Till the last piece - Kenneth Cruz

What a load of rubbish! Read the blurb and thought it may have been good but man was I wrong! It was a lot shorter than I expected and the narrator was just boring 😴 Sorry not for me

This is an ideal listen for a short commute or lunch break. It’s around thirty minutes and is well narrated throughout. The story centres on Amber who thinks she has the perfect life until her dreams are unexpectedly blown apart and she seeks revenge. It’s rather predictable; I try to go with flow when reading and not wonder too much about what’s going to happen next, but I felt little surprise in this tale. It’s rather formulaic and although well written, I can’t say it excited me.

Thank you Netgalley, Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Kenneth Cruz for the Audio Arc of Till The Last Piece ( Book 1 of Macabre Minutes )
Narrated by Dena Kouremetis

Till the Last Piece is the first instalment of Macabre Minutes and reminded me of the UK BBC series like.Tale of the Unexpected ( Yes Im that old! ) If you have never seem them, definitely YouTube them! This quick novella takes us on a journey of the twisted macabre of our FMC wanting out of an abusive relationship with a devastating conclusion. It's fast paced and direct, with the pay off being very obvious just as it happens. Saying this, it still took me by surprise and ws left with a OMG moment. Really enjoyed the balance between the pace and character building considering it was such a short story and Im looking forward to reading/listening to the rest of the books in this novella series.

This book was narrated by Dena Kouremetis and I loved her voice for this book. I hope that Kenneth keeps her for the narration of the rest of the books.

4.5 stars for Storygrah, 4 stars for other review sites.

Till the last piece follows amber, a woman with a seemingly perfect family, but looks can be deceiving, and things turn ugly.

This was a surprisingly short thriller. It was enjoyable and kept me wanting more. The story is well written, engaging and overall fun to listen to. Should I be given the opportunity to read it again, I would as it was definitely enjoyable. I recommend reading this book.

The heavy handed, unnecessary foreshadowing gives away the entire story. There is no natural progression between the starting and the end point. This super short story just rushes to deliver the end without any sort of build up.

3 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ALC! 💌

So… Till the Last Piece: A Perfect Recipe for Murder was a quick bite, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the kind I was hoping for. The idea of a short, suspenseful story sounded amazing, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me. The plot? A bit predictable. 🧐 I saw that twist coming from a mile away—though it was still a decent "whoa" moment. The premise had so much potential, but the execution just didn’t grab me as much as I wanted it to. 😕🍰

The audiobook was nice, and the narrator, Dena Kouremetis, did a solid job setting the eerie tone. 🎧 But even with her great delivery, I just couldn’t fully get lost in the story. 😶

It’s a nice quick listen for a short break or a short drive, but I won’t be continuing the series. I’d probably recommend it to fans of bite-sized thrillers, though it wasn’t my cup of tea.

An excellent narrator but unfortunately a bit of a 'meh' story 😀

It lacks originality and tension, even the end was just slightly surprising but at the same time predictable.

I honestly expected more horror or even the slightest bit of mystery - unfortunately I think the author forgot to include them.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review

A quick listen for a morning or evening commute. Although quite short, it was well-written. I loved the writing style and words chosen.

The narrator did a good job, and I look forward to more from Kenneth Cruz.

I've always thought that the power of a good story lies in how long I consider it after the reading. I've been thinking about this story for a few days. It was a great story!

Absolutely devastating! Loved every minute of it! This short story is a must read! I can’t wait to read more from this author.

First and foremost, this was such a fun thirty minutes! This story was published two months ago, so this will be a review filled with spoilers.
We start off with Gwendolyn meticulously putting a parcel together. Gwen has been seeing a married man and she has decided she knows just how to get her happily ever after. Gwen plans to send videos, photos, and a letter to Amber to show her just how her husband Ben has been spending his late nights and urgent meetings. We see Gwen very pleased with her work and the package goes on its way to Amber who is just going back a normal day.
We switch to Amber as she wakes up on a normal morning, enjoying the beauty of her husband of six years, and taking part in some her "marital duties" before he young daughter Ava breaks in screaming and demanding to be breastfed which leads to a long argument on weaning and her husband demanding she shut the child up and prepare his breakfast. (Obviously a wake up roll in the hay was NOT getting Amber out of tending to her husbands every whim.) Breakfast is prepared and Ben eats and then leaves without a second thought and you really feel the simmering resent most neglected and underappreciated housewives battle on a daily basis. As a woman, I found myself grinding my teeth without even realizing it even before the package arrived... but then it arrived and you get to sit with Amber as her world implodes, she finds out her husband has been referring to her as a millstone and a burden, and she decides to take action.
Amber decides to look up poisons, nice and clean and nearly unnoticeable poisons... and then bakes Ben his very favorite celebratory chocolate cake because Ben is making partner today. Once the cake is made, Amber is left alone to wait and wait and wait for her newly promoted husband to come home and enjoy his cake with her. Feeling as though you are setting at the table waiting with Amber and then watching Ben as he eats his beautiful cake was so beautifully written. If you have ever hoped for revenge for yourself or others, this is a fun quick story you won't regret right up until the very end... As a wife and mother, I knew how it would all end up and even knowing how it would end, the suspense and anxiety nearly had me quitting before the final twist happened, but I still had to follow the story to the conclusion and it was a terrible pleasure.
The audio author was also just perfection for this book! The voice was melodic and creepy and filled with just the right amount of emotion. Thank you, NetGalley for allowing me to enjoy this creepy tale.

This was a tense and tragic short story. I loved the concept and how so much happened in such little time.

I have mixed feelings - it was quick and fun! But I have to say it was completely predictable. I am looking forward to future additions to this collection, hopefully a little more surprising.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

This was a short very horrifying story … make sure to eat your cake :)

I enjoyed how quick and fast paced the short story was. The main character did not hesitate to act ! You go girl

This audiobook was narrated very nicely and it created a story of mystery, betrayal and revenge that leaves you sad and angry with the injustice of it all. It was really good!

Thank you netgalley, the publisher and author for the arc audiobook!
I loved how short this was, was perfect for my journey to work. It grips you right from the beginning, will definitely keep an eye out for the next installment!

Till The Last Piece
VOL. 1 Till The Last Piece : The Perfect Recipe For Murder
By Kenneth Cruz
Publish Date December 22, 2024

Review:

OMG! I love Dena Kouremetis voice! Kenneth Cruz has a way with words to be able to fit so much into a short story. I truly enjoyed reading the short story and it got dark really fast! I can’t wait for more!

Amber couldn’t believe the package she received. What would you do to?! We would all be furious, sad, questioning life… but could you commit murder over it?

Description:

Amber’s life seems perfect—on the surface. A loving husband, an adorable daughter, and a home where laughter once reigned. But appearances are fragile, and secrets have a way of creeping into the light. When an unexpected package arrives at her door, Amber is forced to confront a truth so devastating it threatens to unravel everything she thought she knew. That night, a plan takes shape—a meal prepared with care, a cake rich with meaning, and a table set for something far darker than celebration. But the lines between love, vengeance, and justice blur as the evening unfolds, leading to consequences no one could predict.

Till the Last Piece is a gripping psychological thriller that will keep you questioning:
What would you do when betrayal meets opportunity? How far would you go to take back control? And at what cost?
For readers who savor gripping twists, simmering tension, and morally complex characters, this story will linger long after the final bite.

I am partial to a short story. I like the succinctness and how it gets right to the point.
This one was well written if not totally predictable. I would definitely read more from the collection though.

Im not really an audiobook person but this was perfect to listen to as it is only 30 minutes so perfect for those who feel they dont have time to listen to audiobooks. I really want to know more about what happens next!

I really enjoyed this nice short horror tale. Although I was able to predict the ending, the story itself was well told and I definitely could have read this in longer form. The protagonist's voice was compelling and the narrator brought the atmosphere to the story perfectly.