Narrated by Kyf Brewer

Note: This book depicts a mass shooting and the chaos and the grief that follows.

After spending a few fun-filled hours at the county fair, Elle Portman puts her tired two-year-old, Charlie, into this stroller and heads for the parking lot. Calder Hudson has just closed a big contract and has been hoping for a celebratory evening at home with his reporter girlfriend, Shawna. Instead, he’s frustrated to find himself battling a crowd at the entrance to the fairgrounds where Shawna is interviewing the headlining music star. Elle and Calder’s paths cross just inside the overcrowded entrance/exit gates at the moment when all hell breaks loose. Elle doesn’t know what the popping noises are until an older man walking next to her collapses, bringing her to the ground with him and shoving the stroller forward in the process. Trying to regain her feet, Elle helplessly watches as a person knocks into Charlie’s stroller which starts to tip over. Calder sees a runaway stroller and races to grab it, but he suddenly falls into the stroller and both crash to the ground.

Calder and Elle’s paths cross again outside the office of the detectives assigned to figure out exactly what happened during the fairground shooting. The authorities think they have the shooter but need to figure out the motive so they can rule out any accomplices, and are now interviewing people who were on the scene as it happened. While waiting to be interviewed, Elle and Calder realize their connection: the mother of the slain toddler and the man who tried to save him. Calder is being called a hero for his no nonsense, take charge actions during the shooting by a public that wants something positive to hang on to. Calder doesn’t remember deciding to do anything, he just acted on instinct and he definitely doesn’t feel like a hero. Elle and Calder exchange a few words and despite the circumstances, Calder feels a strong attraction to Elle.

The suspense plot is difficult to write about without spoilers, but it’s decently twisty and has a couple of misdirects to keep it interesting. Unfortunately, while it has some solid bones, it also has a credulity-stretching premise, elements that are never satisfactorily explained, and a resolution that depends on both Elle and Calder acting out-of-character. In Elle’s case, the action ventures into TSTL territory. There is also the problematic use of a child’s death to provide an emotional connection to the characters. These issues end up weakening the impact of the overall narrative. I also found the two or three short sections told from the shooter’s first person point of view to be unnecessarily unsettling. They are the only parts of the story that felt gratuitous.

The story is strongest when it focuses on how the victims, the families, and even the police, are dealing with the aftermath of the traumatic situation. For example, Calder, a high priced consultant used to money and power, hasn’t been able to get back to normal as quickly as his equally ambitious girlfriend thinks he should. Shawna had the scoop on the fairground shooting story since she was on scene when it happened, and is now determined to use every means possible to stay in the spotlight, including using her relationship with the “hero”, Calder. While Shawna is a rather one-note character, the breakdown of their relationship in the aftermath of the shooting feels realistic. There is also a respectful scene in a group therapy session for victims and families which is emotional but well-done.

Unfortunately, the romance plot is underdeveloped, especially the instant magnetic attraction between Calder and Elle, which seems unrealistic. Given how they meet, the reader needs to feel the relationship has a strong foundation other than the trauma, and that wasn’t addressed to my satisfaction.

Kyf Brewer is a new-to-me narrator and there is plenty to enjoy in his reading of Out of Nowhere. His voice is a little gruff and pleasingly masculine, and because of that he does male characters and the narrative passages very well. He has less skill with the female characters. He thankfully doesn’t try a falsetto, instead opting to soften and/or lower his tone in most cases. I’ve listened to other male narrators who do this; Victor Slezak comes to mind, and it can work well. Mr. Brewer’s depiction of Elle is solid and consistent, but other female characters’ voices are less successful, and I honestly kept forgetting that one of the detectives was a woman because Mr. Brewer’s voice for her is not at all feminine.

Sandra Brown took a chance tackling such a difficult topic as a mass shooting, and I recommend her excellent forward to anyone reading or listening to the book. Her depictions of the different ways people react and grieve are very well done and sympathetic. However, the book itself has neither the suspense plot nor the romantic development to bring it to the level of some of her older works, such as Envy. With the narration also being a mixed bag, I can only give a qualified recommendation for Out of Nowhere.