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To Catch a Killer

Erin Blake, Book 1

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To Catch a Killer

Written by: Sheryl Scarborough
Narrated by: Christy Romano
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About this listen

In To Catch a Killer, a contemporary mystery by debut author Sheryl Scarborough, a teenage girl uses forensic science to solve the cold-case murder of her mother.

Erin Blake has one of those names. A name that, like Natalee Holloway or Elizabeth Smart, is inextricably linked to a grisly crime. As a toddler, Erin survived for three days alongside the corpse of her murdered mother, and the case - which remains unsolved - fascinated a nation. Her father's identity unknown, Erin was taken in by her mother's best friend and has become a relatively normal teen in spite of the looming questions about her past.

Fourteen years later, Erin is once again at the center of a brutal homicide when she finds the body of her biology teacher. When questioned by the police, Erin tells almost the whole truth, but never voices her suspicions that her mother's killer has struck again in order to protect the casework she's secretly doing on her own.

Inspired by her uncle, an FBI agent, Erin has ramped up her forensic hobby into a full-blown cold-case investigation. This new murder makes her certain she's close to the truth, but when all the evidence starts to point the authorities straight to Erin, she turns to her longtime crush (and fellow suspect) Journey Michaels to help her crack the case before it's too late.

©2017 Sheryl Scarborough (P)2016 Audible, Inc.
Mysteries & Detectives Thrillers & Suspense Young Adult Fiction Forensics Mystery Cold Case Teen Mystery
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What the critics say

"Narrator Christy Romano captures fearless 17-year-old Erin Blake convincingly. When she was two, Erin spent three days beside her murdered mother's body, and now she's determined to find her killer. Romano also effectively depicts secondary characters: Rachel, Erin's guardian, who was also her mother's best friend, as well as gutsy, eccentric Samantha and kind, level-headed Lysa, Erin's friends, who add warmth and support to her life. Each chapter begins with a helpful quote about detecting or forensics from a book by Erin's uncle, FBI agent Victor Fleming. Tension escalates, and so does Romano's delivery when Erin's favorite science teacher, who is also helping with the case, is brutally murdered. Listeners will root for Erin, both in her in her single-minded pursuit and in her partnership with her secret crush as they join forces to identify the perpetrator. Listeners of all ages will enjoy this roller-coaster mystery. ( AudioFile Magazine)

What listeners say about To Catch a Killer

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Not For Me.. But Great

This Sheryl Scarborough offering is clearly aimed at 12-year-old girls: relating a "mature-ish" PG-13 story - expect no expletives or sexual activity here - about a teenaged sleuth. In this story, the quite likable 'Erin Blake' gets caught up in the investigation of the killing of a teacher. It turns out that 'Miss. P' was helping Erin to try and solve the puzzling murder (14 years previously) of Erin's own mother.. and to develop evidence to free the wrongly-convicted stepfather of School Basketball Star 'Journey Michaels'
The mystery is well-paced, well-plotted, and loaded with plausible suspects - but pretty straightforward. The attraction between Erin and her longtime crush Journey is handled well - but is undeniably adolescent. And the prose/vocabulary, character development, and description are passable - but unspectacular.

The reading performance from Christy Romano is similarly "more than adequate". Her narration is best consumed at 1.20X, but showcases outstanding diction, timbre, cadence, tone, and voice-acting. Audible Studios Inc did very well in casting Romano.

Altogether, I feel fortunate to have been able to download this 8/10-star Tween Mystery-Thriller as a 'Plus' option. It was a fine distraction for a couple of quiet afternoons (Scarborough has a firm grasp of what works for an audience ready to graduate from Carolyn Keene but not yet ready for more mature YA fare).
'To Catch A Killer' isn't in my personal wheelhouse - but if you have kids just entering Junior High School, the audiobook would actually merit a Credit.

[Note: the procedures for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for DNA sequencing are out-of-date and incredibly simplified - but described nicely]

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Good listen

This book is a good easy listen, very interesting and I loved all of the forensic talk!

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Great ending making you want more

Very captivating story, well read and makes you feel like the character is telling you the story. The ending makes you want a sequel

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so good

love this 100% recommended l. the reader is berry good love the love life

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Veronica Mars Vibes

I enjoyed this novel, it reminded me a bit of Veronica Mars and it was almost as entertaining. The ending is fairly obvious to anyone who reads these kinda books, but I didn't mind. Solid B of a book!

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If you loved Veronica Marrs.

It is VERY Veronica Marrs but that’s a good thing! The narrator is perfect too

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recommend

loved it
kept me interested the whole way through
had a cute ending as well

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👍🏻👍🏻

Sooooo good. And I love that it’s clean, with none of the modern garbage topics. Just a good clean mystery. 10/10 well done!!!

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