Murder in Trade

I’ll admit, I side-eyed *Murder in Trade* at first—another Victorian widow seeking justice? But within 30 minutes, I was hooked, thanks to Cecilia Waddley, a protagonist who’s equal parts Sherlock and Lady Macbeth. Holly Newman’s writing excels in two areas: *dialogue* that snaps like a dueling pistol (Cecilia’s verbal sparring with the nobleman is deliciously barbed), and *atmosphere* so thick you’ll swear you smell the Thames. That said, the romance subplot feels tacked on, like Newman couldn’t decide if this was a love story or a revenge tale. The audiobook’s middle act drags slightly during the slavery ring’s exposition, but MacDonnell’s narration papers over the cracks. His Cecilia is *magnificent*—each syllable drips with controlled fury, and his ability to switch to a growling villain mid-sentence is chilling. The production quality is top-tier, though I’d warn sensitive listeners: the sound of a struggling victim in Chapter 12 is *visceral*. My biggest critique? The ending rushes. After eight hours of meticulous plotting, the final confrontation wraps up too neatly, as if Newman hit a word count limit. Still, for fans of *The Alienist*’s grit or *Fingersmith*’s twists, this is a standout. MacDonnell’s performance alone makes it worth the credit—just don’t expect a tidy moral resolution.