Wow. There's a lot to unpack on this one. A lot going on. There's government cover up, big company stepping on tribal land, murder, and a mental breakdown all coming together as the protagonist tries to uncover a murder. Even though there was a lot going on, and there are a lot of subplots that could spin out in other directions with follow ups, the story was paced incredibly well, I wasn't put off by the main character, and I couldn't stop listening to the ARP from NetGalley. This is also the second in a series, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything from the story by not having read the first book. Spoilers below.

Dr. Cate Spencer is spiraling out of control. After the sudden death of her brother she's drinking more than ever while still trying to function as a coroner.

When she's called to what seems to be an obvious suicide in the archives of an air force base, the scene looks like it should be an open and shut case. But as she dives deeper, she finds there's more to this death than just suicide. She buries herself in it, allowing herself to escape from the reality of her alcoholism, trauma from an emotionally abusive father, trauma from an abusive ex husband, and the grief of her brother by pursuing this case.

All of these issues compound until those around her are telling her she's having a break, she needs to take time for her mental health, etc, but she's convinced the young woman didn't commit suicide, she was murdered.

We follow Cate as she unravels, piece by piece, her self destructive tendencies painfully evident throughout this story. The problem with the theory she's having a breakdown, is left and right, people connected to the woman whose death she ruled as a murder start coming up dead. A tribal elder she was talking to as she was investigating something she found in the archives, a young protestor who was sleeping with the woman, and to top it off, Cate finds out her phone is bugged to the point where someone is listening in on every call, every message, and even her conversations day in and day out.

I'll definitely go back and read the first book in this series, probably will read more as Tector publishes as well.

Kate is a coroner for Ottawa, Canada. She's called out to what looks like a pretty obvious suicide. Before she makes her final ruling on the cause of death she decides to dig deeper into this woman's life to try understand why she would do this. Something isn't sitting right with Kate. Could it be the tragic news of her brother's death just shortly before the case? Could it be her drinking herself to sleep to keep the nightmares at bay? Could it be the relentless pressure she feels to make the right call? Or is it something else entirely?

This book was very good! A slower start but a very solid story line and a fast paced ending. I love that the author put indigenous culture into the story and honored the struggle they still face today. It was enlightening. The only thing I would change is that the narrator for the audiobook sometimes sounds like a news anchor and speaks in that strange way. It was distracting. Otherwise, I enjoyed the audio version.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review of this book!
Dr. Cate Spencer, a coroner working with the Ottawa police, is called out late one night to the scene of an apparent suicide. As a coroner, Cate is given the responsibility of determining cause of death. Cate is immediately pressured to rule the case a suicide; however, Cate believes there is something more sinister involved in this tragedy. Even though her job is only to determine cause of death, Cate soon finds herself tied up investigating what she believes to be a murder.
During all of this, Cate is also dealing with the very recent death of her brother & her strained relationship with her father. She is struggling with smoking and drinking problems. As I read this book, I really felt for Cate and all that she was going through. However, there were many times when her decisions were incredibly frustrating. There were parts of this story that felt a little unbelievable, and I couldn’t understand how Cate was allowed to do some of the investigating that she did.
There was a lot going on in this book, and I felt a little lost trying to figure out what was important to the story. It came together with a very good twist at the end, and I did really appreciate the reveal! I think the book could have been shortened a little by taking out the parts that didn’t help the story along.
As for the audiobook, I don’t recommend it. Unfortunately, the narrator was a little monotone for me and didn’t keep me engaged in the story. I would choose to read this, and not listen to it.

This book just was not for me. The main character was a hot mess and I just could not connect with the character. I also just could not really get into the plot. The narrator was good though and I would listen to an audiobook narrated by her again.

Coroner Cate Spencer has more than a passing relationship with booze. It helps dull the ache of her brother’s death and the sorrow she feels for the “patients” who show up on her table. Her latest case is a presumed suicide, but Ctae suspects the victim was actually murdered. This series is more about Cate and her character development than the murder mystery, but I liked her, she’s a believable heroine. The narrator is a bit monotone, but when I sped the narration up, I found her easier to listen to

This book was a struggle to get through. The sentences were short and choppy without a lot of structural variety. I’m not sure I have ever noticed this before in a book but it made for an awkward read.

The main character, a coroner named Cate, was written as sarcastic but not in an endearing way. I found her annoying.
The book went off on tangents that didn’t support the original mystery and didn’t help the flow of the book.

I think this book needed a much stronger editor.

Senn Anis narrated this story and read in a very monotone voice. Stylistically, this didn’t work for me.

The mystery had so much potential but it fell flat too.

My thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to review this arc of this audio book.

I don't think this was what I was expecting. Great premise, Molly Johnson found hanging of an apparent suicide. However Dr Cate Spencer suspected homicide. It should have just focused on that but it went in so many directions with Cate coming to terms with her brothers death,and a story arc of nitrate it lost me,but took.a bit to come together .

Thank you NetGalley, dreamscape media and the author for the #gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review. As always great narration of the audiobook. This was just ok. Although it was short chapter ms i feel that it could have been 50 or so pages shorter. I wish it was noted on Netgalley that a book is part or the series.

2.5/5☆ rounded up.

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC Audio copy of this book. I loved this book. It is the second in a series, I did not know that. The book is completely fine to be read on its own. Tector doesn’t take you back to things that happened in the previous book to muddle things up. Dr. Cate Spencer is a coroner in Ottowa. When she is called to an apparent suicide, she has questions. The death occurred on a Canadian Air Force Base in a film archival room. Cate soon goes off on her own to find out what really happened. Cate drinks too much and this causes her to lose her job. Her life is going down hill and yet she can’t seem to stop the spiral. I like the characters, good development and the narrator was great.

Title: Speak for the Dead
Author: Amy Tector
Series: The Dominion Archive Mysteries #2
Narrator : Senn Annis
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Pub Date: March 14, 2022
My Rating: 2.3 Stars

Dr. Cate Spencer is called out to the nitrate facility to investigate an apparent suicide of a woman by hanging. The eerie building is filled with deteriorating nitrate film that could literally spontaneously combust. The building has recently been purchased for development.
Cate is a coroner in Ottawa as a coroner; she does not perform autopsies but investigates and determines cause of death. While there, someone throws a bomb into the facility causing an evacuation for the threat of fire. After looking into the matter further, she suspects that the woman was actually murdered and did not commit suicide.

This is my second Amy Tector novel. The first was "The Honeybee Emeralds" which was great.
I went into this with high expectations ~ hmmm this was very different than that story.
Disappointed as this didn't work for me. 🤔

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date March 14, 2023

Dr. Cate Spencer comes to help investigate a suicide but she soon realizes it might be murder instead. And she's going to find out the truth no matter what.

Ah good old stories with nothing but toxic males. Yes, I like stories with strong female leads, but please surround them with people who aren't the literal worst. I also love a story that begins "Don't get your panties in a knot." (Hastag sarcasm.) I thought it was 2023.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. I had a difficult time enjoying the narrator and the story was definitely not for me.

Dr Cate Spencer has a lot going on in her life, her brother is dead, she has issues with her father, and she is consumed with the death of a young girl in the archives. Cate is a coroner called to the scene of a possible suicide in the nitrate film vault at the Dominion Archives. Cate is addicted to finding out what happened in the vault as much as she is to scotch. During her journey she interacts with a nice military man, her ex husband, her helpful boss, and a man warning her to stop what she is doing. Will Cate find out what the connection between the protesters, the land development, the military, and the archive before she loses her job to drinking or much worse, her life.

I read the first book and really enjoyed it. This is a stand alone book and the connection to the first is the Dominion Archives. I was very happy when the author describes the volatility of nitrate film. As an archivist that is the one thing I do not want to deal with. The story is easy to follow. At times I was yelling at Cate to put the damn bottle down and quit self-sabotaging. I liked the cop that let her know that he has been where she is and knows and understands the destructive path she is on. I wanted Cate to pull herself together and realize her self-worth without depending on a relationship to do that for her. I am hoping there is a next book with Cate and we find out more about the brother and the relationship with her father. I really super hope she doesn’t get back with the ex. Let that ship sail, PLEASE!!! I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mysteries, it’s not quite a cozy mystery and not overly suspenseful but one that is in between.

I started listening at normal speed to get a feel of their narration style. I sped it up to 2 and then dropped to 1.75 because the faster speed made the narration too pitchy. I narration was matter of fact with a short vocal range. Some might consider it machine created but it feels like it fits the story.

Thanks to netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the free e-audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Cate is a coroner in Ottawa and is called to the scene of a suicide by hanging at a deteriorating nitrate (highly explosive) storage facility that has been recently purchased for development. As a coroner, she does not perform autopsies but investigates and determines cause of death. While there, someone throws a bomb into the facility causing an evacuation for the threat of fire. After looking into the matter further, she suspects that the woman was actually murdered and did not commit suicide.

Cate is a chain smoking, whisky drinking, tortured soul who is estranged from her cold fish father and desperately misses her brother who was recently killed. She has great investigative skills and instincts. She has the potential to be a rather intriguing character but in my opinion, could use a bit more depth and development.

Senn Annis is the reading narrator and this is a first, but I don't recommend the audio file. The narrator sounded like the autobots that you get on recorded messages at times that have no emotion, inflection in their voice or any feeling coming through. I had a hard time distinguishing between female characters when there was dialog as they both sounded the same. Usually this is not an issue but for me but this just did not work for me.

If you choose to read this one, I would pick up the book and avoid the audiobook.

2.5 stars rounded up

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to his audiobook.


I liked this. It was a decent "who-dun-it" realized about half way through it maybe a second in a series. Yes, but it was ok- I didn't get confused or feel left out on information.

I would like to see more of this character -