Choosing the right narrator for a book is so important. It really can make or break the story. In this instance, it was the latter. I found the narrator performing the detective's perspective to be off-putting. His voice sounded flat and monotonous, as though he was reading the news. The lack of inflection made character narrative confusing as it was hard to follow who was saying what. I found myself unable to engage while listening and, therefore, missing chunks of plot. As a result, this audiobook just didn't work for me.

I would encourage others to read the reviews of the ebook and print copies, as I suspect it would be a completely different experience.

Thank you CamCat Books and Netgalley for an audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The narration was fine. I didn't love it, but mustered through. In all, it was forgettable.

The relationship between Brennan and Cassie felt off to me, and it was hard to cheer for Cassie at all. The bouncing between the two stories of Brennan dealing with the death of his daughter and Cassie dealing with the death of her mom were meant to bond the two MCs, but instead seemed to draw a chasm between them for me.

Plot wise, the story was fine. It had many predictable elements. I didn't love the paranormal piece. And at the end of the week, I'd forgotten I'd even listened to this story.

Overall: 3 stars

I'll tell my students about: mental health/trauma, murder/gore/violence, cancer, alcohol, language, kidnapping, child danger, drugs, paranormal

**Thank you to NetGalley and CamCat Books for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Well this audio book was different to my usual detective mystery listens a detective story with a supernatural intervention
Took some getting into but not a bad storyline

This was an interesting listen and story but in my opinion the narrator was difficult to listen to. I think the narrator can easily make or break the story. The story was good but it was not for me. I like some supernatural books but this one was just okay for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and ComCat Books for allowing me to listen to an ARC of this audiobook.

NARRATION
While I enjoyed the story, I was distracted by the narrator. His one was very 1940's film noir and was incredibly distracting, almost to the point where I almost DNFed the audiobook.

OVERALL
I tend to avoid paranormal themed books so this one slipped by me because I was intrigued by the title {I'm a hobbyist photographer}.

While not a traditional split time novel, the main story focuses on current day with a subplot focused on past murders. The way the two plots were woven together was done exceptionally well.

The characters were well developed and interesting.

I would recommend avoiding the audiobook and reading this book in a traditional format.

TRIGGER WARNINGS
Domestic Abuse, Sexual Abuse, Cancer, Child Death, Murder, Paranormal

Thank you to the Author, publisher, and NetGalley for the Audiobook version of this book. It did not affect my rating.

I actually met the author at the Festival of Books in the Alleghenies event and purchased this book, along with another, from the author. I actually purchased so many books that I had difficulty carrying them, but that just is just because there were so many amazing authors there. Anyway, the fact that I had previously purchased this book means that I was already interested. I have always said that I can finish a book much faster if I have yhe audiobook as well, because I can listen during my workday, while driving, if my eyes are too tired to read, etc. Onward to the review.

I absolutely adored this book and finished it within a few days I would read the book during my lunch break and then skip ahead to where I stopped once I started back to work after lunch.

Detective Brennan and Cassie were easy to connect with, which made me want to keep reafing. Detective Brennan working through the passing of his daughter, while investigating the death of Cassie's mom is believable in its approach. Cassie mourning the loss of her mom and trying to preoccupied herself by investigating unsolved murders using pictures in a room in her grandfather's home is interesting.

Overall this is definitely a book I am sharing with others when asked for a suggestion.

The "Joe Friday" delivery got a bit monotonous, but the character was decent. I'm not a fan of supernatural and I'm not certain how I got this one to listen to. It was an interesting concept. but largely predictable. Not a page turner. OK, but I wouldn't really recommend it.

"A human spirit can't be jailed but it can be destroyed."

There's a lot to absorb, from vintage photos that speak for the dead to heartless mob bosses to a grieving detective trying to move on from the loss of his young daughter from cancer, in the gothic atmospheric paranormal murder mystery The Photo Thief by intriguing author J.L. Delozier.

Det. Dan Brennan's first case back after bereavement leave is the apparent accidental falling down the stairs death of a socialite. That is until her teenage daughter, Cassie, insists her mother was murdered and she knows this because notorious serial husband killer Ruth told her it was no accident. How did she tell Cassie. Well Ruth talks to Cassie from the old black and white photos her grandfather has hanging up in a locked room of their ghostly mansion.

It sounds wild but how this unique writer puts it all together is quite remarkable and highly entertaining.Voice actor Jeffrey Kafer is perfect casting for the struggling Det. Brennan. He has lost his little girl, his marriage is over, and his job is on the line This narrator felt all these emotions in his performance. Voice actress Rachel L. Jacobs touches your heart with her emphatic Cassie who suffers from mental health issues, loneliness and a need to solve cold case mysteries.

The detective doesn't know if Cassie really can talk to the dead or it's her mind playing tricks...but if she can, then maybe he can have one last conversation with his daughter.

Who killed Cassie's mother? Lots of red herrings and a bit of a crazy reveal. Honestly, it's the relationship and trust between Cassie and the forlorn detective in The Photo Thief that stole my heart.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my best own.

Philadelphia cop Dan Brennan has recently lost his young daughter to cancer when he is called to the death of a Philadelphia socialite. Although the victim died by falling down the stairs, her daughter Cassie insists there was more to it. As he investigates the death, Brennan becomes close to eighteen-year-old Cassie, whose severe epilepsy has kept her isolated from kids her own age. However, she spends a great deal of time on her own in her Pap’s photo room where she finds plenty of company in the spirits of the murdered Philadephians depicted in the vintage photos. One spirit, in particular, compels her to delve into their cold cases and find justice for them. Cassie enlists Brennan’s help, and the two form an unlikely bond as they work to unearth secrets from her family’s complicated past and present.

It's easy to see why The Photo Thief won the 2023 IPPY Award Gold Medal in Mystery and was a finalist for the ITW Thriller Award and the Silver Falchion Award. Delozier has a deft touch when it comes to balancing a mystery, alongside historical and paranormal elements. This book will appeal to readers who love ambiguous paranormal elements that blur the line between the supernatural and everyday life. At the heart of the story, was the relationship between Brennan and Cassie—two individuals struggling with more than their share of loss and finding a way to help each other through it.

Thank you to Netgalley and ComCat Books for allowing me to listen to an ARC of this audiobook.

Fascinating premise involving a worn-out detective, spunky daughter of the murdered woman, and lots of paranormal. Hard to get into at first. Chapters go back and forth between daughter and detective providing interesting counterpoint. In the end, I enjoyed this book.

So that was a weird read but I totally loved it! I also love that Detective Brennan was not going to be pushed into compromising his values and was there for the "crazy" teen when no one else but her very ailing grandpa was. This was my 1st book by J.L. Delozier but will definitely not be my last!

#ThePhotoThief
#NetGalley

The Photo Thief is a dark fantasy, filled with supernatural phenomena. It is the story of murder, mayhem and the disturbing side of human nature.

Detective Dan Brennan has just returned to work to the Philadelphia P.D., following the death of his 5 year old daughter and is assigned to investigate the fatal fall of a wealthy woman.
Her teenage daughter, Cassie, claims her mother was murdered and says she has proof. Her proof is some old photographs hanging in her grandfather’s house she claims have sent her a message. Yeah that is certainly scientific irrefutable proof all right.

Cassie is a likeable character but Dan Brennan needs to clean out his foul mouth. But I can deal. After all, Detective Brennan has troubles of his own, as he is grieving for his daughter, who recently died of Cancer, and whose treatment he questions, feeling very much to blame.

Back to the case, The open-and-shut case is deterred when the victim’s daughter alleges her mother was murdered. Her evidence? Those vintage photographs of past murder victims displayed on the mansion’s walls which she claims speak to her.

Brennan listen to the reclusive teen and investigates her mother’s death and the disturbing secrets hidden in that house. Each vintage photograph is tied to a cold cases with a disturbing similarities.
Soon Brennan us consumed with the family’s long, sordid history, and… it threatens to bury Brennan, when he realizes he has to make a choice: between his career and the chance to hear his daughters voice again.

Kudos to the narrator.

This book took a little getting into.
A detective Dan Brennan who is grieving the loss of his daughter is on the quest to solve the murder of a socialite from a wealthy family. He meets the woman’s daughter who claims she can talk to the dead via photographs. Dan has to decide whether to overlook the death in return for the chance to hear his daughter.s voice again.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC.

Unfortunately I just couldn't get into this and failed to finish it. I wanted to like it and other listeners seem to of enjoyed it but I had it on and it faiked to grab my attention.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #ComcatBooks for the ARC #ThePhotoThief by #JLDelozier. This book was packed with paranormal, secrets, murder and conspiracies. I was sucked into the story and the photos that now I am looking at my photos differently.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for my honest rating and review.

3/5

The saying goes “if these wall could talk…” but this book looks at if the pictures on the walls could talk. When I read the summary I found the concept very intriguing.

The book took a little while for me to really get into. I wasn’t very invested from the start because I couldn’t figure out who was who. Even throughout the book, I still found myself getting confused between characters, especially within the police force. The plot also lulled a bit for me near the middle.

I did enjoy the way I was constantly wondering if there was actually a supernatural element at play or if everything could be explained away by alternate reasoning.

A creepy, twisty premise combining mystery, police work, mental health, and straight up with supernatural suspense. Add to that a deft hand at overcoming grief and navigating tricky relationships and you end up with a winner of a book.

Drawn into a wealthy family’s long, sordid history, a grieving detective faces a choice: overlook a socialite’s death and save his career, or risk it all for the chance to hear his daughter’s voice again.
A gripping detective story with paranormal elements. Detective Dan Brennan is called in to investigate a socialites death only to meet her daughter who claims she can talk to the dead in photographs. This story actually had several stories intertwined and they all came together perfectly. I would be very interested if this had a sequel. The story definitely left room for one.
4.5 stars.

I received this as an audiobook from Netgalley. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It kept me hooked throughout the book. I am a big fan of mystery books, and I liked the ending of this one. 3.5/5 stars

"The Photo Thief" by Brinda Carey is a gripping detective thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Detective Dan Brennan returns to the force after a personal tragedy, and he is assigned to a seemingly straightforward case of a socialite's fatal fall. However, as the investigation unfolds, it takes unexpected and chilling turns.

What sets this novel apart is its unique twist involving the victim's daughter, who has a supernatural ability to communicate with the dead through vintage crime-scene photographs. This eerie and fascinating element adds an intriguing layer to the story that sets it apart from typical crime thrillers.

As Brennan delves into the case, he uncovers a series of cold cases connected to the mansion's history, all hidden in plain sight through these haunting photographs. The plot is skillfully woven, combining the past and present to create a complex and engaging narrative.

"The Photo Thief" is not just a crime thriller; it's a story of redemption, resilience, and the enduring power of love. Detective Brennan's character is masterfully crafted, and his journey is one of grief, healing, and the pursuit of justice. Brinda Carey's writing draws you into his world, making you feel his pain, determination, and ultimately, his triumph.

This novel is a thrilling and emotional rollercoaster that explores the depths of human emotion and the mysteries of the past. "The Photo Thief" is a must-read for fans of suspenseful detective stories with a supernatural twist, and it's bound to keep you guessing until the very end.