This week’s reads have nothing in common except for the fact that they’ve both just been released as audiobooks.

One is an historical horror novel by an author I’ve read and enjoyed before. One is a contemporary story about a rookie game warden in New Mexico.

Both have piqued my curiosity: the first because it’s been so heavily hyped and the second because it has a great cover.

I have no expectations except some hours of entertainment.

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‘Lone Women‘ by Victor Lavalle (2023)

I’ve had different experience with Victor LaValle’s work I enjoyed his novella, the Ballad Of Black Tom.but I never managed to get into his novel The Changeling (although it’s still in my TBR pile in the hopes that I’ll get back to it during this year’s Halloween Bingo).

I like the plot summary for Lone Women. The setting, Montana in 1915 is new for me and I really want to know what Adelaide keeps in her steamer trunk and why she’s so afraid of it.

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‘Hollow Beats’ by Alisa Lynn Valdés (2023)

So, I loved the cover, I have soft spot for New Mexico and I’d just broken up with C. J. Box’s Joe Pickett, that stubborn, uncommunicative, emotionally suppressed game warden in Wyoming after six books and was in the market for a replacement.

Jodi Luna sounds like she’ll be a refreshing change from Joe Pickett. I’m expecting more humour, more sunshine and a lot more daring do.