The Novel Detective by Teresa Dovalpage

Title:  The Novel Detective

Author:  Teresa Dovalpage

Narrated by:  Cynthia Farrell

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 12 minutes

Source: Thank you to @soho_press @TeresaDovalpage and TLC Book Tours for the review audiobook copy of A Novel Detective.

Are you a fan of an amateur sleuth or do you prefer a gritty, professional detective?

Teresa is a Cuban born mystery author who has spent most of her life in the United States.  One day, her childhood best friend, Estrella, surprises her with a  call.  She invites Teresa to Havana to investigate the “suicides” of their classmate Yoi and former teacher Phillipe.  Was it suicide or murder?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This story was dual timeline between 1980 and 2020.

·       In the 1980 timeline, Teresita is a small, awkward fourteen-year-old nerd who is very observant.  She notices her classmate, Yoi, is sleeping with their teacher.

·       I loved the Cuban setting and how the story also went along with events that were happening in Cuba at the time.

·       I loved the references to famous sleuths Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Sherlock Holmes.

·       The story explores Cuban culture, which I enjoyed.

·       The title is that Teresa is a novelist and a detective.  She is not investigating novels!

·       The story is told in the first person in 2020 and third person in 1980.

·       This was a very interesting story to listen to on audiobook.  It was an engaging story.  It was slow at first, but the last part of the book was riveting.  Narrator, Cynthia Farrell, had different voices for the characters and did a great job with the Spanish names, language, and terms.

·       There was a bit of pure Spanish at the end of the book. It’s been too long since my Spanish classes and I didn’t understand it.  I’m better at reading it.

·       I did guess who the murderer was before the end, but it was an enjoyable journey.

·       I would classify this book as a mystery, audiobook, suspense, coming of age, Hispanic contemporary, historical fiction, Caribbean/Cuban literature, and literary fiction.

Overall, The Novel Detective by Teresa Dovalpage was an engaging Cuban mystery set in a dual timeline that was great on audiobook.