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The Scent of Rain and Lightning: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 9,217 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
One beautiful summer afternoon, Jody Linder, a young English teacher, is unnerved to see her three uncles parking their pickups in front of her parents’ house—or what she calls her parents’ house, even though they have been gone almost all of Jody’s life. The three bring shocking news: the man convicted of murdering Jody’s father is being released from prison and returning to the small town of Rose, Kansas.
It has been twenty-six years since that stormy night when Jody’s father was shot and killed and her mother disappeared, presumed dead. Neither the protective embrace of Jody’s uncles nor the safe haven of her grandparents’ ranch could erase the pain caused by Billy Crosby that night. Now Billy has been granted a new trial, thanks in large part to the efforts of his son, Collin, a lawyer who has spent most of his life trying to prove his father’s innocence.
Jody knows that sooner or later she’ll come face-to-face with the man who she believes destroyed her family. But what she doesn’t expect are the heated exchanges with Collin. Having grown up practically side by side in this very small town, Jody and Collin have a long history of carefully avoiding each other’s eyes. Now Jody discovers that underneath their antagonism is a shared sense of loss that no one else could possibly understand. As she revisits old wounds, startling revelations compel her to uncover the dangerous truth about her family’s tragic past.
Engrossing, lyrical, and suspenseful, The Scent of Rain and Lightning captures the essence of small-town America—its heartfelt intimacy and its darkest secrets—where through struggle and hardship people still dare to hope for a better future. For Jody Linder, maybe even love.
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"I can't say enough good things about this book. I stayed up all night reading it and I am paying for it dearly today but it was worth it. I just could not put the book down all the characters in the book were equally entertaining. I was very surprised with the ending. This book keeps you wanting to know more. I would highly recommend this book if you want drama and mystery !!! I will definately be reading more of Nancy Pickard in the future."
— Dana (5 out of 5 stars)
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“A terrific book: charming, well-written and insightful. I enjoyed every minute of it.”
— Joy Fielding, New York Times bestselling author -
“Highlighting the ripple effect of people’s actions, The Scent of Rain and Lightning is an in-depth tale of unraveling lies and deceit in perfect Pickard fashion.”
— Suspense Magazine -
“With exquisite sensitivity, Edgar-finalist Pickard probes a smoldering cold case.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Pickard’s superb storytelling transports the reader into the characters’ world, making all too real their dilemmas, their choices, and their willingness to believe the unlikely. Highly recommended.”
— Library Journal (starred review) -
“A decades-old mystery is solved and a woman’s haunting questions put to rest in Pickard’s latest thriller…Pickard shows her storytelling skills, weaving elements of deception, revenge, and romance into a novel with full-bodied characters who deal with tragedy as best they can; Annabelle Linder’s encounter with Crosby’s wife is particularly moving. From an award-winning author, this is engrossing fiction with an eminently satisfying denouement.”
— Booklist (starred book review) -
“Tavia Gilbert demonstrates remarkable range in her narration of Pickard’s spine-tingling thriller…Gilbert’s performance as convicted murderer—and town pariah—Billy Crosby crackles with pentup rage…[this production] demonstrates Gilbert’s remarkable ability to heighten the suspense through vocal nuances and pacing. Gilbert also delivers an especially winning turn in her portrayal of Jody as a little girl too young to understand the sordid events around her. An edge-of-your seat listen.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred audio review) -
“It might have been tempting to make all the characters sound alike (since all of the action takes place in rural Rose, Kansas), but Gilbert voices the richly drawn characters in distinct fashion…Rose, Kansas, simmers with secrets, and as the plot unfolds, listeners gradually learn the truth and the fatal consequences in this memorable story.”
— Booklist (starred audio review)
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A Booklist Top 10 of 2010: Crime Fiction in Audio
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A 2010 Agatha Award Nominee for Best Novel
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An Indie Next Notable Title, April 2010
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A Barnes & Noble Recommends Selection
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A 2011 Macavity Award Nominee for Best Mystery Novel
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A Booklist Editors’ Choice, October 2010
The Scent of Rain and Lightning Listener Reviews
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" Overall, I liked this book and enjoyed the suspense of reading it. I must admit that the entire plotline is pretty cheesy and reminded me a bit of a Lifetime movie--but hey, I like some Lifetime movies. The writing was strong, although a little overdescriptive at times. The twist near the end surprised me without being totally unbelievable, so Pickard did a good job of setting that up. Being from Missouri, I loved the small town and farm in Kansas setting (reminded me of home). Not an amazing book, but still a good read. "
— Amy, 2/15/2014 -
" This was pretty good. The author lives in Merriam KS and writes about a small KS town where a double murder takes place. "
— Mary, 2/13/2014 -
" I really liked this book. Murder in a small town - characters were very likeable and the ending was very satisfactory. I had a hard time putting it down. "
— Mary, 2/10/2014 -
" I really enjoyed this one. Kept me interested until the very end. Well written. Engaging story. Would recommend. "
— Stacey, 2/8/2014 -
" Enjoyed this murder mystery. Good vacation read "
— Rosemary, 2/4/2014 -
" Good quick read..... "
— Lynn, 1/24/2014 -
" Liked the characters, the plot and the setting in a small town in Kansas. As I spent many childhood summers in a small town in South Dakota, I could really relate. "
— Shirley, 1/20/2014 -
" Good contemporary murder-mystery thriller set in western Kansas. The storytelling was compelling, without any major violence or anything really disturbing, so that was nice. "
— Lauri, 1/8/2014 -
" very sad story. Well written. "
— Heather, 12/14/2013 -
" Good mystery and quick read. "
— Emily, 10/11/2013 -
" It was a decent book - don't know that I'd recommend to anyone, but I didn't dislike it. I'm glad it ended the way it did, I believe it added value to know what really happened. "
— Christine, 10/9/2013 -
" Not nearly as good as her first novel, just okay. "
— Laura, 8/3/2013 -
" fast read but gets really predictable in the end. "
— Anne, 7/23/2013 -
" not my usual type of book wasn't really expecting much but ended up liking it more than i thought i would . Happy ending too which always is a nice thing. "
— Christina, 5/28/2013 -
" A great read! Nancy Pickard kept my guessing until the end! Loved the way she developed the characters. "
— Macy, 1/10/2013 -
" It was a page-turner. Crime novels are too suspenseful for me. They are kind of fun though. "
— Jenna, 11/25/2012 -
" Stayed up too late last night finishing this book and was pleasantly surprised by twists and turns right up until the very end. "
— Christine, 9/26/2011 -
" I purloined Monica's library book when she was in town this weekend. Kind of a mystery, this one held my interest until the end (quick read) where I felt like it kind of fell apart. "
— Jennifer, 5/23/2011 -
" A very interesting situation with a convicted killer released and the daughter of his victim living in the same small town. Interesting characters and very well-written. "
— Chris, 5/22/2011 -
" I really enjoyed most of this book -- the characters were really well developed and the story was interesting but it all fell apart in the last few chapters. it felt like the ending of the book was just thrown together. It just didn't make sense. "
— Nancy, 5/21/2011 -
" I just really enjoyed it! "
— marci, 5/19/2011 -
" Enjoyed this book. Told in a series of flashbacks. A murder takes place in the 80's. The man convicted and sent to prison is released in the present still protesting his innocence. Didn't see the ending that unfolds. "
— Jan, 5/16/2011 -
" A wonderful read... I am officially a Nancy Pickard fan! "
— Joshua, 5/12/2011 -
" This was an awesome book!!! So good, it kept me guessing! What a great close nit family and I loved the ending. "
— Samantha, 5/10/2011 -
" I didn't feel well prepared for the ending, but this book is a good read. "
— Mary, 5/9/2011 -
" This story really fell flat for me. It read like a mediocre romance novel. "
— Jennifer, 5/8/2011 -
" A mystery as a mystery should be - only with Kansas storms, grandmas and uncles. Just like I like it. Cheers to our author from the great state: a master of her craft. "
— Emily, 5/7/2011 -
" Another fabulous read by Nancy Pickard! "
— Hawley, 5/7/2011 -
" Good read with a shocking ending. "
— Sarah, 5/6/2011 -
" Hard book to put down once you get started. Likable characters and intriguing mystery. Nothing life changing here but a good, quick read. "
— Shannon, 5/2/2011
About Nancy Pickard
Nancy Pickard is a four-time Edgar Award nominee, most recently for The Virgin of Small Plains. Hailed by mainstream critics, the novel was also honored by the State Library of Kansas to be the “Kansas Reads” book for 2009. She is the winner of the Anthony Award, Macavity Award, Agatha Award, Barry Award, and Shamus Award. She has been a national board member of the Mystery Writers of America and president of Sisters in Crime. She lives in Merriam, Kansas.
About Tavia Gilbert
Tavia Gilbert is an acclaimed narrator of more than four hundred full-cast and multivoice audiobooks for virtually every publisher in the industry. Named the 2018 Voice of Choice by Booklist magazine, she is also winner of the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. She has earned numerous Earphones Awards, a Voice Arts Award, and a Listen-Up Award. Audible.com has named her a Genre-Defining Narrator: Master of Memoir. In addition to voice acting, she is an accomplished producer, singer, and theater actor. She is also a producer, singer, photographer, and a writer, as well as the cofounder of a feminist publishing company, Animal Mineral.