Shallow Graves

Christina Delaine’s narration is the reason this audiobook lingers. She doesn’t just tell you about the women who vanished in New Bedford—she *haunts* you with their absence. Her delivery shifts seamlessly between the cold facts of the investigation and the emotional wreckage left in its wake, making the listen feel less like passive consumption and more like bearing witness. The pacing is relentless, mirroring the urgency of the original reporting, though there were moments the sheer volume of details threatened to overwhelm. Boyle’s writing shines in its refusal to simplify the case into a neat villain-and-victim narrative; the killer’s identity isn’t even revealed until halfway through, which feels deliberate—a refusal to give the audience the catharsis they might expect. That said, the book’s later sections drag slightly under the weight of legal jargon when discussing courtroom proceedings. Still, the good far outweighs the occasional stumble. If you’re looking for a true crime story that prioritizes truth over titillation, *Shallow Graves* is a gut-punch you won’t shake easily.