Grounds for Murder

In Daniels’s cozy mystery debut, Jeannie, a prickly widow in her 60s, is suddenly pulled from her peaceful Canadian farm life by the death of Monica, the pushy realtor who borrowed Jeannie’s car. It seems as if Jeannie was the intended target of the auto “accident” that killed Monica. As her life is at risk, Jeannie joins forces with off-duty cop Derek as well as her close-knit community and family to find out who killed Jeannie. Throughout the story, Daniels touches upon issues of land ownership and ensuring a future in farming. She also addresses grief, childhood trauma, mental health, and experiences of growing up in a poor rural area. Listeners may benefit from a bit of prior familiarity with Canadian law enforcement for context. Narrator Dawn Harvey’s portrayal of and distinctions between the characters rely more on rhythm than tone, particularly when it comes to Jeannie’s son; some listeners may this find difficult or distracting.