California Bear

Swierczynski’s (Charlie Hardie series) latest is a fun ride, taking suspense and crime enthusiasts into the heart of a compelling serial-killer thriller. Narrated by James Urbaniak and Jesse Vilinsky, the novel immediately jumps into the mind of the California Bear serial killer, then passes the story off in turns to the other central characters—Jack, a father recently released from prison; his sick daughter Matilda; Cato, a former police officer who sprung Jack from prison; and Cato’s ex-wife Jeanie, a skilled genealogist. Why did the Bear stop killing for three decades, only to return now? Like Matilda, who is searching for answers about her father’s past, listeners will turn sleuth, caught up in the story’s twists and turns. The novel starts with many questions, all of which are painstakingly revealed as the story unfolds. The two narrators, while skilled, don’t always distinguish between the four characters, which might be confusing for some listeners. Even so, the audiobook moves quickly and is hard to put down. The afterword, read by the author, is heartfelt and worth a listen, as it provides emotional context for the entire book.