Note: While this is #13 in the Mac Faraday series, it works fine as a stand alone novel.

Mac Faraday is back in excellent style! This story captures all the thing I like about this series. Faraday has an old case that has haunted him, but also has new dead bodies to investigate. There’s a lot of great characters, and some humor too. Plus there’s Gnarly, my favorite doggie sleuth.

The plot itself was fun. An old case of two dead cops continues to bother Faraday to present day. A wedding (Gina is the daughter of one of the cold case dead cops) is just days away and all the people who were present for the old case will be on scene to wish the bride and groom a happy marriage. Amidst all the last minute preparations, Faraday starts hunting around for new and lost clues on the old case. Alas, he soon has to switch his attentions to the new case involving a dead friend. The plot made me think of those Agatha Christie books where the crime solver gets all the suspects into 1 room at the end of the story to do the big reveal. Lots of tension, lots of motives, more than one crime going on.

Gnarly himself has his own mystery to solve, with the help of his humans of course. There’s a pesky neighbor who has it in for, well, anyone. She’s a hateful person. But perhaps there’s more than a little dog hate going on in that house and Gnarly is determined to bring the truth to light. Quite frankly, she reminds me of a neighbor we once had here in real life and it was a little vicarious of me to take so much delight in this character’s downfall.

Speaking of characters, the extended Faraday clan has a new and unexpected member. I wonder what Carr will do with this person (Gabriel) in the future. I know it’s turned one parent’s life on their ear, giving them some new perspective. Then there’s David’s new dog, Storm, who doesn’t act very dog like in general (which gave me a laugh).

The pool of suspects had all sorts of characters. Some of them were quite angry and rather dislikeable but others were sweet as pie. Yet all had something to hide or feel at least a little guilty over. The ending had a few little twists I wasn’t expecting. The story kept me engaged the entire time. 5/5 stars.

The Narration: Mike Alger gives a great performance as Mac Faraday. It’s like visiting an old friend when I listen to his narration of this series. I like his voices for David, and this teen age boy, and one of Mac’s old friends (Louis Gannon). His female voices are feminine but he has a limited number of female voices, so they are quickly recycled in a book such as this that has many ladies. His pacing is perfect & there are no technical issues with the recording. 4.5/5 stars. ( )

Ever wonder what would happen if you left a murder get away with killing two people with no evidences. It like it goes cold. It just so happens it heats back up 15 years later or so when the reunion is all booked and their a wedding to preform.

It all happens to be happen around Mac and the victims daughter no less. We know that Mac will not and has not given up on the case. It seems Mac need a little help. So who knew that someone would be called in to help for just a little bit. Laura Carr brings in some one new but it so nice to see the series get intertwined together.

If you read Winter Frost you will now find out by his name. This man to be called in to help him though a connection with Washington is Chris Matheson. Mac needs some help with information and help solve his case he is sent Chris Matheson.

Laura Carr Crimes Past is no different then any of her other books. You will get hooked on her books and want more just after reading one of her books. Does not matter what series you start with or what book. You will want to read them all sooner or later or listen to them all.

The book is action packed, heart throbbing and you will not want to put the book or stop listening. It got twist and turns and surpises all the way to the end. You will be left guessing as to he the killer is and not only that there a bigger surprise left that you will not see see coming. You know Mac will have his brother or half brother David involved to help him. ( )

Lauren Carr supplies a cast of characters that have me eating out of their hands. I loved the opening paragraph that had me chuckling to myself. I love April’s humorous, sexy day dreaming while she’s hovering over the dead bodies.

Who would walk into a hotel filled with cops and kill a couple of them? And how?

All that was in the prologue and I do enjoy a good prologue. Sets the hook and reels me in.

A cover up? Hide a body? Doesn’t sound like the Mac Faraday I know. BUT…

Mayor Gnarly has his ups and downs. From cornering a cat and paying the price, to a book launch party. I love the kleptomaniac. The scene put a smile on my face. He has become, maybe always was, a prima donna, a diva. Can a male be a diva? Can a diva be canine?

Archie and Mac got ‘detoured’ as they dressed for the party, or should I say…undressed..and a hilarious scene ensued. LOL I can so easily picture it.

I love the murder mysteries, there are plenty to go around, but my primary concern is for Gnarly. What does that say about me? That I am more worried about what could happen to Gnarly than the dead humans. I’m angry for him, but I can’t help but laugh at the situation.

Lauren has me laughing and smiling through the entire book. Gnarly is a favorite of mine, no doubt about it.

The body’s keep falling and the mysteries grow.

Picture This: two humans, one German Shepherd, four Corgis, spying on the neighbor out the window.

“…Gnarly’s groupies.” Cracked me up!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Crimes Past by Lauren Carr

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Very talented author, Lauren Carr, "hit it out of the park" again with this amazing tale of Crimes Past (A Mac Faraday Mystery)!
Lauren Carr is one of the few authors who can successfully combine various mystery and dramatic situations without breaking the :flow" of the story, nor lose the reader's interest.
In this dynamic novel, Mac Faraday is haunted by a cold case sixteen years prior, which he could not solve when he was Chief of Police.
Now sixteen years later, he has the perfect occasion to bring all the suspects together. He calls on current Police Chief of Spencer, to be available to assist him. What makes this very unusual, is all the suspects are current and former law officers.
David's small team of Spencer's police force, are occupied on other matters or assisting him. The matters appear unrelated, but are they really?
I cannot imagine a reader who hasn't "fallen in love" with the humorous and lovable German Shepard, Gnarly. In this saga, Gnarly has obtained several new "fans".
With humor, steady action, increasing mysteries, with that tough of romance, the reader will be captivated throughout the tale and will not want to put the book down! "Who done it?" will keep you guessing until the very end.
The characters are so real, and the scenes so vivid, the reader will feel he/she is there!
The book Title and Cover are a great "fit"!

*This was gifted to me with no requirement of a positive review. This is my honest review. ( )