Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this audiobook. Good story, as a person who like stories about vampires this transition from human from vampire was not like any I read before. Great world building and character building. This is a story i will also be reading since listening to it.

Coming back from the dead as a vampire, Celeste Crenshaw has resigned herself to her immortal fate. After months of training with the vampire elders, Celeste returns to her job as a detective at Kansas City Police Department. Working the night shift, she uncovers a serial killer and a sex trafficking ring. Hiding her secrets from her partner, she tries to solve the case while raising her adopted daughter, Raina with her gay nanny, Fane. Can Celeste find a way to handle being a vampire, raising a vampire child, and being a police detective?

Narrator, Lisa Larson does a great job of distinguishing the characters and bringing them to life. Her narrative pacing fits well with the novel and complements the author’s writing style. The plot is humorous at times, engaging, and full of twists and turns. The characters are entertaining, engaging, and draw the listener into the story. Readers who like supernatural mysteries will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections.

Please Note: A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. No other compensation was received.

The premise of the story is very interesting, combining multiple elements I enjoy - an immortal heroine, romance and detectives. However, I kept feeling like I was missing something until I realised that this is not the first book in the series. It has me intrigued and I plan on reading the first book first and revisiting this one.

I was only given two chapters to listen to and what I heard was good. I wish I could of heard more so I could of been able to make a better judgment of this authors writing. I give it a three star only due to not having enough to make a better judgment call.

To me, this read was like a souped up vampire edition of if an Avenger joined the police force. This really feels like book 2 of the series. Once I got about 30% into this book, I could not shake this feeling. NetGalley and goodreads don't give any indication of this being apart of a series. I finally was able to confirm that this is indeed book 2, following The Immortal Twin. Not knowing this absolutely shaped my opinions on the book and didn't do the book a positive service. I was mildly confused for some time as I didn't know the backstory. I did find it pretty entertaining in spite of my confusion. There were a few spicy bits. I felt a back and forth pull throughout the book. Some chapters read like a normal human detective story. Others involved every superpower you could imagine a vampire to have along with historical figures.

Do I recommend reading this one? I'm not sure. I haven't read book 1 to know if I would have even picked up book 2.

Audiobook narration was fine. No major pros/cons to mention really.

Thank you NetGalley, D. B. Woodling, and CamCat Books for a copy of this audiobook ARC.

Thank you for your interest in THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE. The story picks up where THE IMMORTAL TWIN, a YA novel, left off. I interspersed a great deal of calculated backstory, which should serve to bring those new to Celeste’s world up to speed:

• Orphaned at the age of four when their parents are killed, following a Kansas City Courthouse bombing, twins Celeste and Nick Crenshaw live a relatively pampered life on the east coast under the watchful eye of adoptive parents, Razvan and Bianca Torok. On the surface, the Toroks are founders of Torok Laboratories, a Fortune 500 company and the source for the blood they must have to survive. Secretly, the couple preside over a vampire coalition known as the Realm, protectors of mortals from the bloodsucking vampires dubbed the Harvesters.
• THE IMMORTAL TWIN opens days prior to Celeste and Nick’s high school graduation. During the post-graduation celebration, rebellious Nick is fatally struck by lightning and Celeste persuades Tristan, the Realm’s unconquerable warrior, to grant her twin immortality. Because this is strictly forbidden, it places both Nick and Tristan in jeopardy and ratchets up the suspense.
• Realizing Nick cannot be trusted, the Toroks fear for Celeste’s safety and instruct Tristan to return her to Kansas City and watch over her. But the Toroks are oblivious to Celeste’s carnal desire for Tristan. (Dalliances between mortals and immortals another pesky forbiddance.) But Yesenia, a first-century vampire—and Tristan’s longtime lover, is acutely aware of Celeste’s infatuation and bides her time with plans to destroy Celeste at first opportunity.
• Soon after arriving in Kansas City, Celeste follows in her biological father’s footsteps and becomes a police officer. Rapidly promoted to Detective, she is tasked with a rash of child abductions and soon realizes the Harvesters are responsible, their intent to use the children as perpetual blood donors. She enlists the Realm’s assistance and together they destroy the faction and save the children to include a five-year-old vampire—Raina—whom Celeste ultimately adopts.
• The novel closes with Bianca arriving too late to stave off Yesenia’s attack and Celeste grappling with the painful transition from mortal to vampire while Bianca, Tristan, and Raina hover helplessly by.

Publishers Weekly described the worldbuilding in THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE as “impressive.” Although intimidating at times, I enjoyed creating Celeste’s adventures within the Hollow Earth. History buffs familiar with Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s insistence that he experienced the alternate dimension (“the mysterious land beyond the poles”) will recognize a few of his claims and undoubtedly appreciate the inclusion of historical figures Leonardo da Vinci, Nostradamus, Socrates, and Elizabeth I. Regarding the characters, one reviewer stated, “It can be difficult to make supporting characters as multifaceted as the main character, and I truly appreciate what Woodling was able to accomplish.” I can’t imagine a finer compliment.

The detective portion of the novel wasn’t without its own challenges. Making sure all the dots connected by the book’s end kept me up at night. I love a mystery with many slippery twists and turns, an ending I don’t see coming, so it’s no surprise those are the types of detective novels I most enjoy writing.

Admittedly, I prefer text versions, especially when reading more complex novels. Which is the primary reason I’ve only listened to a handful of audiobooks. As the author, this experience was surreal and, as you can imagine, I sometimes struggled with objectivity. Tasked with impersonating such a wide range of distinct and dynamic characters, while accentuating the supernatural vibe, Lisa certainly had her work cut out for her. Overall, I feel she did an incredible job, particularly with her imitation of Celeste, her mother Bianca, Queen Elizabeth, and the brash and insolent Mamie Martin. (I had a great time creating that one!)

On behalf of myself and Lisa Larsen, thank you for taking the time to listen to THE IMMORTAL DETECTIVE. And please be sure to connect with me on Twitter (X), BookBub, Facebook, and Instagram, or via my website www.dbwoodling.com for the latest work in progress, giveaways, contests, and more.

After Detective Celeste Crenshaw faces death and wakes up immortal, she reluctantly makes a promise to the Elders to grant immortality.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and would recommend it.

This is a very different book than I’ve read before, I honestly quite enjoyed the fantasy but crime parts, it was really interesting

At first I was very lost in what was happening. I even looked up the book to see if I started in the middle of a series. Sadly I did not. So there are things going on that have no explanation to them. There are two things going on and it didn’t mash up well in my opinion. Love and being a vampire and detective trying to solve a case. Separately. They would be great but together there are a lot of holes in the story about the vampire side.

This is a great cop drama with a twist! Our lead detective is not only female, smart, tough, but she's also now a vampire in training! An interesting twist to the usual detective drama! The plot is extremely well woven to create a murder mystery that needs to be solved, but also a fight between good and evil being fought by the vampire leaders. An engaging story with multiple layers and multiple plots. The characters were extremely well written and brought to life very well by the narrator of the audio book. I have to say the book was good, but the audio made it great by giving each character an individual voice. I can't wait to listen to more of this series!

I read almost 60% of the book and I just could not finish. I didn't feel involved in the story whatsoever and I was dreading just thinking about having to finish the book to review it.

I listened to the audiobook on the NetGalley app and it was a terrible all together experience. The app is honestly horrible. It kept randomly stopping and even when I closed the app and opened it again, it just wouldn't play. Considering I listen to books while driving, this was not a pleasant experience. The app would also constantly lose my progress and I would be left to figuring out where was I the last time I listened to the book. Of course I understand this has nothing to to with the book but I wanted to point it out as it could be a small reason why I didn't enjoy the book that has nothing to do with the writing or plot itself.

Lastly, the narrator did attempt to make different voices and accents and succeeded with some. However, voices sounded the same to me.

I just couldn’t get into it. I restarted it a few times and got a little further each time but it just wasn’t it for me. It felts confusing and all over the place. Having gone back through others reviews and seeing there was a prequel, that would have been good to know. I wish that was made clear anywhere. The premise seemed interesting but just took too long to get there.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was just not for me.

Thank you NetGalley & publisher for the arc.

I did not really enjoy the bookk and I did not finish it. I prefer to not post bad reviews if that is okay. I don’t want a negative review to effect the author badly in any way the book just wasn't f0r me.

"The Immortal Detective" by D. B. Woodling, narrated by Lisa Larsen, presents an intriguing premise with Detective Celeste Crenshaw grappling with newfound immortality after facing death. Woodling re-introduces readers to a world where mortality meets the supernatural, with the promise of an engaging fantasy adventure.

Lisa Larsen's narration adds depth to the characters and helps immerse listeners in the fantastical elements of the story. Her performance brings Celeste's journey to life with clarity and emotion, enhancing the overall listening experience.

However, while the concept of an immortal detective navigating mortal foes is intriguing, the execution feels trite and pandering in my opinion. The pacing feels a bit choppy, switching between her time learning "how to be immortal" with her "legendary historical figures" as teachers, pulling unbelievable names from history into this world. Additionally, some plot points may feel predictable or lacking in originality, diminishing the impact of the story's twists and turns. This is very much a sequel where the reader lands straight into the last scene of the previous novel and offers the bare minimum for bring the reader up to speed with the fantastical world they've been dropped into. The reader can piece it all together, but it can feel a bit disorienting at first.

Despite these shortcomings, "The Immortal Detective" offers moments of entertainment and imagination. Woodling demonstrates potential as a storyteller, and Larsen's narration elevates the audiobook with her engaging delivery.

Overall, "The Immortal Detective" earns a three-star rating for its effort in blending fantasy and detective genres. While it may not fully realize its potential, it still provides a satisfactory escape for fans of supernatural mysteries.

Thanks to CamCat Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for the advanced audiobook copy to review via NetGalley.

Nice Story line
cool plot.
love the vibe and setting
Got removed before I could finish the ending but the whole vibe of the book is pretty good.
Definitely recommend it.

The Immortal Detective by D.B. Woodling is an intriguing mix of paranormal fantasy and kind of police procedural. Celeste is a newly created vampire. She was changed to save her life but she is not very appreciative considering she never wanted to be a vampire. She was understandably angry but she had good mentors and her family to help her transition from human to the undead. One thing I really liked about the book was the vampire back stories of real life historical figures. I always enjoy creative takes on famous people in history.
The story was fast paced. There were not a lot of over descriptive long winded writing, which I liked, but I kind of feel like some of Celeste’s police cases were wrapped up too quickly. This is a good book with a lot of interesting characters. If being changed into a vampire wasn’t big enough, Celeste experiences huge changes at the end of the book and I wonder what will happen in the next book in the series.
Lisa Larsen, the narrator did a great job. I enjoyed the accents, accents can be hard and this narrator handled them well.

Thank you to the author D.B. Woodling , the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Immortality is not what Celeste thought that she was going to have to deal with but decides that it might not be a bad idea especially since the powers that come along with her being a vampire will also help with her life as a detective.

I loved the idea that she was mentored by the likes of Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Nostradamus but the story fell a little short for me. The powers that she received because of being a vampire helped Celeste to work on her cases but I did miss out on the wow factor that I was looking for. There were quite a few amusing moments because of the banter especially between Celeste and her nanny but this was just okay for me overall


I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved this audiobook. The story, the reader (Lisa Larsen) has an amazingly captivating story telling voice and perfectly captures each characters individuality. A very good voice actress.
The story is alluring, fun, adventurous, and magical. The story sucked me in from the beginning to the end. Very exciting.
The story had a decent flow, but did seem overly wordy at times, but generally was pretty good. Each character stands out with their own personality and seem to be pretty well rounded, making them feel more real.
I think this author may become a new favorite.

Really enjoyed this audiobook. The story is a unique vampire tale with a well developed plot outside of vampires. The narrator was great!