This book wasn’t for me! I really appreciate the chance to try it out, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish it!

Set it Canada!!!

Ok so as soon as I saw this was set in Canada, and the capital no less, I had to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, although it was good, it was lacking in some departments.

You see, the main character Dr. Cate Spencer isn't having the easiest time. She lost her brother, her father isn't the greatest, neither is her ex husband and there's some substance use going on. Let's just say the combination of all this rubbed me the wrong way. Anyways Cate is now a coroner who was called to a suicide scene, however she doesn't think its actually a suicide but rather there might be more going on. Unfortunately no one believes her and she makes it her mission to find out what actually happened to the young women. "Speak of the Dead" was a good mystery it just missed the mark with me. I just didn't like how Cate reacted to certain situations (a lot of situations).

Thank You to Amy Tector and Dreamscape Media, for the audio-digital ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Another crime set in the Dominican Archives. This story started off very exciting, I couldn't wait to find out what happened. It did start dragging a little after a bit. I still enjoyed it, just not as much as I had hoped.

This one was pretty cool for me. I grew up in Ottawa to hearing references to locations was awesome (Elgin, the Glebe, Rockcliffe, etc). The story itself was good and it definitely had me questioning the majority of the characters.

A coroner is called to the scene of an alleged suicide. The body is located inside a vault at the Dominion Archives' nitrate film storage facility, which is kept separate from the other archives. The officers on scene believe it's a suicide but the coroner doesn't think everything adds up. The police officers seem quick to deem it a suicide and move on to bigger cases but Cate Spencer doesn't agree - how can she prove it wasn't a suicide without the police force on her side? Who would be out to kill someone who works for the archives? What makes things worse is Cate's personal life - her brother recently died in a horrific plane crash in the Congo and she drowns her sorrows in scotch. This murder mystery brings forth Indigenous protests, military secrets and some family drama.

The narrator took some getting used to but I think they did a good job.

This was a great audio book and I'd love to hear more from this author.

Dr. Cate Spencer is dealing with a lot. Her brother has recently passed away. She has a contentious relationship with her father, and she's abusing substances. These issues are exacerbated when she asked to determine the cause of death for a young lady, that the police want her to rule a suicide. The problem is Cate doesn't believe the death is a suicide and gets involved in an investigation to determine exactly what happened to the victim.

I enjoyed this novel but did not enjoy the audiobook narration. The story starts slow but picks up have way through and the twist was well executed. I would recommend the book.

🎧Speak for the Dead 🎧
by Amy Tector
Narrated by Senn Annis
Rating: 3.5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this Audiobook.

It’s a stormy summer day when Ottawa coroner Dr. Cate Spencer is called to the scene of an alleged suicide. Inside a narrow vault in the Dominion Archives’ nitrate film storage facility—kept separate from the rest of the collection due to its dangerous combustibility—officers pressure her to rule the death a suicide. When parts of the scene don’t add up and a deliberately set spark threatens her life, she suspects that this death might be a murder.

Speak for the Dead: A Dominion Archives Mystery (The Dominion Archives Mysteries Book 2) but I still think you can read this as a standalone.

I was so engrossed in this story right from the beginning. It started off so strong but unfortunately after some few hours in, it started dragging on.
Some parts were a bit confusing since there was a lot going on.

I liked the MC Cate, as much as she was smart, she was not without flaws and that makes her so relatable and likeable.

The story was still quite enjoyable as I was eager to find out if Molly's death was a suicide, and if not who did it.
The ending was good

Speak for the dead is an intriguing novel about a medical doctor turned coroner. The mystery had me on my toes & second guessing everybody. Great plot & thrilling twist and turns!

Dr. Cate Spencer is a coroner called to the scene of an apparent suicide at a nitrate film storage facility. It seems open and shut. That is until Cate starts speaking with a close friend of the deceased. Could this actually be murder made to look like suicide?

This story started off strong and had me very interested from the beginning. After a while though, it kind of felt like it was dragging on. The ending did take me by surprise, but it didn’t exactly blow me away. There was just something about it that didn’t do it for me.

Overall, it still was a good story, and there were parts that really did make me feel some emotions. But it just didn’t hit the nail on the head for me unfortunately.

I was really excited to read the 2nd book in the Dominion Archives Mystery series by Amy Tector. I really liked the 1st one and I was looking forward to meeting the characters again. However, the main character is not the same and it really took me off guard. I just could not get into it this time around. For some reason it confused me so I was not able to finish it. I really liked the 1st book though.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for accepting my request to audibly read and review Speak for the Dead.

Narrated by Senn Annis
Published: 03/14/23

A miss for me. This is the second in a series, and I won't be reading the first, or subsequent books that follow.

The crooked state officials has been done. The University educated coroner verses street educated cops demanding a suicide death ruling from her. Really?

Reading/listening was exhausting and insulting. I like smart books.

FYI: I lost my notes, and cannot say with 100% accuracy if there was or wasn't profanity.

I started listening to this but did not really get into it - the narration nor the story grabbed my attention and it was archived before I could really attach myself to the narrative. So this is a DNF for me unfortunately.

Dr. Cate Spencer is truly struggling with anguish over her brother’s recent death. As a result she is revisiting her unhappy childhood, as well as having difficulty maintaining her professionalism and compassion for the families of her victims. as a coroner she is responsible for determining the cause of death of her victims, and sharing this with their families. This apparent suicide is giving her pause, she cannot seem to accept the simplistic answer to this investigation
Through research, error and several personal mistakes Cate bumbles her way through this investigation. Her ex-husband and a new interest complicate matters greatly. At times I rolled my eyes at the choices that Cate made - wanted to shake her an tell her that she knew better. That tells me how very invested I was in this character and investigation. Love when the characters become my friends!
Tector has done a great job of confusing our heroine, and in turn ourselves. The twists and turns were constant. Not all were totally beliveable, but there was enough to have you question who did it. Then end result - BLEW ME AWAY! This one, however, was totally believable. I love when a mystery takes a completely unexpected trun, but the ends are tied together so you question why you never guessed it!
Unfortunately the narrating job was disappointing for me. I felt that a more emotional, less monotone, reading would definitely increase the suspense and drama that is written into this story. This brings the rating down to three stars, the narrator is so important.

Listened to the book through the NetGalley app. The narrator's voice did not impress me, very monotone. There was a lot going on in the story and sometimes I found it repetitive. I did not realize the book was the second one in the series, but did not feel lost in the story. I'm not sure Cate's struggle with alcohol and smoking added any merit to the story other than making it longer.

I didn't read the previous book, which may have helped understand the protagonist a bit more, but I enjoyed listening to this one as I drifted off to sleep. I've discovered some kind of page turner works best as my audio listen for the night, and I've been enjoying what NetGalley has to offer.

What I loved most about this book was the setting--historical archives. Anything related to university studies or the archive immediately has my attention.

What I didn't love was the protagonist's struggle with alcohol and smoking--the continued battles she fought and bad judgement she had because of those behaviors. It made me uncomfortable, and I'm not sure it added what it needed to add to the character, who is already troubled with a recent loss.

Thanks #netgalley for this book in exchange for a honest review. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration. I enjoyed the storyline and main character. Highly recommend.

I did not find this book engaging. Overall, "fine", but not my cup of tea. Thank you for allowing me the chance to review this ALC.

This is my first book from Amy Tector.
It pains me to say that I did not like the book not the narration and I hate leaving low reviews as I can only imagine the amount of hours dedicated to write and narrate any book.
I did not like the main character Dr. Cate Spencer at all which is a problem for me.
The actions are also unrealistic and honestly this type of unprofessional behaviour would not be tolerated in the UK. I would like to think that a dysfunctional doctor suffering from drinking, smoking and insomnia would seek self help before attempting helping others in the medical department even though her patients are deceased.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

There was a lot going on in this novel and was a little difficult to follow at points, but overall it was a decent thriller. I enjoyed Cate’s tenacity and wanted to see her succeed and solve the mystery of Molly’s death.

"We speak for the dead to protect the living."

Speak For The Dead by murder mystery thriller author Amy Rector is book 2 in the Dominican Archives Mystery series and a standalone with emphasis on different characters than the first.

Dr. Cate Spencer is asked to step in to verify a suicide death at the Dominican Archives but what she finds and the demands of the victim's best friend lead her to conclude that this is an attempt to "mask a murder by suicide."

As Cate is thwarted in her investigation by her bosses and colleagues she is slowly unraveling under the pressure of grieving for her dead brother, her father's advanced dementia, and a losing battle with her drinking, smoking and insomnia. Once again, narrator Senn Annis brings an uncanny vulnerability to a flawed character. Though flawed it doesn't mean she is wrong. She will speak the truth, her truth, for the dead.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via #NetGalley for fair and honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Speak for the Dead was my first Amy Tector book, despite being the second in the Dominion Archives Mysteries. Dr. Cate Spencer is a very flawed coroner that is called to the scene of a supposed suicide at a nitrate facility. As she further investigates the scene and begins looking into the case, she discovers a convoluted conspiracy.

I did not like this book or the narration at all. The narration was rather flat, which other reviewers have mentioned, and I severely disliked Cate. I’m not sure if I had read the first book in the series if I would have liked Cate and been more invested in this book. Cate is just horrible. She is an emotionally unstable alcoholic, that according to people in the books is a hero and good person (?), which I do not see at all. She is so dysfunctional and just not likable.

I’m not sure if things are different in Canada versus in the US, but Cate would never be investigating a death in the US. The entire plot just seemed over the top and unrealistic. That said, the mystery and how it ended was alright.

Overall, this book was just not for me. If you can get past some of the things that I mentioned above then you will probably appreciate this mystery. Reading the other reviews, I am in the minority of disliking it so much.