***** A delicious romantic murder mystery ***** Performance ***** Story Review by Rox Burkey
In Love, Death & The Art of Cooking, Linda Griffin introduces listeners to Alyssa Knight, a resilient street cop whose life takes an unexpected turn when she gets a late-night call about her missing roommate, Jane. This unforeseen situation leads her to Reid Lucas, a newcomer to California who finds himself behind bars. Reluctantly, Alyssa bails him out, setting off an appealing chain of events.
The chemistry is palpable from the moment Reid steps into Alyssa’s life. He’s smitten and wants to express his feelings through his love for cooking, a gesture that Alyssa views as merely platonic. Still reeling from her turbulent marriage, she’s not ready to dive into a new relationship, which adds an intriguing layer of tension to the story. The plot thickens when Reid’s new boss is murdered, and suddenly, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a police investigation. Despite having an alibi, he becomes a prime suspect. As the stakes rise, Alyssa’s protective instincts kick in, and readers are left rooting for both characters’ safety and potential romance.
Jane, Alyssa, and Reid’s masterful, relatable character development adds to the delightful blend of humor, suspense, and culinary charm. Their wit and charm are reflected in the snappy dialogue. Reid’s cooking extravaganzas serve as a tasty backdrop and offer mouthwatering inspiration for listeners to experiment with new recipes.
Catherine Hein Carter delivers a tell-timed, flawless narration with perfect speed and intonation. The voices of each character emphasize their subtle personalities and genuine caring. Ms. Carter’s voice-acting skills align perfectly with this romantic suspense and mystery that is nearly impossible not to finish in a single session.
This story is a sweet exploration of love, trust, and the complexities of building new relationships in new locations. Love, Death & The Art of Cooking envelops listeners into the dynamic chemistry between Alyssa and Reid that is both hilarious and heartwarming in this fun and engaging novella, leaving fans eager for more.
About the Author
Spoken by Linda Griffin: Growing up in San Diego, California, I developed a passion for the printed word with my very first Dick and Jane reader. I read it aloud to everybody in the house, including two captive kittens, one under each arm, and then I read it backwards! As soon as I figured out that somebody must create those words, I knew I wanted to be a “book maker” when I grew up. I didn’t wait, though; I wrote my first story, “Judy and the Fairies,” when I was six and never stopped.
My love of books also led me to an MLS degree from UCLA and a career as a reference and collection development librarian at the San Diego Public Library, including twenty-two years managing the Central Library’s fiction collection. Retirement allowed me to put writing front and center. Although I also enjoy reading biography, memoir, and history, fiction remains my first love. In addition to the three R’s—reading, writing, and research—I enjoy Scrabble, movies, and travel.
My stories have been published in numerous journals, including Eclectica, Thema Literary Journal, The Avalon Literary Review, The Binnacle, The Nassau Review, and Orbis,and in the anthologies Short Story America, Vol. 2, The Captive and the Dead, Australia Burns, and 2023 in a Flash. Four stories, including one as yet unpublished, received honorable mention in the Short Story America Prize for Short Fiction contests. The Wild Rose Press has published a sweet romance, Bridges (2022), four romantic suspense novels, Love, Death, and the Art of Cooking (2021), Guilty Knowledge (2020), The Rebound Effect (2019) and Seventeen Days (2018), a collection of contemporary romance novellas, Reluctant Hearts (2023), a suspense novella, The Axe (2023), a ghost story romance, Stonebridge (2023), and its sequel, Beyond Stonebridge (2024).
About the Narrator
Professional, sexy, confident, seductive, empathic, serious, energetic, friendly, conversational, informative, funny, charismatic, cute, cockney Londoner, transatlantic, nutty, girl next door, street, playful, calm, sarcastic, grounded, honest, trustworthy, cool, inquisitive…Catherine Carter is fabulously British!
Training
• BA(Hons) Media Studies, University of Westminster, London
• Beginners Voiceover Classes with Peter Rofé
• Private Voiceover Training with Edge Studios NYC
* Voiceover Training with Marc Graue
• Voiceovers The LA Way Seminar with Marc Graue and Bettye Zoller
• Voiceover Marketing with Tom Dheere
Experience
Armed with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from the University of Westminster, London, Catherine immersed herself in every entrepreneur’s paradise – New York City. Boasting an impressive 14 years of entertainment business and media experience, including public relations and marketing, video production, artist management, image consultancy, and event planning, she can understand the client’s needs with ease while delivering impeccable results flawlessly with her voice. Catherine currently resides in New York.
