🎧 Audio Book Review ~ Guard Her With Your Life by Joy Ellis ( Narrated by Tom Bateman)

 

6 April 2023

My thanks to Audible and Midas for this audio book

Audible, a world-wide leader in spoken-word entertainment, has launched this gripping thriller from Joy Ellis, author of the hit Jackman and Evans series from Joffe Books. Audible acquired World English audio rights from Lorella Belli at the Lorella Belli Literary Agency. This new story is narrated by Tom Bateman, best known for the series Da Vinci’s Demons and the film Murder on the Orient Express.

Guard Her with Your Life is a new standalone thriller which tells the story of Detective Sam Helsdown. Sam hasn’t seen his daughter Zoe in two years and he’s excited and more than a little nervous to be at the airport picking her up for a visit. She’s 10 years old and has flown on her own for the first time.

Flight BA631 from Athens has already landed and soon a trickle of people begins entering Arrivals. Among them is a little girl who runs towards him, head down, and throws herself into his arms saying ‘Daddy!’.

The only problem is – it’s not his daughter.

Shortly afterwards Sam receives a phone call from his ex, Julia. ‘Help will come. Until then, guard her with your life.’

Soon unknown enemies are closing in and Sam must risk everything to keep this girl safe – and to discover her true identity.

Joy Ellis, author of Guard Her with Your Life said: “I’m so excited that Guard Her With Your Life is narrated by the star Tom Bateman. I have received such support for Jackman and Evans, I hope everyone is gripped by Detective Sam Helsdown just as much as I was writing his adventure.”

Tom Bateman said: “Narrating a thriller like Guard Her with Your Life was such a great experience, taking the listener on a journey full of twists and turns until the big reveal. I’m so pleased to be working with Joy Ellis and Audible on bringing this captivating story to life. I was hooked from the beginning and I’m sure listeners will be too.”

📖 🎧 My Review..

Detective Sam Helsdown is excited, and also apprehensive, about meeting his ten year old daughter, Zoe at the airport as he hasn't, thanks to the acrimonious relationship he has with his ex-wife, seen Zoe for two years.  When the little girl arrives unaccompanied Sam is shocked when she greets him as "daddy" because the girl in front of him isn't Zoe. What then follows is an interesting stand-alone thriller which sees Sam tested to the limit but at the same time never forgetting that at the centre of the story is a child who Sam has been told to guard with his life.

Overall I enjoyed listening to this audio novella, it's quite a quick listen, at just over three hours, so the plot moves along quickly however, whilst Tom Bateman is an interesting narrator, for me, his voice did come across as quite bland and I found my attention wandering a bit. This is the first book I have read by this author and I would be interested in reading more of her work, particularly her Fenland series which I have heard are rather good.

About the Author

Joy Ellis is a crime author from Lincolnshire who, once a florist, joined Joffe Books in 2016. She has written three series, totalling 30 books, all of which are available on Audible. Joy Ellis has sold over 3.6 million copies of her books in English across all formats and her books have been translated into 14 languages.

The Jackman and Evans series is currently being developed for television, starring Richard Armitage as DI Rowan Jackman.

About Audible

Audible, an Amazon company, is a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day. Audible.co.uk content includes more than 700,000 audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals. Audible has millions of members around the world who subscribe to one of 10 localised services designed for customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the US. Audible members download nearly 4 billion hours of content annually and listen across a wide range of supported devices.

Website

@audibleuk @midascampaigns