Lauren Carr has done it again. If you have read one of her books, you know that you have been hooked from that first one you read. You will want more. If you have not read Lauren Carr books you are truly missing out on some really good murders and murder mystery. She write so well that you will not be able to stop with one chapter.



Murder by Perfection is no different. We see that Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are doing in there lives. Things looks like they are still enjoying there bliss but it starting to warn off as they both have busy schedules. Can they fix it? Will they be able to find time for themselves?



Things really start to get interesting once Murphy runs into an old buddy of his from his time at the academy. His buddy starts talking to him about making it work to keep his marriage work. Though his buddy and Captain want to talk to Murphy alone about something important?



By the time, Murphy get to the park, there a crime and he a witness to his navy buddy crime. We go for a ride with murder galore. Murphy goes missing? Who want him gone and took him. Jessica get a ransom and also bring in the Thornton family like, JJ Thornton, Joshua Thornton, NCIS Team and a few others. We even see Tristan Faraday involved.



Lauren Carr brings in drugs, kidnapping and so much more. I loved just about everything. You are keep guessing until the end. How is it all connected? What does Natalie Shepherd's life got to do with Murphy? ( )

Note: While this is Book 3 in the series, it works just fine as a stand alone.

I’ve been a fan of Lauren Carr’s works for several years now. Sinking into this book was like joining an old friend for a lengthy cup of tea. I enjoy the writing style and characters equally. There’s also a twist or three and there’s usually more than one mystery to solve.

Jessica and Murphy are trying to balance her schooling and his career with their personal lives. And that’s how they get pulled into a minor investigation that involves a couples’s cooking class. Natalie Stepford is a well known cook and quite the looker too.

Of course, we get a body or two and the investigations into each are off and running. Then Murphy turns up missing. So the timeline jumps around a little in regards to Murphy and that through me a bit more than once. Still, I loved it that Murphy, this very capable man with lots of combat training and other special skills gained from his time in the super secret Phantoms, is the one that goes missing and it’s up to his wife and family to save him.

Newman was a source of amusement, a mix dog of some sort that rules over the TV, changing the station if the show doesn’t suit him. I also found the electronic butler Nigel fun, as people are sometimes started by his disembodied voice.

This tale had a few more cliches than normal for Carr’s works. On one hand, that made it easy to follow along and just enjoy the characters. On the other hand, it did make some things predictable. Despite this, I had a lot of fun with the story.

Murphy’s twin brother gets called in to help lay down a ruse that will bring the culprits to light even as other members of the family continue to pursue their investigations. I didn’t really like that Jessica had to use her feminine wiles, playing a woman in emotional distress, as her part of the ruse. First, she hasn’t acted like that at all, and secondly, she has plenty more to offer as a character.

The action is well balanced with humor and I also liked the flirtations between Murphy and Jessica as they do their best to fit in some sexytimes with their busy schedules. The end leaves us on a very satisfying note. 4/5 stars.

The Narration: Mike Alger has narrated several of Carr’s books and listening to his narrations is like listening to an old friend at this point. I love his voices for the men. He manages to make all the related men sound like relatives while also giving them their own unique voices. He makes a perfect Murphy. His female voices are usually feminine but there’s less range there and sometimes more then one woman will sound like the other. His pacing is perfect and there’s no issues with the recording. 4.5/5 stars. ( )

I have listened to a bunch of audio books from this author. This author has a really good narrator who does great audio work. Therefore, I really like "listening" to books from this author versus "reading" them myself. This is my favorite series from Lauren Carr. It features couple Murphy and Jessica. They keep things entertaining but at the same time, they are very relatable. Murphy may be high ranking in the NCIS but when it comes to Jessica; he will fight "rush hour" traffic to get pizza for dinner.

Murphy runs into Commander Ross Caldwell. He has not seen him in a while. Caldwell says that he has some very important information. Murphy stumbles upon Caldwell's dead body the next day. He was murdered. What is Natalie Stepford's connection to Caldwell? Before Murphy and Jessica can figure it out; Natalie is murdered. Things are really heating up in the kitchen.

I enjoyed this book. It had a really good storyline with some twists. There were many characters introduced in the story but I had no troubles keeping them straight. One person that put a smile on my face is Boris. Boris is Murphy's boss. He had a tough exterior but he would say things out of the blue at times that had me smiling and laughing a few times. Murphy and Jessica #togetherforever. ( )

Lauren Carr is one of my go to authors when I want a mystery that’s just right. Not too cozy and not too dark, but filled with suspense, humor and a critter or two or three…

I love being back with familiar friends and the pets who love them. Lauren Carr;s characters, both human and canine, are rich in personality and she gets right to the action. the hook is set early and I love that, even though I know when I open the cover I am in for hours of entertainment, laughter, danger and worry.

Right off the bat I greet Newman. He’s a Basset mix and a couch potato, who pouts when he doesn’t like what’s on TV and doesn’t have the remote to change it. Sometimes it’s the stock report and sometimes it could be a movie, like Jurassic Park or zombies. He has good taste.

“You have a couch potato who pranks people by playing possum and another who’s a compulsive liar..”

A great description for the critters in this household. Gotta love ’em!

Jessica and Murphy are still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage, but, like a lot of us, they are busy with the necessities of life and don’t have enough time to spend together. Adds that bit of realism that makes the story read like true crime.

Technology plays a big part in this series and I would love to have a butler like Nigel and all the toys that are available to them.

We have secrets, murders, Phantoms, and more…

In fact, we have multiple murders and a long list of suspects. But don’t worry, we still have plenty of time for some laughter and lovin’.

Thanks Lauren, for another chance to get lost in a twist and turn mystery that leads me down one path, only to find I took a wrong turn somewhere. Keep ’em coming.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Murder by Perfection by Lauren Carr.

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