It sounds like we all won’t have our books back by Christmas, which is ok. After this one I have two more to read, one is short/ not my genre and another I have read before. It will be fun to get my books back and see what my friends all had to say as they read it!
So… Yeah… Science Fiction with aliens… And the Earth gets blown up. The positive about it; It did make me giggle quite a bit. That’s honestly about all that I recall with this one. I can’t really say much else. There were some illustrations, which I guess help. But again, this isn’t my genre. It wasn’t terrible as I gave it 3 stars, which is an average read. This one just wasn’t for me, but it might be for you!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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Novella Review: The Widow’s Husband’s Secret Lie by Freida McFadden
The Widow’s Husband’s Secret Lie
Author: Freida McFadden
Published: August 12, 2024
Paperback: 123 pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: October 5-8, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Novella Description:
My husband is dead.
I attended his funeral. I watched his casket be lowered six feet into the ground. (Actually, it may have been only five feet, but that still seems like more than enough.) And then we ate an array of finger sandwiches and deviled eggs and miniature beef wellingtons that cost more than my first car.
My point is, Grant is gone. And so are all his many, many deep, dark secrets which I never really ever bothered to ask him about. He is never coming back.
So why do I still see his face everywhere I go?
Jessica’s Review:
This was a fun and refreshing read. I had been in a bit of a ‘book funk’ with the physical book I was reading, and after at least two weeks of not picking that one up at all I decided to DNF it and pick up The Widow’s Husband’s Secret Lie hoping that Ms. McFadden could pull me out of my funk… And she did: For that I say ‘Thank You’!
It seems that people who have been critical have not noticed what is on the cover: A Satirical Novella. If you Google ‘satire’, this is what comes up: The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
And this novella does that! I really enjoyed it from the beginning! I laughed and also had my mouth drop at a couple of the twists. I did actually call the major final twist relatively early on, and when it got there I said, “I knew it!” I was proud I figured out a McFadden Final Twist!
McFadden pokes fun at herself and the thriller genre in general, so if you are a fan of hers or thrillers then you should enjoy this. There are ‘easter eggs’ throughout the novella in regards to her other novels, and you may pick up on them or not depending on how many or how often you read her books.
After it’s over there is a seven page ‘short’ titled BAD DATE SOS!!! That gears you up for her newest novel The Boyfriend which I am currently listening to. (I will probably have it finished by the time this review posts.
The Widow’s Husband’s Secret Lie is a quick and fun read that I definitely recommend for the McFadden fans and Thriller readers.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK