
The Taken Ones
A Novel (Steinbeck and Reed, Book 1)
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Narrated by:
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Carly Robins
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By:
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Jess Lourey
About this listen
Two girls vanished. A woman buried alive. Between two crimes lie decades of secrets yet to be unearthed in a pulse-pounding novel by the Edgar Award-nominated author of Unspeakable Things.
Summer 1980: Despite the local superstition that the Bendy Man haunts the woods, three girls go into a Minnesota forest. Only one comes out, dead silent, her memory gone. The mystery of the Taken Ones captures the nation.
Summer 2022: Cold case detective Van Reed and forensic scientist Harry Steinbeck are assigned a disturbing homicide—a woman buried alive, clutching a heart charm necklace belonging to one of the vanished girls. Van follows her gut. Harry trusts in facts. They’re both desperate to catch a killer before he kills again. They have something else in common: each has ties to the original case in ways they’re reluctant to share.
As Van and Harry connect the crimes of the past and the present, Van struggles with memories of her own nightmarish childhood—and the fear that uncovering the truth of the Taken Ones will lead her down a path from which she, too, may never return.
©2023 Jess Lourey. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“Narrator Carly Robins ramps up the tension, portraying Van's increasingly fraught state as things hit uncomfortably close to home. Lourey (The Quarry Girls) skillfully uses flashbacks and changes in perspective to create a deeply suspenseful listening experience. Share with fans of mysteries and suspense involving intriguing women detectives who employ a hint of the supernatural.”—Library Journal
“Twists and turns you don’t see coming make for a real page-turner.”—Kirkus Reviews
“There are twists and turns galore that make reading this novel almost unbearably fun and intense. I cannot remember another psychological thriller that created such a dichotomy of feelings about the protagonist, which shows just how talented Jess Lourey is.”—Publishers Weekly
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Story
In a tale inspired by real events, pregnant journalist Joan Harken is cautiously excited to follow her fiancé back to his Minnesota hometown. After spending a childhood on the move and chasing the screams and swirls of news-rich city life, she’s eager to settle down. Lilydale’s motto, “Come Home Forever,” couldn’t be more inviting. And yet, something is off in the picture-perfect village. The friendliness borders on intrusive. Joan can’t shake the feeling that every move she makes is being tracked. An archaic organization still seems to hold the town in thrall.
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Horrible Unbelievable Annoying
- By Kay on 01-09-21
By: Jess Lourey
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The Quarry Girls
- A Thriller
- By: Jess Lourey
- Narrated by: Jess Nahikian
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Minnesota, 1977. For the teens of one close-knit community, summer means late-night swimming parties at the quarry, the county fair, and venturing into the tunnels beneath the city. But for two best friends, it’s not all fun and games. Heather and Brenda have a secret. Something they saw in the dark. Something they can’t forget. They’ve decided to never tell a soul. But their vow is tested when their friend disappears—the second girl to vanish in a week. And yet the authorities are reluctant to investigate.
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I can't
- By Brent Casey on 11-17-22
By: Jess Lourey
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May Day
- Murder by Month Mystery, Book 1
- By: Jess Lourey
- Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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With a cheating boyfriend, a thankless career in waitressing, and her BA in English going to waste, Mira James jumps at the chance for a fresh start in rural Battle Lake, Minnesota. Right away she lands a job as a librarian, snags another as an on-call reporter for the weekly newspaper, and is swept off her feet by Jeff Wilson, a handsome archaeologist unearthing the town’s storied history. Moving here might be the best decision Mira’s ever made. Until she finds Jeff’s body between the library’s reference stacks.
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Fun listen
- By J. Lombardo on 07-03-24
By: Jess Lourey
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Bad Mother
- By: Mia Sheridan
- Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson, Sebastian York
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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When Sienna Walker is nearly fired from the NYPD, the last thing she expects is a second chance in the one place she vowed never to return to. But she can’t afford to turn down the job offer, even if a painful familial past and a broken engagement hardly make Reno, Nevada, home sweet home. It’s made even less sweet by Sienna’s first case—a serial killer with a curious fixation on her. Along with his victims, the killer leaves perplexing clues and chilling journal entries addressed to Sienna detailing the murders he claims his mother committed.
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Not her best work
- By Heather Schuelke on 07-03-23
By: Mia Sheridan
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Close Your Eyes
- By: Teresa Driscoll
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Knowelden
- Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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When private investigator Matthew Hill picks up the call from his wife, Sally, his world comes crashing down. Their eight-year-old daughter, Amelie, is missing. One second, she was there, the next, she was gone. It’s the very nightmare they’ve been dreading. Long ago, Matthew left the force after a woman blamed him for her son’s death, promising that he too would one day feel her pain. It’s a threat that’s hung over his family ever since, and now it’s Amelie’s picture on the news.
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A book where nothing happens
- By NB on 01-15-25
By: Teresa Driscoll
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The Last Sister
- Columbia River, Book 1
- By: Kendra Elliot
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Mikael Naramore
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Twenty years ago Emily Mills's father was murdered, and she found his body hanging in the backyard. Her younger sister, Madison, claims she was asleep in her room. Her older sister, Tara, claims she was out with friends. The tragedy drove their mother to suicide and Tara to leave town forever. The killer was caught. The case closed. Ever since, Emily and Madison have tried to forget what happened that night - until an eerily similar murder brings it all back.
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It was ok
- By Kelly C. on 01-15-20
By: Kendra Elliot
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Behind You
- By: Mike Omer
- Narrated by: Carly Robins
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Seventeen-year-old Theodora Briggs left home in the dead of night, after a brutal crime shattered her life. Thirteen years later, she’s made a name for herself as Gemma: beautician, wife, and mother. But the trauma still lingers… And then one day, it’s more than just a phantom pain. Gemma is suddenly accosted by stranger after stranger, all of whom seem to know the truth about her. They confront her with her real name and ominous allusions to the tragedy that drove her out of town. When her family begins to have their own strange episodes, Gemma is rattled.
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Switching to reading
- By B. Johnson on 10-20-24
By: Mike Omer
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Getaway
- Secrets follow you everywhere
- By: Sally Hepworth, Zakiya Dalila Harris, Catherine Steadman, and others
- Narrated by: Candice Moll, Shayna Small, Samara Naeymi, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Perfect vacations or last resorts? In this collection of short psychological thrillers, bestselling authors bring trouble to paradise. Today’s itinerary: surfing, sailing, hiking, facing your worst fears . . . Most dream vacations never live up to expectations—but few cause this many nightmares.
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It's the last story....
- By DJR on 09-27-24
By: Sally Hepworth, and others
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Found Object
- By: Anne Frasier
- Narrated by: Eileen Stevens, Perry Daniels
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Culpable in an exposé gone tragically wrong, investigative journalist Jupiter Bellarose takes her boss’s advice: head back to her hometown for a fluff piece and get her world in balance. But in Savannah, the past is waiting. Twenty years ago Jupiter’s mother, actress and celebrated beauty Marie Nova, was murdered, leaving many in her wake: Jupiter’s father, who has erased memories of his wife’s murder with alcohol. The matriarch of the cosmetics company who helped make Marie a star—and who takes every opportunity to reopen old wounds.
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Rampant with suspects!!!!
- By shelley on 10-21-22
By: Anne Frasier
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A Happy Catastrophe
- A Novel
- By: Maddie Dawson
- Narrated by: Amy McFadden
- Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. She thrives on change; he prefers stability. She sees marriage and parenthood in their future, but he can’t see beyond the shadow of an earlier tragedy. Then an eight-year-old surprise from Patrick’s past shows up on their doorstep, cartwheeling into their lives and spinning things in all directions.
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I wish I had read it instead of listening to it.
- By Dave Astle on 10-08-20
By: Maddie Dawson
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The Missing
- By: Daisy Pearce
- Narrated by: Karen Cass, Rachael Beresford
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Teenager Edie Hudson was nobody’s little darling, which made vanishing all too easy. Two decades later, she’s been forgotten by everyone except her mother, Samantha. And the person who knows what happened to her. Samantha has had a long time to remember, and to regret. Having seen how little her daughter mattered to the community in the months following her disappearance, she wonders if Edie was lost before she was even gone. Or was it guilt, not indifference, that made the locals turn a blind eye? When she meets Frances, she at last starts to hope for answers.
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Excellent....
- By Kelly on 06-24-20
By: Daisy Pearce
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The Drowning Game
- By: Barbara Nickless
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Sisters Nadia and Cass Brenner are heirs to Ocean House, a decades-old empire that builds superyachts for the rich and powerful: emirs, oligarchs, and titans of industry throughout America and Europe. They’re a next-generation success with the design of their soon-to-be-commissioned megayacht for a Chinese billionaire. But the sisters’ entrée into the coveted Asian market is tragically cut short when Cass falls from a fortieth-floor hotel balcony.
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Fabulous Story! Astonishing Research on multiple subjects!
- By aRLENE T. on 02-23-25
By: Barbara Nickless
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An Eye for an Eye
- Detective Kate Young, Book 1
- By: Carol Wyer
- Narrated by: Henrietta Meire
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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DI Kate Young is on leave. She’s the force’s best detective, but her bosses know she’s under pressure, on medication and overcoming trauma. So after her bad judgement call leads to a narrowly averted public disaster, they’re sure all she needs is a rest. But when Staffordshire Police summon her back to work on a murder case, it’s a harder, more suspicious Kate Young who returns. With a new ruthlessness, she sets about tracking down a clinical, calculating serial killer who is torturing victims and leaving clues to taunt the police.
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Nope
- By Amazon Customer on 03-12-21
By: Carol Wyer
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You Always Come Back
- By: Emily Smith
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt
- Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Nine years ago, July Weaver’s little sister was one of the first victims of the Pacific Lake Killer, a serial killer in Georgia. When other girls began to disappear and were found dead, it was July’s testimony that put her own father into prison for the crimes. After the sentencing, she fled to Nashville to focus on her music career and to try to forget the horrible past. But when her brother tries to kill himself, July is forced to come back home and reunite with her four remaining siblings. What she isn’t expecting is to uncover new evidence that makes her question everything.
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Intriguing story and Great narration
- By Amazon User on 10-11-23
By: Emily Smith
What listeners say about The Taken Ones
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- Taylor C.
- 11-24-23
Plot was good, but hard to follow
Overall plot was good, but the narrator’s cadence and the way the book’s chapters were written, made the first half of the book very hard to follow. I felt like it was jumping all over the place. I’m glad I finished it though.
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9 people found this helpful
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- Tammy Truman
- 01-09-24
It Was Pretty Good
This book held my attention the entire time I was listening and was very interesting to say the least. I liked the twists and turns when it came to the life of our main character. I think I would have liked more development in the secondary character, Harry, I think the plot had amazing ideas but that they fell short or being fulfilled to their fullest. I think the concept was there just not fulfilled to the fullest extent. I am interested to know what the next book holds.
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5 people found this helpful
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- TS
- 11-01-23
Really great story
I really enjoyed the characters and I hope that she has a sequel on the way!
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4 people found this helpful
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- AnnieK69
- 11-03-23
Great series start.
Great mystery suspense with a little paranormal twise. Van, Evangalina, Reed, is a detective in the cold case devision. A 10 year veteren, fromer homicide detective, who was drummed out of the department after the death of her partner. She is finding her place in her new unit.
A buried alive murder has ties to a 1980 cold case, and puts Van as lead investigator. She has to work with her nemeise from homicide, Detective Dave Comstock, a friend to her deceased partner Bart, who turned on her after his death. She is determined to pruve herself. She has a great team to work with. Detective Kyle Kaminski, who she is mentoring. Forensic scientist, Harry Steinbeck, and his team. Forensic photographer, Deepty Singh and investigator Johnna Lewis, a trace evidence specialist.
The story jumps from the present to the past, in both the case and Van's life. Van is brillient and troubled. Her childhood on a commune was abusive and tramatic. Her former partner shiled her as much as he could, while fostering her "intuitive" gift. Her gift has been telling her things,about her current case, and she is struggling with putting the pieces together with out Barts help. Van tentively starts to give Harry hints. Harry trys to support, though he does not understand. He has some suspicions about her and a past case.
While Van navigates her cold case, Comstock is determined to see her fail. As Van cloeses the case, she lets the true nature of her "intuition'" slip to Harry. Trough the case she deals with some of her own past and finds a new strength.
Great story, looing forward to the next book, What is Harry's secreat.
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2 people found this helpful
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- A. Hall
- 11-03-23
Just do it!
I went in ‘blind’ off the few reviews; Aaahhhhmazing. Honestly this has the potential to really sore as a series. Cannot wait to start the next!
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- Antoni
- 02-02-24
The suspense.
The Twist to everyone in the story is what kept me listening until the end
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- CCG
- 02-03-24
This was a decent mystery
This story was good, intriguing and kept me interested. Not the best I’ve read but certainly not the worst.
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- Book Bug!
- 10-22-23
Great Book!
I really enjoyed this book! I hope that the authors book 2 will be on its way! I don’t like reading books that it’s sequel is so far in advance! Especially since we were left with Harry, getting ready to reveal his secret to Van! That was a twist I did not expect! The author once again has a book I couldn’t stop reading and listening to until it reached the end. The narrator did a great job also. I love Jess Lourey’s books!
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- drummerdan
- 05-27-24
Soul touching to those with trauma
It feels like this author knows what means to grow up in a living nightmare along with the living the aftermath of the trauma.
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- Amber
- 09-02-24
Surprising and Satisfying
Every bit of this book was enjoyable, from the storyline to the narration to the ending. Can't wait to grab my next Lourey book!
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