The Sound of her Voice by Nathan Blackwell - Audiobook

About the Author
Nathan Blackwell was raised on Auckland’s North Shore and attended Westlake Boys’ High School before commencing a ten-year career in the New Zealand Police. Seven of those years were spent as a Detective in the Criminal Investigation Branch, where he was exposed to human nature at its strongest and bravest, but also at its most depraved and horrific. He investigated a wide range of cases including drug manufacture, child abuse, corruption, serious violence, rape and murder. Because some of his work was conducted covertly, Nathan chooses to hide his true identity.

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About the book
Some murder cases you can't forget. No matter how hard you try.

The body of a woman has been found on a pristine New Zealand beach – over a decade after she was murdered. Detective Matt Buchanan of the Auckland Police is certain it carries all the hallmarks of an unsolved crime he investigated 12 years ago: when Samantha Coates walked out one day and never came home.

Re-opening the case, Buchanan begins to piece the terrible crimes together, setting into motion a chain of events that will force him to the darkest corners of society – and back into his deepest obsession…

Review of the Audiobook
What's different about this story in comparison to other police procedural crime reads written by authors with real life experience in policing is not only the authenticity, it's also the intent. Blackwell really wants readers to comprehend the reality of working in law enforcement, especially when it comes to officers involved in violent, sexual crimes, perhaps more so when they are crimes against young women and children.

The emotional impact it leaves on their psyche, their lives and their relationships. Eventually it grounds down even the best and the strongest, and by strongest I mean the ability to disassociate and leave work at work. If you watch ex-police talk about especially vile crimes and/or cold cases that they have found hard to leave behind, you realise just how much damage crime does to everyone who comes in touch with it.

I especially enjoyed the frank discourse on the sexual assault. It highlights how the system lets victims fall through the cracks. Instead of protecting them and bringing their predators to justice the system helps to degrade the victims and let the guilty walk free. Free to commit more crimes.

The darkness has to be dealt with somehow, not taking it home and not letting it completely consume your soul is part and parcel of this story. There is a simple quick scene where Buchanan steps in for a more inexperienced police officer so the man will get a short reprieve from a brutal murder. Those moments speak to the ingrained brotherhood that exists within law enforcement agencies.

The narrator, David Thorpe, does an excellent job of giving listeners the atmosphere of the country and the New Zealanders. He absolutely does Blackwell's story justice. I have to say I was particularly amused by the passionate swearing.

Blackwell creates this symbiotic relationship between the fictional narrative, and the reality of horrendous and traumatic crimes, which Thorpe brings to life in this audio version.

Buy The Sound of her Voice at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Orion; pub date 18 April 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

Listening Length - 9 hours and 42 minutes, Author - Nathan Blackwell, Narrator - David Thorpe, Whispersync for Voice - Ready, Audible.co.uk Release Date - 18 April 2019, Publisher - Orion Publishing Group Limited, Program Type - Audiobook, Version - Unabridged, Language - English.