I Dnf'd this at around 50%. I was quite enjoying it at first but it started to lag a bit, and I wasn’t too bothered about finishing it.

Well, well, well - Jeremy Vine is good at this.
So often I have been disappointed by television personalities jumping on the novel writing bandwagon but it was pleasing to discover Vine is a competent writer.
Edward is already reeling from grief when he losses his job as a radio host. In the midst of this he discovers that one of his elderly radio fans, Rebecca , has passed away in a house fire.
Helped by his friend Kim and Rebecca's granddaughter Stevie, he find himself investigating the mysterious circumstances around the death.
Vine's craftmanship is good in a number of ways:
. The characters are very wall drawn. Rather than just telling us who they are, the author shows us
through their actions and interactions.
. The relationships between the characters is endearing and realistic.
. There are some very funny moments which balances the quite bleak underlying circumstances.
. The mystery itself is quite well executed. It is as plausible as the mysteries in this genre ever are.
A couple of minor criticisms:
. Vine likes a tired simile and metaphor. Particularly irksome is the torrent of them at the beginning of the book .
. The description of one minor character is like something out of a romance novel. I hope this was tongue in cheek.
. The book has all that is required of a cozy mystery. however vine also investigates some very heavy themes, most notably grief. I quite liked this but I fear that many readers are looking for one style or the other.
The audio was a bit slow and drawling. I solved this by playing it at 1.5 which improved the pace.

A book for anyone who wants a character driven cozy mystery with hidden depths.

I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own

This book wasn’t for me and I found it hard to follow! It may have been that I just didn’t enjoy the narration of it but I had to try hard not to DNF. It just felt long and dragged out. And has information in there that just seemed unnecessary.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this novel initially. But I was surprised and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy

Unfortunately I couldn't love this one and I think the narration may have played a big part. It felt disjointed and read in a rhythm which I personally wouldn't naturally fall into. Either that or I have fallen into the trap of reading celebrity novels once again!

The initial chapter had me instantly gripped and I had such high hopes. I think had I read this in a written format I may have enjoyed it more as the story itself was not bad and if you like amateur sleuth/whodunnits you may well find this a good book - it just wasn't the book for me.

I was not expecting to enjoy this- another well known radio presenter writes a novel but I have to admit its good. Set in Sidmouth, Jeremy Vine writes about what he knows (a radio DJ, Edward Temmis) but the story is well crafted and multi-dimensional. He covers many topics but does it in an engaging way. Temmis loses his job and get dragged into a situation with Stevie (great character) whose grandmother has died in a house fire. With further investigation, he begins to unravel a web of deceit and subterfuge. What could have been a boring predictable tale, ends up being a clever plot with originality.

This is the first book in what will be a murder mystery series. The audiobook is narrated by Jeremy Vine. The advantage of an author reading their own work is that it is delivered as it was intended. The disadvantage of the narrator having such a familiar voice is that you associate the voice with other things. I am so used to listening to Jeremy on the radio or the television that I was always expecting him to cut to a guest or a listener!

The book starts slow and a lot of time is spent setting the scene and introducing the characters. As this is going to be series I appreciate that this groundwork needs to be done and will mean that the next book can jump straight into the action.

In terms of the mystery itself, once it got going it set off at pace. There was one twist that I did not see coming. I liked the inclusion of ‘romance fraud’ a very topical issue and one that needs to be featured more. There were some very sad parts to the story but they were often followed by humour to ensure they didn’t become too overwhelming. The overall feeling at the end was one of hope and new found friendships.

This was an enjoyable story that held my attention until the end. The characters were unique and well-developed, and there were many funny and tense moments in equal measure. The revelation of who killed Edward's son came as a complete surprise to me, but the person responsible for the death of Stevie's grandmother was incredibly obvious from page one, which detracted a lot of my interest from the story.

An entertaining tale, with some great moments of hilarity. A decent mystery at its core, that perhaps just took a little too long to manifest itself within the story.

I did find having Jeremy Vine narrating it himself however a little distracting, and I needed to keep reminding myself I was listening to his book, not his radio show.

Murder on Line One by Jeremy Vine is a gripping mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. This novel dives into the world of live radio, where a seemingly ordinary day takes a dark turn when a caller confesses to a murder on air. What follows is a thrilling chase to uncover the truth, filled with twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.
The protagonist, a radio host named Matt, finds himself thrust into the role of amateur detective as he navigates the complexities of the case. Vine's background in broadcasting shines through, adding an authentic touch to the high-stakes world of live radio. The tension is palpable, and the pacing is spot-on, making it hard to put the book down.
One of the standout elements of Murder on Line One is its exploration of the power and responsibility of the media. The story delves into how information is disseminated and the impact it can have on people's lives. This adds a thought-provoking layer to the narrative, making it more than just a standard thriller.
If you're a fan of mysteries with a unique twist and enjoy stories that keep you on your toes, Murder on Line One is definitely worth a read. It's a compelling blend of suspense, intrigue, and social commentary that will leave you thinking long after you've turned the last page.

🎧 ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

I enjoyed the premise of this story and loved the many characters and their relationships throughout the book, especially Edward.

A cosy mystery with some emotive subjects involving the elderly community and their online commications with potential scammers. These were expressed intelligently and with empathy.

I did enjoy the audio, however felt it lacked a little emotion from some of the characters in places but overall
I enjoyed the story so I intend to read the book too for a different experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my Audio ARC.

I wasn't sure about Murder on Line One at first-it starts off slow, and it took me a bit to get into it.
But I'm really glad I stuck with it, because the second half totally pulled me in.

Edward Temmis is a fallen-from-grace radio presenter, now grieving and disconnected after the tragic death of his son. Enter Stevie, whose grandmother was a longtime fan of Temmis. When her gran dies in a suspicious fire, Stevie senses something isn't right-and turns to Temmis for help.
From there, the story really picks up. There's a lot going on (no spoilers!, and the mystery kept getting more layered and intriguing. The way it all comes together in the end made the slow start worth it.

If you like character-driven mysteries with a bit of a slow burn and a payoff at the end, this one's worth checking out.

I waas curious about this audiobook. I couldn't get into the first chapter, and found there was some repitition. I decided to continue with it, but the pace was too slow. I was initially pleased that Jeremy Vine himself was narrating it, as it usually makes an audiobook special to me if it's narrated by the author. I found the narration was monotoned and didn't add anything to the story or characters.

3 stars

Thanks to Jeremy Vine and publisher for my audiobook in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Murder on Line One is a cozy mystery written by and narrated by Jeremy Vine. It revolved around a late night radio host and his past and a murder. It was a "very slow" burn audiobook, quite repetitive in places and i found that i kept getting lost as it appeared to me it was disjointed in places. I found it was difficult to connect to the story and characters. The audio just wasn't for me but I would try the book to read in future. It is worth listening to if you enjoy cozy mysteries.

Darkness comes to sunny Sidmouth, when, unable to cope after a devastating tragedy, late night radio talk show host Edward Temmis is let go from his beloved job. Cast adrift, his outlook is bleak – until he meets Stevie, whose grandmother, a devoted listener, died in a suspicious fire last year. Well, nobody hurts his listeners and helping Stevie might just give him the purpose he needs. When their investigation stalls, they enlist local estate agent Kim, with whom Edward had a doomed fling last year. Working together, they discover Stevie’s grandmother wasn’t the only one of his listeners targeted.
This was a case of half listening to the audio book & half reading & I much preferred listening as the narrator brought life to the book. A slow start to the book & I think if I’d just been reading I would have given up but the narrator saved it for me. I think this book shows that there isn’t a book in all celebrities
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Murder on Line One by Jeremy Vine and narrated by himself, was a "very slow" burn audiobook. I was looking forward in listening to this audiobook especially as I love Jeremy Vine's radio and TV shows etc which is he famous for. However, I could not get into it, I found it disjointed and I could not connect with the main characters and the story! Jeremy was monotoned and the story was boring. . . . There was nothing that drew me into the story. Shame though as I was looking forward to his book/audiobook.

I was confused what this book was gene was meant to be!: was it a romance? a cosy mystery, or a thriller.
All these different styles of writing within this book, do not work well together, particularly the romance parts they were dire, which could have fitted well into this story, should of rounded this book up!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio | HarperCollins for my ARC's

I had seen this book advertised and thought it looked intriguing. I didn’t know Jeremy Vine wrote fiction and I believe this is his first crime fiction novel. I chose the audiobook which is publishing on 24th April. Thanks to Harper Collins UK Audio and NetGalley for my copy.

Edward Temmis is grieving the sudden death of his young son and has been off work from his radio presenter job for almost a year. He ends up being replaced by another host and feels a bit lost. He’s contacted by Stevie whose granny died in suspicious circumstances and she was a regular listener to Edward’s show and often wrote in. Edward then discovers that she’s not the only listener who has been targeted, and he makes it his mission to find out who has been manipulating and scamming his mostly elderly listeners.

This was an engaging enough read and I warmed to Edward. Unfortunately I hadn’t checked the narration and the story is narrated by Jeremy Vine so if his voice annoys you then I wouldn’t listen to the audiobook! I wonder if it would have been better narrated by someone else as at times it was almost distracting.

The chapters are quite short and I wanted to find out what was going to happen. From early on in the story I had an idea of who the suspect was and I was disappointed to be proved right and I think it was a bit obvious. I quite liked the idea behind the plot and wondered how many of the listeners in the story were based on listeners to Jeremy’s radio show. I did find the plot got more far fetched as it went on and was a bit ridiculous overall.

Nonetheless, I didn’t mind this book and I liked the characters and idea behind the plot.

What if your favourite late-night radio host became your only hope for justice?

Welcome to Sidmouth, a sleepy Devon town where the sea is calm, but something sinister is crackling through the airwaves.

Edward Temmis was once a beloved voice on local late night radio. But after a devastating personal tragedy, he’s abruptly taken off the air and left adrift. Until Stevie enters his life. Her grandmother, a devoted listener of Edward’s show, died in a fire last year. Officially an accident. But something doesn’t add up…

Someone is targeting Edward’s ageing audience. And now, the killer’s got unfinished business.

Together with Stevie and Kim, a local estate agent and Edward’s ex-flame, the unlikely trio start digging. But the deeper they go, the stranger things get. Twisted motives. Buried secrets. A trail that leads back to the very people who once listened to Edward’s every word.

A cosy crime with heart, humour, and a dark undercurrent, Murder on Line One is the first in a brand new murder mystery from Radio 2 broadcaster and author @thejeremyvine

Perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Janice Hallett, and Elly Griffiths.

Murder on Line One is out now on Hardback, ebook, and audiobook (brilliantly narrated by Jeremy Vine himself!)

Jeremy Vine isn't well known in New Zealand, but his name was familiar enough to me that I requested this one from Netgalley to add to my "mysteries written by British celebs" collection. I'm glad I did. The premise is an all-too-common one, where folk (mostly elderly) are being conned out of their life savings, and the characters were interesting and well constructed. I picked the scamming culprit really early on, which took a bit of a shone off the denouement, but I didn't guess who was driving the car. Overall, I really enjoyed it and would read something by this author again. Bonus point, also, for giving a shout-out to the late, great Kenny Everett.

***Disclaimer: This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

This audio wasn’t for me. It was quite repetitive in places which I found annoying. The story just didn’t seem realistic to me . It was worth listening to but definately not for me

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher