Winner of the 2025 Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction When newspaper owner and editor Bernadette “Bernie” O’Dea’s house burns down on New Year’s Eve with an unidentified body in the charred rubble – who may or may not be her missing tenant – it’s clear the new year won’t be nice and quiet after all. Bernie is already navigating boyfriend and police chief Pete Novotny’s increasingly challenging struggle with PTSD, so when the arson and murder investigation narrows its focus on her, she plunges into work trying to find an oasis of normalcy. Getting to the bottom of the local college’s plans for expansion is just the ticket. Or not. What Bernie thought would be a simple story isn’t simple at all, and she begins to uncover a dark conspiracy, with tentacles that reach to every corner of Redimere, including into Pete’s troubled police department. The farther Bernie digs, the more tragic, and ultimately deadly, the consequences. By Victor Dima Founder, owner and editor in chief at The Audiobook Blog Dying for News is the fourth entry in the Bernie O'Dea mystery series, but it's the first one I've listened to. Lucky for me, I had no problem following the characters or the story, as it works very well as a standalone novel. The small-town setting of Redimere, Maine, feels fully realized, and I was quickly drawn into the atmosphere and the lives of the people who call it home. The story opens with a suspicious house fire that leaves behind a body, and from that moment, the tension starts to build. Bernie O'Dea, the editor of the local paper, is smart, driven, and genuinely human. She is the kind of protagonist you want to follow, not just because she is good at what she does, but because she is relatable. As the investigation unfolds, it pulls in local politics, buried secrets, and personal relationships, making for a rich and absorbing mystery. This is a well-paced, intelligent story that keeps you hooked without needing to shout for your attention. Even without having read the previous books in the series, I felt fully connected to Bernie and the people around her. Maureen Milliken's writing style is clear, confident, and grounded. It feels effortless in the best way. The dialogue is believable, the pacing is strong, and there's a sense of authenticity in the way journalism, small-town dynamics, and relationships are portrayed. You can tell this is an author who understands the world she's writing about. Every character feels distinct and real, with motivations that make sense and actions that ring true. The audiobook version of Dying for News is performed by one of my favorite narrators - singer, former author, and voiceover artist, Trudi Knoedler. Trudi's narration is excellent. She brings just the right amount of energy to the performance, giving each character a subtle but distinct voice. Her pacing is consistent, her tone matches the mood of the story perfectly, and she makes it easy to stay immersed. Whether during tense scenes or more reflective moments, she handles the material with confidence and care. It's the kind of narration that enhances the book without ever pulling focus away from the story itself. In conclusion, Dying for News was an enjoyable and rewarding listen. The mystery is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the narration is spot-on. Whether you're already familiar with the series or starting here for the first time, this audiobook stands strong on its own and offers a thoughtful, entertaining escape into a world that feels both familiar and full of surprises.