This is the first audiobook I have enjoyed, having often found them difficult to engage with.
Though I found the first few chapters tricky to navigate the parallel narratives, once I got into the swing of it I was hooked. I appreciated the narrators accents and voices that differentiated the characters for me.
I was drawn to the plot from the blurb and it didn't disappoint. There was excellent tension and I was really able to get behind the lead characters. The coincidental meetings seemed a little annoying at first.
I wonderful psychological thriller.

When I first read the blurb or book description for the Killing Sense by Sam Blake, I was quite intrigued it sounded like an unusual storyline and it is set in one of my most favorite cities, but I was also a little bit skeptical. You see it's 2024 and aren't we all aware of and wary of, how pervasive technology is in our lives, how GPS can be used for tracking, usage of social media, about scams so I wondered "..how is this going to work..?" Sam Blake is a brilliant author, but can she pull out this storyline? Well, I should have known to trust her, because within a couple of pages I was absolutely absorbed in the storyline; between the quick pacing and the brilliantly depicted characters. I had also fallen back in love with Paris and I've raced through the novel. I just wanted to know what would happen next. Did I manage predict accurately who was the killer? No, but I was starting to move on to the right track.
I enjoyed the characters, and I think the city of Paris also plays a unique and beautiful character on its own,in the storyline and that should not be overlooked.
I've been fortunate enough to both read the digital version and also listen to the e-audiobook as narrated by Fenella Woolgar, and I do love how Fenella's narration afds an extra layer of depth to the storyline. She truly brings Kate's character to life, and I'll be looking forward to checking out other audiobooks that she has narrated.

I finished listening to this over the weekend and I’m somewhat conflicted on my thoughts.
There’s a good story at the heart of this novel but at times I felt like I was wading through the unnecessary to get to it. I think i would have enjoyed this a lot more if it was 100 pages shorter and if I’d read it instead of listening to it. The narration , the British accent for an Irish character and the numerous French characters speaking in accented English grayed on me after a while.
However, in the last quarter the book redeemed itself a little for me and I enjoyed it.

I did notice , perhaps because I listened, the repetition of certain worlds ( huge being one) as the book progressed and felt my mind drifting and watching out for that rather than concentrating on the plot.

Overall yes it’s a good story but too long and unevenly paced for me to fully commit or care for the characters enough.

3 stars

A psychological thriller based on fleeing domestic abuse, which then spirals into various murders and a much deeper plot than first appears.

Kates experience was one of many twists and turns that have you immersed in her own way of doing her own investigations. She definitely had good instincts and intuition, although a times not everything was clear to her, and she did openly trust in others at this time. There was confusion that was done deliberately, of course, by the perpetrator. This covers various aspects but deeply opens up gaslighting with subtleties that so many others fail to see or understand unless you have experienced or researched this area. This leads us into the deception that Kate thought was all behind her so many lies and hidden meanings within things she has to attempt to wrap her h a ad around on what was supposed to be a holiday. Sadly, her ex-husband comes back to torment her when she least expected it.

She tries to see through what is reality what is happening and what could be imagination on overdrive due to her previous life of living with an angry alcoholic abusive husband she goes in to a hypervigelant state she knows she is being watched etc however there are some things in life that may not be explainable but you just know ie if someone has moved an item in your home, for Kate the hairbrush was deeply creepy.

Kate is however very grateful and blessed to have Daniel in her life, who together they get to the bottom of the overall plot and put an end to it all one way or another they will overcome all that comes into their path during their time together!

Wow psychic threads indeed Sam Blake so much of this book I felt like I knew although I didn't to the point I was typing a message while listening and the words I'd just said would then be said within minutes etc the list goes on but indeed this was extremely a connected book in this way I believe for sure! No coincidences in life simply synchronisation and serendipity!

This was well narrated by Fenella Woolgar that once I was in the flow of this book I followed it and was immersed, for me sometimes it's simply mix of accents, names etc can take me a little time to adjust as on this occasion however again this was not down to anything but timing for me!

With thanks to Netgalley & Bolinda Audio for the wonderful opportunity to listen to this ARC in return for an open, honest review. Best wishes for publication in January 2025 🙏🏼❤️ I'm sure this will do well!

The story was quite slow paced, however I enjoyed the narrator which kept me invested. It did pick up in the last 1/4 and I wish the pace had of been faster before this, the characters were well developed and likeable and I enjoyed how all the pieces fitted together by the end

This is a great atmospheric story based in Paris which truly takes you away!!

Loved the narration, the accents totally brought the characters to life.

The story unfolds on a personal journey to France and deals with many aspects of life and past memories of the main character.
Really strong main characters with a mysterious underlying historical context which takes you on rollercoaster journey!

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review

I felt this one was soooo long and a bit of a slog if I’m honest. It just didn’t grab me and I was a little bit bored at times. It moved at such a slow pace and only really got going for the last 1/4 of the listen. It felt like it jumped around a lot but maybe that’s due to me not being fully engaged. The characters are well developed and somewhat interesting. I did really like the references to the different places Paris is known for. Yet again I seem to be in the minority with this one but it just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bolinda Audio for the opportunity to listen and review #TheKillingSense

I'll admit I enjoyed the plot more than I did the execution of this mystery thriller book.
Even though the first chapter pulled me in - it starts with a bang - the rest of the book didn't have the same effect.
I quite liked that we follow 3 POVs, from unrelated people that, eventually, get their stories connected together. However, the whole mystery envolving those 3 characters didn't speak to me. I actually thought all of it was very clichéd and some actions were very predictable.
The perfume lessons chapters, in my opinion, were something different, fresh but at the same time not really useful to the main plot.
I'd say very experienced, hardcore thrillers readers might not be surprised with the twists in this book.
I di think it is worh the read if you like the main plot, though.
On the other hand, I would easily recommend the audiobook. Fenella Woolgar is a narrator that I'd never heard of before, and I think she is amazing. She does different voices and accents in a very believable way. I'll dare say if it weren't for this audiobook, I would probably have DNFed this book. This audiobook is 5 stars for me.
I'll certainly keep my eye on her from now on.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bolinda Audio, for allowing me to listen to an advanced and free audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my goodness, a masterful spider-web of story strands, with each thread so well woven you'll find it almost impossible to untangle the truth from the misdirection. An thoroughly enjoyable listen.

“The Killing Sense” is a crime thriller set in Paris. Kate escaped an abusive marriage and after winning a five-day trip to learn about perfume, she goes to Paris. But she feels like someone is watching her and then discovers that there is a killer in the city.

On her way to Paris Kate met Daniel in the train and then befriended Agathe in a cafe. The characters’s stories get tangled as the investigation of the killings develops.
The pace of the book is pretty fast and the story kept me interested. There is mystery and tension, while the story unravels through different perspectives, including the killer’s.
The audiobook is narrated by Fenella Woolgar that managed to capture all the accents. Even if the story has multiple POVs, the narrator managed to differentiate the characters well and add tension to the plot.

I received a digital copy of the book from Bolinda Audio and Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Publication date: 9 Jan 2025

Kate is in Paris, living it up and attending a perfumery course. When she gets wind that her abusive ex is in the same city, she knows she is in danger. Can she evade him and get to safety? I listened to the audiobook of this one and wow, did it keep me intrigued! It was gory, it was dark, it was entertaining and it was twisty. With multiple POVs and a classic Parisian setting, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

✨ Read if you enjoy: self-discovery, unique friendships, non-explicit murders
✨ Don’t read if you loathe: cozy crime, multiple POV’s, detailed descriptions of Paris

Remember in Total Recall, where you can ‘experience’ your fantasy adventure? Your dream place with your dream person? This is like that for single mum Kate Wilde - after winning a competition Kate doesn’t remember entering, she travels to Paris to attend a perfume making class.

Meanwhile, in the sewers of Paris, a severed head is discovered, hinting at a potential serial killer

This reads like a love letter to Paris, detailing the city and its beauty. Kate’s fantasy visit, continues along side the suspenseful and sinister serial killing situation.

The writing perfectly balances the stories, the multiple POV’s and storylines. It was easy to follow, though I did struggle with the French names at first.

I listened to the audiobook at 1.75x but had to slow right down to catch those French names. The narrator captured all the accents perfectly and I especially liked her performance as Daniel’s aunt.

Depending on the POV of the chapter, the vibe alternated between Kate’s self discovery, Daniel’s love story and Agate’s crime investigation. The sub genre mashup added layers and dimension to the characters and the plot.

There’s a ‘whodunnit’ element (for me the reveal was ‘meh’) but no twist, so be aware of that.

Big fan of the epilogue which concluded the story and left a hopeful impression. An enjoyable thriller with an elegant, cozy vibe.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bolinda Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

Right up my ruelle!

My goodness The Killing Sense had me riveted, which in itself is astounding as my heads full of fluff.

A brilliant crime thriller executed to perfection. We meet single mum Kate as she’s embarking on a dream trip to Paris to take a 5 day course studying perfume, even better is that she won the trip in a Facebook competition. Kate’s not had it easy. She’s fled an extremely abusive marriage, obtained a restraining order against her ex husband and has began to rebuild a life with her daughter Hannah. This trip is the perfect, well deserved treat - or is it?

Almost immediately she arrives in Paris she discovers her ex husband is also in the city. She can feel him watching and when she walks into the cafe where Agathe works and breaks down the pair strike up a bond. Agathe’s roommate is missing, and to add to the tension for the pair it seems there is a serial killer hunting readheads in the city. Being a redhead, does Kate have more to fear than her ex?!

As the story unwinds and gruesome discoveries are made You’ll be hooked. Jammed with twists and turns, a few little red herrings to throw you off the scent (sorry) the story flows brilliantly to a fabulous end. I particularly enjoyed the epilogue, it added a whole human connection that can sometimes be hard to get to in a thriller.

You’ll definitely want this on your 2025 list. They say the devil is in the detail and the detail in this title is fantastic, from the descriptions of the city, to the work in the perfumery,the knowledge of the underground waterways and sewage system, loads of fun readhead facts, the way the art speaks to you is second to none. There are references to Perfume-Story of a Murderer and the way the author has leaned in to the similarity while making it entirely its own story was quite astonishing.

Psychic threads indeed Sam Blake 😂 in the past week I’ve been yapping on about Perfume - story of a Murderer despite not having read it in about 20 years, I’ve spent ages pouring over a different Dalí, in a different city, and lots of other little crossovers that may spoiler. Bizarre.

The audio narration by Fenella Woolgar was fantastic, she flipped between accents with such ease, she added tension and anxiety to the story and complimented the writing beautifully.

All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends

Huge thanks to Bolinda Audio via NetGalley for this ALC 🎧