Midnight Betrayal by Melinda Leigh

Narrated by Mikael Naramore

I’m always looking for good romantic suspense to listen to. It satisfies my need for a happy ending, while also giving me a taste of the darker side of humanity. I’ve heard quite a few positive things about the work of author Melinda Leigh, so decided to give Midnight Betrayal a try.

Dr. Louisa Hancock works at a Philadelphia art museum. It’s a job she’s overqualified for, but, after a scandal in Maine a couple of years ago, she knows this is where she needs to be. She gets to work with the artifacts she loves, but she’s not the one in charge so can’t be held responsible for anything that goes wrong.

Then, the body of one of the museum’s interns is found, and the murder weapon appears to have come from a collection Louisa is currently evaluating. Louisa is instantly on guard, as another scandal is the absolute last thing she needs. Very soon, a second intern is declared missing, and the police are homing in on a suspect. It’s none other than Conor Sullivan, the man who broke Louisa’s heart several years before.

Conor has done all he can to forget the beautiful Dr. Hancock. That’s not as easy as he’d hoped now that they live in the same city. Still, Conor figures he’s unlikely to see her. They don’t exactly run in the same circles. He’s the owner of a local sports bar while Louisa surrounds herself with artsy types. So, imagine Conor’s surprise when Louisa sweeps back into his life with the police and a possible arrest on her heels.

Midnight Betrayal is a fast-paced and sexy story. Ms. Leigh does a great job balancing the romance and suspense, blending them perfectly into a tale that kept me glued to my iPod, hoping against hope that Louisa and Conor would be able to come to terms with their shared past, as well as catch a killer.

I’ve listened to a few other books narrated by Mikael Naramore, but this was the first book with more than a hint of romance. Personally, Mr. Naramore’s clipped, edgy style seems better suited to a pure thriller than to the romance genre. He often sounded a little too gruff, and there were times he put me in mind of someone gritting his teeth in anger. Granted, Conor does possess a bit of edginess, but Mr. Naramore was unable to counter it by allowing the listener to see his softer side.

Mr. Naramore’s portrayal of Louisa was quite good. There was still a brusque undertone, but it was dialed down quite a bit for her. He was able to make her sound suitably feminine without sounding overly squeaky, and I definitely give him props for that.

Unfortunately, Mr. Naramore made it difficult for me to really fall into the love scenes between Conor and Louisa. He just wasn’t able to convey the intimacy the author put on paper.

I will definitely try other Melinda Leigh titles. I will also continue listening to Mr. Naramore’s narrations, but this author and narrator just are not a good match.

Shannon

Narration:  C-

Book Content:  B+

Steam Factor:  Glad I had my earbuds in

Violence:  Escalated fighting

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Publisher:  Brilliance Audio

Midnight Betrayal was provided to AudioGals by Brilliance Audio.