It just seems appropriate today to post one of Sandie Herron’s reviews of Tammy Kaehler’s audios in the Kate Reilly series. After all, the Indianapolis 500 is today. Both Sandie and Tammy are race fans. And, what can we say about Kate herself?
Braking Points
Series: A Kate Reilly Mystery, Book 2
Written by Tammy Kaehler, Narrated by Nicole Vilencia
Unabridged Audiobook
Listening Length: 10 hours and 37 minutes
Publisher: Blackstone Audio (April 2, 2013)
ASIN: B00C56GTL6
**** stars
It is abundantly clear that Tammy Kaehler has done her homework when following auto race driver Kate Reilly. Kate relishes her team’s role racing Corvettes, but during a practice session at Road America, she tangles with a popular NASCAR driver landing him in the hospital. Kate ends up the butt of nasty e-mails, threatening blog posts, and intimidating broadcasts of her performance.
Next she arrives in Atlanta to train for the ten-hour Petit Le Mans race with her fellow drivers and team. She is excited to meet and catch up with two women with whom she spent her early racing career. One leaves for a moment, and when she doesn’t return, Kate goes to look for her only to find her dead body in the parking lot. Police determine the drink Kate had ordered which her friend actually drank contained a drug which caused a fatal reaction. Kate is devastated and wonders who, of all the people being nasty to her, is trying to kill her.
After hiring a publicity firm to handle the worst of the bullying, Kate cherishes her private role with a cancer survivor charity. She is angered when her involvement is shared with the press who focus on her racing persona, detracting from the charity. A car almost runs Kate down, but she escapes any physical injury. She was spending the day being pampered and receiving instruction from the cosmetics company for whom she is now a spokesperson. Kate learns she can accent her feminine appearance without diminishing her racing profile.
Kate’s estranged father has been hanging around the track, getting in snippets of conversation around Kate’s functions. She isn’t making it hard for him to reach her, but she sure isn’t making it easy. She has little desire to be involved in his life, yet he wants to introduce his family and involve her in their activities since they are all benefactors of a family trust. Kate meets some family at nearby Chateau Elan only to find they are brats and bullies of a different kind.
Kate is riding a stream of emotions that keep her juggling her responses to the nasty retorts of a race blogger who does not like women in the driver’s seat to the new sponsor who welcomes her into their fold to her new boyfriend Stuart whom she is not sure she can trust. She finds herself grieving her friend in snatches between the many activities leading up to race day.
Kate’s driving presents as bare bones streaming, silent dialogue of the actions needed in each spot on the track. Under Kate’s helmet, her focus is solely on the driving task at hand. She barely exits the driver’s seat when the world crowds in again — a fan with access to pit road, reporters angling for the best photos and interviews, sponsors and team owners looking for excellent results. Kate is able to take her excellent starting position to a stunning finish.
Reviewed by Sandie Herron
