This book was not for me. I was so excited to listen based off of the premise, but it felt flat.

I can’t determine if it was the narration or the story itself, but I found myself skipping chapters as they were so mundane and boring. The beginning held my attention, but it quickly fell flat.

Maybe I would try this read in regular book form, but this audiobook wasn’t for me.

This book just felt flat. I kept having issues with the audio format stopping and restarting. The book was a dud overall.

"The Company She Keeps" by James Woolf is a thriller about a serial killer.

Set in 1979-80 in England, women were treated as second-class citizens, even worse than we are now.

This book was boring for most of it and then way too scary at the end for me! The MFC seems to attract serial killers. The behavior of the MMC was inconsistent, and some of it was just unbelievable.

The narrator, Karen Cass, had to voice many conversations between an American man and a British woman. She certainly tried to get the voice right for the American, but it just didn't sound right.

Characters - 2/5
Writing - 2/5
Plot - 2/5
Pacing - 1/5
Unputdownability - 2/5
Enjoyment - 1/5
Narration - 3/5
Cover - 2/5
Overall - 15/8 = 1 7/8 rounded up to 2 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and James Woolf for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars

I was excited to read this because who doesn't like a historical fiction thriller revolving around a real-life serial killer? This, unfortunately, wasn't that. This book genre jumped too much for me and didn't give me what I thought I was going to be given via the blurb.

This jumped between wanting to be part historical fiction, part social commentary, part serial killer mystery, part romance, and part domestic/romantic thriller. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a book that jumps genres and can be more than one thing, but this one tried to get a toe into each of them without doing a good job being really any of them. It's also a slow build thriller. You'll have to be patient and wait for the roller coaster to get to the top of the long climb before things start to really take off.

This book is light on the Yorkshire Ripper and it's really just a setting to add more tension in the story, which, I guess, it does to an extent. I wasn't really invested at all. I wasn't over/under whelmed. I guess I was just...whelmed?

Rebecca is a great character! She's strong and independent. She's not dumb, nor is she a damsel in distress who needs a man (or anyone really) to save her. She's a take the bull by the horns kinda gal and doesn't make the stupid decisions that FMC tend to make in thrillers. So, kudos for that. I really did enjoy her a lot. The book was well-written and did have twists and turns that I think a lot of people will enjoy. I felt it was a bit obvious, but, again, I was just listening waiting for the Ripper to become more of a "character" in the story I guess.

Henrietta Meire was a fantastic narrator. She was able to give everyone their own distinct voice/accent (including an American man) that was believable and didn't sound forced/horrible. However, her "young, British child" voice does need some work and note that you'll probably need to turn the volume down during those scenes as it's a little shrill (for me).

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

Great audiobook! I love the time period (late 70s) and reading anything set in it. The characters were all very interesting, each man bringing something else to the story. I love a good mystery and the cat and mouse game. Narration was also spot on. Can’t wait to check out more by James Woolf! Many thanks to NetGalley for this wonderful opportunity!

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this audiobook for free in exchange for an honest review!

I was initially hooked, but after a while, I found myself getting a bit annoyed (I’m so sorry about that). The story itself wasn’t bad at all. Our narrator, Rebecca, is an intelligent and successful character who finds herself entangled with Larry, who is obsessed with her. The main question is: can he be trusted?

The ending was good and unexpected, in my opinion.

I might read something else from this author in the future.

Women suspects her fiancé is a killer and he almost kills her in the end. She ends up killing him. Good suspense story

Thank you Netgalley, James Woolf and Dreamscape Media for the audio Arc of The company She Keeps.
Narrated by Henrietta Meire

This is a slow burn psychological thriller of our MC Rebecca, who is caught up in a cat and mouse game between 3 men who is interested in her. A charming American with a dodgy past, a philanderer of a policeman and Mervyn a creepy journalist. As Rebecca makes her choice to settle down with one of them and trying to keep herself safe due to the Yorkshire Ripper being at large. The truth will come out. Eventually.

I did really enjoy this one, bearing in mind that the narrative is set between 1979 and 1984 and set between the Midlands and Yorkshire, UK. It is a slow burn, building the complicated dynamics with Rebecca and these men who are clawing for her attention. I feel that, even though I was only very young around this time period. I love the authenticity of the plot, characters and references within the narrative itself. I loved the music references and just how different things were,. I remember reading/seeing about the Yorkshire Ripper in the news and how frightening it was.
As the story picks up after the character building, you are faced with some great twists which slowly unravel and I felt the pay off at the end was great.

I really enjoyed listening to Henrietta Meire who narrated this book. I felt like her voice suited the storyline really well. I did listen to this boson 1.5 speed but that's a personal preference

3.5 stars for Storygraph 4 stars for other websites

I was excited to read this based on the premise and I was really into it at the beginning, but then it leveled off and was really slow. I did like the main character and I liked how her story was told. Overall, it was decent. I think I was just expecting more.

I think that the plot of this book was great and I will absolutely read it in book form, but the audiobook narrator was not it for me . This one was a struggle to get through in audiobook, but I will for sure be reading the book!

This just didn’t grab me or hold intrigue. It was fine. It felt even keel throughout, lacking emotion. The parts that should have felt more dramatic felt purely factual to me (besides right at the end). I think this will rate higher for those looking for more of a domestic drama vs a thriller/mystery.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Title: The Company She Keeps
Release Date: July 1, 2024

"The Company She Keeps” is a compelling slow burn that keeps listeners on edge with its intricate plot and character development. Rebecca, a successful businesswoman with a troubled past, struggles with her unfortunate taste in men. This personal turmoil is interwoven with the chilling presence of a serial killer on the loose, adding layers of suspense and tension.

Rebecca's character is well-crafted, and her backstory is revealed gradually, giving depth to her actions and choices. The contrast between her professional success and personal struggles makes her relatable and human. The narrative explores themes of resilience, trust, and the impact of one's past on the present.

While the plot is engaging, the pacing may feel slow for those expecting constant action. However, the deliberate build-up adds to the tension, making the climax more impactful. The blend of personal drama and thriller elements creates a unique listening experience.

The narrator does a decent job of bringing the story to life. Though not exceptional, their performance is competent and keeps the story moving forward. Some moments could benefit from more emotional depth, but overall, the narration is satisfactory.

In conclusion, "The Company She Keeps" is a solid choice for those who enjoy character-driven stories with a mix of personal and external conflicts. The slow burn nature requires patience, but the payoff is worth it for listeners who appreciate a well-rounded, suspenseful tale.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ALC. I read this in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

This is good! It’s about a woman, Rebecca, a successful businesswoman that had a very unhealthy childhood. She was very close to her Father whom she found dead after he committed suicide. This could or could not be causing her to possibly choose poor life partners. At this time she has three relationships; one with her fiancée, Larry- an American she hasn’t known for very long, especially to commit to marry him. Simon, a married cop and finally Mervyn - a “stalkerish”journalist she tries to get rid of. In the background there is an active serial killer who has just claimed his tenth victim. The more she learns about the men in her life the more the reader questions if any of them are good for her or if one of them be the killer. I’m not going to say more so as not to ruin the ending!
Well-paced. Plot is well-sequenced. Enjoyed this one.

The Company She Keeps released July 1 2024 and, on audio, was a solid book with great narration. Listed as "mystery thriller" by the publisher, I found it to be enjoyable (as enjoyable a book including a serial killer can be), but also found it to be a slow burn.

The primary focus of the plot wasn't so much the killing, as the main character Rebecca, a smart successful woman with incredibly bad taste in men. It's clear from the beginning one of these men is a very very bad man, and the whole tale involves red herrings to keep the reader guessing.

Was I glad I read it? Yup. Killed a day at almost 9 hours on audio with a narrator who portrayed each character well.

Do I think you should read it? Sure. It's an easy one and worth a look.

Would I listen to it again? No, not likely. BUT, I would absolutely check out more from author James Woolf.

First of all, the main characters, Rebecca, is an incredible woman! She is tenacious, astute, and—this is good news for readers—she is not a dumb main character. I'm grateful, James Woolf.

Our protagonist has great success on the professional side but not so much on the romantic one. An understatement, actually. She just ended a relationship with a morally questionable policeman, Simon, started kind of seeing a weird dude that fixates on her, and finally we have Larry, a man whose wife’s death haunts him in more ways than one.

About the plot, I thought everything was quite clear-cut. You know most of the time what is going on, but enjoy it nonetheless. Like a safe kids rollercoaster ride.
More than the book itself, what I'll focus on is the narration of the audiobook. Until roughly the 75% point, I thought the narrator's tone was more cosy-low stakes than giving off a dark, suspenseful thriller-like vibe. I think it would have suited me better if I had read the book with my own eyes, to have the full richness of the suspense in the story.

1979 England
The Yorkshire Ripper is wreaking havoc in northern England, claiming his 10th victim.
Enter Rebecca, a wealthy businesswoman who tends to select questionable relationships with men. Her latest beau and fiance, Larry, has her on edge, and she reaches out to her former romantic entanglement, Simon, with help learning the darker side of Larry.
Rebecca is willing to place herself in dangerous situations to find out the truth about Larry. A man without redemption was leading a police chase before claiming his next victim.
I enjoyed the story but hoped the Yorkshire Ripper would have been immersed more into the story. The main character, Rebecca, is intelligent and strong-willed, but she's not perfect and places herself in precarious situations.
I hoped for a thrilling ride, but the story didn't fall completely flat.
The narrator did a lovely job creating voices for each character and even pulled off a male American accent.
I listened to The Company She Keeps for an honest review for NetGalley.

This was a slowwwww burn, and actually a bit obvious overall. The prologue lends itself to creating a sad backstory for the Rebecca, but after that, it was a little difficult to get into at first. While I became more invested as the story unfolded, I was underwhelmed. There isn’t a big twist, the Yorkshire Ripper is mostly commentary, and I felt it was less mystery/thriller than expected.

I did love that the FMC wasn’t the usual unreliable narrator or dumb damsel; in fact, she was incredibly successful, intelligent, and resourceful. It’s a wonder she surrounded herself with these men.

The narrator Henrietta Meire was excellent. Each character had their own voice, and Meire did a wonderful job switching between British (and multiple British accents) and American accents, even an American male she did very well. That said, and no reflection of her, I think I would have preferred to read this book over listening to the audio, as that may have added more mystery/darkness to this otherwise just okay read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (but I seem to be in the minority, so would still recommend giving it a try!)

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review

Thank you to Netgalley, James Woolf, and the Dreamscape Media for an ARC of this fast paced thriller!

Rebecca, a wealthy UK business woman meets Larry, an American after a series of terrible men: the reporter who is obsessed with her, and a married policeman. However, he does not seem forthcoming about his past, even after asking her to marry him.

After digging through his past, Rebecca wonders, is Larry like the others? Can he be trusted?

The narration was great, setting the mood for the thriller!

3.5 ⭐

I really liked the premise of The Company She Keeps, by James Woolf. I thought the main protagonist was really interesting, but the story started off a little slow, however there were a few twists and turns that surprised me. The narrator did a great job bringing all of the characters to life.

I was intrigued by the book’s description, but it didn’t meet my expectations. I listened to the audiobook & this is one instance in which I may have enjoyed reading, instead of listening. The book moved too slow for me & was a bit predictable. I seem to be in the minority on this one, so don’t let me sway you from checking it out yourself.