Audiobook: Please Don't Tell by Elizabeth Adler

Read by Bernadette Dunne

Synopsis: Fen Dexter’s quiet life on the idyllic California coast is interrupted one stormy night when a blood-covered man shows up on her doorstep, claiming to have had a car accident. He tells her that he is on his way to San Francisco to help the police solve the murder of his fiancé. Unable to make it to the hospital because of the storm, he stays the night at Fen’s, and the attraction between them is obvious. The next morning he heads to the hospital where Fen’s niece, Vivi, is an ER doctor. Vivi is treating the most recent target of a serial killer whose signature move is to leave a note saying “Please Don’t Tell” taped across his victims’ mouths. When Fen’s mysterious stranger comes to Vivi to have his wounds stitched she agrees to set him up to talk with the police about his fiancé. Who is this man, really? What does he want with Fen and her family? And will they live long enough to uncover the truth? Told with Elizabeth Adler’s knack for terrific female characters and breathtaking twists, Please Don't Tell will keep you guessing, right up to the end.


My Thoughts: I was seeking for a quick thriller during my hectic month of preparing for a show. I found this one available and the synopsis and cover caught my attention. I also liked the fact that it was in audio since I wouldn't have a lot of time to read. This book started off strong but left me disappointed at the end.

The plot at the beginning was very powerful. The prologue was especially creepy. It was very detailed when it came to describing the serial killer's rape and attempted murder on a woman named Elaine. Listening to the prologue gave me goosebumps. The story then moved along to the other main characters in the story. I was quite interested to know who the stranger was that came to Fen's door in the middle of a stormy night, bleeding, and with a knife in his hand. What I found most fascinating was how this stranger, Alex, and Fen immediately had an attraction to each other even though of their age differences.

As much as an impact the first quarter of the book had, unfortunately it began to go downhill once it started concentrating on Fen's nieces. I didn't care much for the nieces Vivi and JC. They seemed very clingy and immature. Also, the majority of the book went slow and questionable. The details did not make sense. For example, how can one get someone's cell number in the phone book? I tried to put these details aside and told myself that this was a work of fiction. But as hard as I tried, I could not keep focused. There were too many unnecessary things that prevented the plot from going forward.

Next, the reader of this production Bernadette Dune was decent. She had a great story telling voice but it was evident that she too became bored with story on how her tone changed. She did a great job in portraying the female characters and that of the killer though. If it wasn't for her, I think I would have dropped this book a long time ago.

At the end, I wish I could have liked this audiobook a lot more. In fact, I skipped about 2 hours towards the end just so I can find out who the killer was. This was not the fast and thrilling read that I was looking forward to. I rate it: