Narrator 3 stars
Irish History 5 stars
Story 3 stars

Absolutely loved the narrators voices but it was a bit hard to keep track of what character I was hearing about as the narrator didn't change her voice for them.

The history in this story was incredible and I learnt alot, however I didnt really bond with any of the characters. I felt they were all a bit prickly. I would however definitely give book 2 a go.

I honestly have not been able to get into yet. I have listened to it for over an hour but it just has not grabbed my interest. So far it sounds kind of like Irish version of silence of the lambs . And tho I loved that series, this one just seems lacking thus far. I may try and come back to it again later but for now I’m going to have to take a pause from it.

Having your partner and lover been murdered in a tortures way can do a job on your emotions. If on top of it you feel guilty that you trusted somebody that turned out to be a killer and as such you are responsible for what happen. Well you would quit your job by the police for less.
Returning to Ireland to get a fresh start and away from it all she ends up again in an investigation pulled in by an old friend Dawn Wilson a Police commissioner. Various characters are getting introduced who come together as a team. A bit of an unlikely team but the dynamics between the three team members are fun to read. This book is full of action, intrigue, bit of history and lots of twist and turn.
Hope this is the first of a series because I really love to see more of our threesome.
Having listened to the Audiobook the Narrator Shelley Atkinson did a marvelous job.

A solid 4 ⭐️ listen

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the early listen. This is a new detective series that introduces us to Jessie Boyle and Seamus Keneally assigned to solve a high profile kidnap case. I cannot wait for the second book (audio) in this series. What a great story. Loved all the characters. The narrator did a decent job narrating the story. Will recommend this book..

This is the first audiobook I have listened to and I honestly wasn't sure whether I'd enjoy it or not. It took me a little while to get into it, but I'm guessing that's to be expected when trying a new format.

Bring Her Home is the first book in a brand new detective series and follows Jessie Boyle and Seamus Keneally trying to solve a high profile kidnap case along with a series of murders spanning a number of decades.

The characters were well written and there was enough suspense in the story to keen me interested. It was interesting to see the relationships develop between the new team and I'm sure readers will enjoy future books that build on this.

There were hints at an ongoing story regarding Jessie that I'm sure will continue in the rest of the series in the background. I'm certainly intruiged to know what will happen!!

Overall, this was a nice mystery book. I did guess how it was going to end, but that didn't mean I enjoyed it any less. I have given it 4 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me the ARC in return for an honest review.

4 stars. An excellent tale that had me forgoing sleep for "just a little bit more..."

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review, My opinions are my own and not influenced by anyone. Ever

This was a very good listen. The narrator confused me at times but the actual story sucked me in and held me.

Jessie Boyles is a criminal behaviorist that flees back to her native Ireland after her lover is murdered by a serial killer. Simultaneously, Penelope O’Dwyer, a prior Irish Prime Ministers daughter, is kidnapped. The police have no leads and are at a loss as to how to proceed. That is, until an incarcerated prisoner claims to have information. But he will only divulge it to Jessie. Police Commissioner Dawn Wilson is an old friend of Jessie’s and asks her for a favor, despite her current personal tragedies. Can they find the killer and save Penelope?

This is a solid start to a new serial killer series set in Ireland. There is some Irish folklore that is woven into the story which is an interesting and fresh addition to the serial killer realm. I enjoyed the dynamic of the partnership between Jessie and Seamus, the detective assigned to the case.

I was also given the audio arc and I really enjoyed the narrators depiction of different accents. The only critique would be the overuse of “she said” “he said” and “Jessie said” which comes through really strong while listening to it and was almost a distraction to the story.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture, Bookouture Audio, and the author for these ARC’s in exchange for an honest review.

Well what can I say. What an amazingly brilliant story and narration, I just had to listen to this at any available moment. You thought it was going one way and then another. I cant say a lot because of plot spoilers as everything seems to be a plot spoiler. What an imagination, I would not like to get on the wrong side of this author.

The narration was great really added to the story.

I was given an advance copy by Bookouture and net galley but the review is entirely my own.

A creepy and compelling police procedural that had me listening into the wee hours.

Criminal behaviourist Jessie Boyle has returned home to Ireland after the brutal murder of her partner. She wantsnothing more to do with her career but an old friend calls in a long owed debt. Penny O'Dwyer, the daughter of a retired politician has been kidnapped and they have days to locate her or she dies. Thrown in with a slightly oddly matched team they find themselves investigating not just this kidnapping but the possible link to other vanished girls going back decades. Soon old Irish myths seem suddenly relevant and deeply entwined to getting Penny back safely.

I swore I wouldn't be starting anymore detective series but I really can't resist a bit of Irish Noir - add in a hint of mythology and I'm hooked. This is a fantastic start to the series. Very quickly the dynamic and burgeoning relationships of the team is set in place so you feel by around half way in you've known the characters for awhile. This leaves us able to concentrate on the great plot without been bogged down in the set up of the series.

I listened to this as an audiobook and found the narration by Shelly Atkinson to be faultless. Each character is distinct without the overacting that some narrators can be guilty of. There are also a moment that actually had me turning the lights on as it creeped me out so much. I'm a wuss to be fair but I'm rarely surprised by audiobooks - this one really did!

A great start to what I think will be a fantastic series.

Bring Her Home is a police procedural and it flows like one. Crime-clue-research-tip… throw in the fictional characters with their fictional relationships and there you have it. However, the story is well developed as are the characters. The story flows well and in all is enjoyable, blending the routine process of police work with psychological profiling and the magic of Irish lore. There were frequent references to Boyle’s past and someone who is out to get her which make the story feel almost as a second or third book in a series rather than the first. Some better explanation may well serve the readers’ engagement. That said, I liked the story well enough look for other books from Dunphy.

The narrator, Shelly Atkinson, has a lovely brogue which helps develop the story. There are moments when she sounds almost mechanical, but those moments are brief and overtime will likely be resolved.

Bring Her Home is the first book in a new Irish procedural series by S. A. Dunphy. Released 3rd Sept 2021, it's 317 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an engaging and well written crime thriller with an ensemble team of investigators who are trying to solve an abduction before time runs out for the daughter of a famous and well regarded politician. This has all the elements I really enjoy in a procedural murder mystery (with bonus serial killer element): there's a criminal psychologist/behaviorist, an intelligent slightly macho investigator, and a young female tech geek/historian with electric blue hair. The author doesn't stop there - he also juggles plot elements which include high level police politics, Irish crime bosses, academics, eco-warriors, archaeology, and more. It could've been a muddled mess with a less capable author; but here it works very well.

Admittedly, I had worked out most of the twists before the riveting climax and denouement. I was right about the overarching plot line, but had almost dreaded reading the ending because I was afraid of how much mayhem was going to happen before I turned the last page. I also liked the creepy foreshadowing for upcoming books in the series. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next for Jessie & her colleagues.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 9 hours and 22 minutes and is capably narrated by Shelley Atkinson. She manages the read very well. There are both male and female characters of a range of ages and accents, and she keeps them distinct and perfectly understandable. I couldn't really hear distinct differences between regional accents for some of the characters, but it didn't affect my enjoyment overall.

Four stars for both the print and audio versions.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

After criminal behaviorist Jessie Boyle's partner is taken and murdered by a deranged serial killer that Jessie failed to stop, Jessie leaves the police force in London and returns shole to Ireland. There she is pulled into a missing person's case by her oldest friend, Dawn, a Police Commissioner in Ireland. A case that turns more chilling with each new piece of the puzzle is turned over.
Listening to his book on Audio was such a treat because I was able to hear the accents as in my mind I watched the characters move through the mystery.
This book is a solid 5 stars in my opinion. The story is tight and full of suspense all the way through. The characters are strong, well developed, believable, and well likable. The best thing is that it is book one in this series so you know that there will be more!
I totally enjoyed this book and suggest that anyone who likes a well-told police procedural with a good plot and characters make sure you add this to your reading list!

Bring Her Home (Boyle & Keneally #1) by S.A. Dunphy, narrated by Shelley Atkinson

Irish noir police procedural, anyone? Criminal behaviorist Jessie Boyle's life has just been blown to smithereens. She finds partner/lover's tortured, mutilated body and she knows his murderer is a serial killer who is taunting her. Not able to keep on with her London job, she quits, only to find herself called to a small town on Ireland’s west coast where she is needed to save the life of a young woman. Her new partners are Detective Seamus Keneally, almost young enough to be her son, and even younger historian Terri Kehoe, whose historical skills have been useful in solving crimes in the past. They are dealing with one or more serial killers who won't hesitate to kill over and over again.

I enjoyed this mismatched team, with simmering attractions that should never be acted upon. Jessie is heartbroken and lonely and her work is the distraction that she needs. The sense of danger is ongoing and there is a long claustrophobic scene that made the tension worse. Add in some unwise decisions by members of the team and I would have thought everyone would be a goner if I didn't know that this story seems to be leading up to another one in the future. I'm there for it and can't wait to read more. The narration of the audiobook version of this story made it all the more interesting.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book and absolutely loved the narration, was a team of mix matched people but worked really well, the characters were believable and this added depth, think this book will make a good film I look forward to the next installatment

I listened to the audio version and the narration throughout was excellent, I was pulled into the Irish setting, especially the small coastal town of Cahirseveen.
This is a creepy and intense mystery thriller/police procedural that is absolutely captivating. It is a chilling exploration of crimes committed in the belief of being or worshipping Balor – the ancient Celtic demon king. The exploration into rish mythology was fabulous. Dunphy has clearly done his research into Celtic and Irish mythology. And having a close university connection and a genealogist on the police team just put so many interesting tidbits into the book, and I love learning while enjoying my thrillers or mysteries. The time setting was perfect as well, chilly Irish October with a deadline creeping up on the investigative team set to Samhain (or Halloween).
The main characters Jessie, Seamus and Terri are characters I absolutely loved, the pairing of a psychologist and profiler, police detective and a genealogist worked wonderfully well in creating depth and adding extra angles to the investigation. The characters have personality and life and I could picture them all. I will read the next book in this series.
I want to thank the author, @NetGalley and @Bookouture for providing me the opportunity to read/listen to this new book in exchange for my honest review.

My fellow thriller readers out there this is a good one for fall, I highly recommend it !

Bring Her Home by S.A. Dunphy, audio version, is a compelling chase after a murderer and a kidnapper who seems to want nothing more than the death of his latest victim, Penny O'Dwyer. Penny is a financial wizard who had a good job, but also a second life, working with gangsters and keeping their money legitimate. She disappeared one night and a video has arrived proclaiming that she will be killed on the Eve of Samhain if she is not found before then. To complicate matters, her father is the ex-Prime Minister. Jessie Boyle has just arrived home in Ireland, after resigning from her post as a criminal behaviorist there, following the death of her partner and lover. She is reeling, not only from the death, but, from the serial killer who has been taunting her and has brought this misery down upon her. Her oldest friend, Dawn, is the Police Commissioner here in Ireland and calls upon her to assist in this investigation. She owes her a favor and cannot be refused. The others on her team are newly made detective, Seamus Keneally and Terri Kehoe, a young historian/genealogist with brightly dyed hair. Both proved to be far more than they appeared.

Dunphy has mixed history with folklore and murder, and done a fine job of it. He terrorized the people involved and the reader as this stunning novel made its way to its ultimate end. It is more than a simple police procedural, although it is that; it is also a tale of terror, made more so by the backgrounds of Jessie and Terri both. Seamus is fairly straightforward, although he feels a fraud for the actions that lead to his promotion and is constantly trying to prove he is up to it. The psychological effects this trauma had on the victim as well as the investigators is staggering. This is an epic novel, full of information, fright, and interesting characters. Since it is the first book in this series: Boyle and Keneally, I feel certain we will meet many of them again and I can't wait.

Shelley Atkinson was the ideal narrator, with her lilting brogue and her facility for changing voices just enough. She never read as if she had any idea what was coming, which heightened the entire story. I have not listened to her again but I will be drawn her way in the future.

I was invited to listen to a free ARC of the audio version of Bring Her Home by Bookoutre, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #bookoutre #bringherhome

I've been a huge fan of Shane's work since I started reading his books as a teenager so I was delighted when Bookouture offered me a copy of Bring Her Home and a place on the book tour.

Bring Her Home is the beginning of a new series for S.A. Dunphy which follows his widely well received Dunnigan series. As with any of Dunphy's books there's an immediate palpable darkness which reeks from the pages, making sure you're very aware that you're about to experience something dark, twisted and deeply disturbing.

The book follows the journeys of a group of fantastically mismatched characters who together create a team which are hellbent on bringing Penny O'Dwyer home, whatever the cost. What they meet along the way is a sequence of menacing, macabre and sinister events.
Shane also intertwines some disturbing sub plots and Irish folklore elements to make sure you're left sitting on the edge of your seat, nervously trying to figure out who has done what and what happens next.

My only reason not giving 5 stars was for me as someone who is employed within the CMH and work as a trained psychiatric nurse I found it hard to separate my knowledge of the above from some of the sections which contained a little bit of artistic license.

This is the perfect Irish noir police procedural to pick up as we head into the chilly Autumn months. Make sure you're wrapped up under a blanket and be sure to keep a light on, as I guarantee you will be watching over your shoulder.

After in depth description of Penny O Dwyer, she is kidnapped and a video is sent of her in captivity. A ransom is requested stating Penny will be killed in 10 days if the ransom is not paid.

Criminal profile expert Jessie Boyle is called in to help the police solve the case after a favor is called in. She becomes part of trio quirk team.

I did like the story snd narrator a lot. I was not s fan of Celtic history the Celtic History/pagan god part of the serial killer. I just felt it was unnecessary to the character of story in this book.

Thank NetGalley for ARC. This is honest review.

Overall 4 stars and looking forward to next book.?

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick go once I was able to get settled and get to listening to it.

I loved the story itself and I really liked the narrator. I was actually creeped out at the end and I am looking forward to the next installment!