By: Shelly Reuben,,Narrated by: Adams Morgan

An Audiobook Review by Jackie Houchin

   ORIGIN AND CAUSE is an excellent read and very well written and narrated! The reader’s voice is as precise and distinct as the author’s clear and concise written words. Adams Morgan voices it with “class” as if by a very wealthy man’s very properly trained butler or chauffeur were telling the story. Shelly Reuben‘s writnig disects the scenes and facts AND the motives and appearances of people to the last detail. Very visual and viseral.

The story is about the origin and cause of a fire and a murder. It begins when the body of a self-made man, that everyone loved to hate, is found burned to a crisp in a classic 1930 Duesenberg sedan along a stretch of deserted highway.

A tragic accident. And the car is at fault, right? The uber rich family sues the motor company that restored it.  Max Bramble, a sharp and “righteous” old-school attorney, defends the company.  He inlists Wiley Nolan, a “miracle worker” arsen investigator to help with the case. Then come the details of the investigation (some I’d rather not have read), that begins to take down a family. The tense trial scene was un-put-downable.

The story is captivating, complicated, instructional, and suspenseful. I learned much about arson investigation, classic luxury cars, and courtroom law. When Shelly Reuben describes the sensual way it feels to ride in a Duesenberg at 127 miles per hour, it took my breath away!

Caveat: There are a few scenes of human depravity that I wish could have been eliminated, also a few instances of profanity.

FIVE stars for story and writing  (Knock a half-star for the few obscene parts)