Working Stiff

Mattie Winston Mysteries, Book 1

By: Annelise Ryan

Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie

In this hard-boiled mystery series opener, a former nurse becomes a coroner who winds up investigating her cheating ex-husband for murder.

When Mattie Winston catches her husband, Dr. David Winston, receiving some very special loving care from RN Karen Owenby, she quits her job and moves out. Mattie's best friend, Izzy, offers her a place to stay and suggests she'd be a natural as deputy coroner. Now, instead of taking patients' pulses, Mattie's weighing their hearts and livers.

But Mattie's first homicide call turns out to be for none other than Nurse Karen, and even though she saw her ex in a heated argument with the newly deceased the night before, she refuses to believe David could be a killer. Keeping mum about what she saw, Mattie is also left speechless by the sight of hunky Detective Steve Hurley....

From learning the ropes on her new job to sorting out her feelings about her ex and dealing with her growing attraction to Detective Hurley, Mattie's in deep water and in danger of sinking quickly, especially when she places herself dead center in the path of a desperate - yet determined - killer....

©2009 Beth Amos (P)2021 Tantor

A good mystery

Good first book in the series. Mattie Winston has a new job with the medical examiner’s office and is working for her friend Izzy and her first case as the New Deputy Coroner she has to clear her soon to be exes name and while on the job meets new homicide detective Steve Hurley.

Funny and good story

I was not a huge fan of the narrator, but I thought the story was really good.

Good start - Excellent finish

The author is clearly in love with words even though they are repetitive and provide no value to the reader/listener. The majority of the book could be discarded without losing any value to the story.

Great Writing... Fsbulous Narration...!!!

A bona fide mystery. The dialogue and storyline are well done. Just when the narrative seems to slide a bit towards the Cozy side you get slammed up the side of the head... I was very impressed by the narrators acting and vocal skill. I'm in for the next volume in the series. 👍👍👍👍

Interesting enough plot but narration is tough at times

The narrator has a nasally voice. I thought perhaps that it was intentional at times but even when not doing other character voices, it stands out - especially when saying words with the letter “n” in them. I also wondered if maybe she had a cold during some of the recordings but it still is present. Oddly enough it isn’t consistent but not in the sense that it seems intentional. She also mispronounces the word “carotid” on more than one occasion. Her character is supposed to be a nurse. This egregious error itself almost had me returning the book. The plot was entertaining enough, though I was able to determine who “dunnit” very early on, but not necessarily the whole of the motive.

It is entertaining and interesting enough that convinced myself to get the next book. So far, the narrator spelled out HIPAA instead of saying the acronym as someone in health care would. Again, almost made me stop listening to it. Still had a nasal voice as well. Going to keep going though at this point. It is an entertaining story.