
A Life for a Life
Appalachian Mountain Mysteries, Book 1
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Julie Eccles
-
Craig Benson
About this listen
Laurel Falls, NC, 1985: I was done with being a crime reporter in Washington, DC, tired of all the violence. So I packed up and moved to the small town of Laurel Falls, NC. It looked like heaven to me—ancient mountains brimming with tall trees and songbirds, peace and quiet. Until I found the body.
The sheriff took the easy path, calling it a suicide. No way. I’d found that young woman, and I knew she hadn’t taken her own life. I’d spent my whole career searching for the truth, and I wasn’t about to stop now. Trouble was, without my usual sources, how much of a murder investigation could I pull off?
But a special kid lived next door. Abit Bradshaw, a teenager struggling to find his rightful place in the world. Hey, I knew all about that. I’d never fitted in either, but eventually I’d found something I was good at. I figured he just needed a chance too.
And he got one when we teamed up to solve that crime. Along the way, we sure met some interesting characters—both bad and good. We had a plan, and we worked it hard to find that killer before we became the next victims.
Looking back, I should’ve known plans rarely pan out the way you think.
~Della Kincaid
You'll love this suspenseful story, because who doesn't dream of second chances?
Find out why critics and fans are praising Lynda McDaniel's unique voice in mystery novels.
Get it now.
A Life for a Life is the first novel in the Appalachian Mountain Mysteries series by award-winning author Lynda McDaniel. If you like atmospheric settings, fascinating characters, and suspenseful investigations, you'll love this series.
Interview with Lynda McDaniel
Q: What makes the Appalachian Mountain Mysteries Series so special?
A: In addition to the suspense of a good mystery, each book includes people and stories from the years I spent on my "back to the land" farm in Appalachia. You'll meet a cantankerous laundromat owner who was just as weird as she's portrayed, a gentle giant of a beekeeper with an abiding love for his family, and Cleva Hall, who's based on a woman who taught me how to put food by. But especially Abit Bradshaw, one of the amateur sleuths along with Della Kincaid, a former journalist. Abit started in a supporting role, but I listened to my fans and gave him a starring role in the rest of the series. This book and the next—The Roads to Damascus—are coming-of-age stories for Abit.
Q: Why should listeners give these books a try?
A: Listeners who prefer suspense without over-the-top violence will enjoy this series. I write in the British style, where the dastardly deed is done off stage (similar in that way to cozy mysteries). I don't like mounting body bags, but I do enjoy the chase for justice. In addition to the crimes, listeners will find vivid mountain settings, colorful characters, sharp wit, good food, and a touch of romance.
Q: In what order were the books written?
A:
A Life for a Life
The Roads to Damascus
Welcome the Little Children
Murder Ballad Blues
Deep in the Forest
Up the Creek
©2016 Lynda McDaniel (P)2022 Lynda McDanielListeners also enjoyed...
-
Presumed Guilty
- By: Tess Gerritsen
- Narrated by: Jennifer van Dyck
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miranda Wood thought she had seen the last of Richard Tremain, her rich and married ex-lover - until she discovered him stabbed to death in her bed...with her knife. With her world falling around her, Miranda is determined to clear her name and discover who killed Richard. But proving her innocence may become secondary to staying alive.
-
-
Disappointed
- By DesignerBee on 09-11-08
By: Tess Gerritsen
-
Judged
- A Casey Cort Legal Thriller, Book 1
- By: Aime Austin
- Narrated by: Dan McGowan
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sheila Harrison Grant is the first African American woman ever nominated to the federal bench in Cleveland. But when her 13-year-old daughter Olivia shares a family secret with a well-meaning guidance counselor, she sets the wheels in motion to feed partisan opposition, threatening her mother’s position…and both of their lives. Casey Cort made the mistake of crossing a classmate from a prominent and influential family. Now she works as a faceless cog. When fate gives Casey a second chance, she has to find the strength to fight for those with nowhere else to turn.
-
-
Engaging!
- By PWyant on 08-23-23
By: Aime Austin
-
A Skeleton in the Family
- Family Skeleton Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Leigh Perry
- Narrated by: Katina Kalin
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moving back into her parents’ house with her teenage daughter had not been Georgia Thackery’s “Plan A”. But when she got a job at the local college, it seemed the sensible thing to do. So she settled in and began reconnecting with old friends. Including Sid. Sid is the Thackery family’s skeleton. He’s lived in the house as long as Georgia can remember, although no one, including Sid, knows exactly where he came from and how he came to be a skeleton.
-
-
Love Sid.
- By Samantha Stevens on 01-31-25
By: Leigh Perry
-
Murder Undeniable
- By: Anita Waller
- Narrated by: Claire Storey
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a Deacon at St. Lawrence parish, Katerina Rowe enjoys a quiet life in the village of Eyam. But everything changes when she discovers the body of a man and a badly beaten woman in the alleyway behind her husband’s pharmacy. Kat is immediately drawn to Beth, the young woman she saved. But in order to keep her safe, Kat finds herself embroiled in a baffling mystery.
-
-
very good myst
- By Irish Roever on 11-26-23
By: Anita Waller
-
Precious Few Clues
- The True Crime Investigation of Kansas City’s “Precious Doe” Murder
- By: Marla Bernard
- Narrated by: Lee Ann Howlett
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On an unseasonably warm April evening in 2001, the headless body of a tiny girl was found discarded in a makeshift dump site in the woods on the southeast side of Kansas City, Missouri.
-
-
Gone but Not Forgotten
- By Rebecca Hill on 07-28-23
By: Marla Bernard
-
Wheeler-Dealer Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery, Book 1
- The Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery
- By: Rita Moreau
- Narrated by: Gail Asher
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mabel Gold still isn’t sure what happened. Traded by her husband for a busty bimbo the same age as their youngest daughter, the feisty 60-something rejects the retirement community and heads west in a vintage camper. But the RV comes complete with a ghost who needs a good deed to get into heaven, and cracking open a homicide at their first stop in Savannah could give them both a new lease on life.
-
-
Great characters
- By Anita Brannon on 01-12-22
By: Rita Moreau
-
Presumed Guilty
- By: Tess Gerritsen
- Narrated by: Jennifer van Dyck
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miranda Wood thought she had seen the last of Richard Tremain, her rich and married ex-lover - until she discovered him stabbed to death in her bed...with her knife. With her world falling around her, Miranda is determined to clear her name and discover who killed Richard. But proving her innocence may become secondary to staying alive.
-
-
Disappointed
- By DesignerBee on 09-11-08
By: Tess Gerritsen
-
Judged
- A Casey Cort Legal Thriller, Book 1
- By: Aime Austin
- Narrated by: Dan McGowan
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sheila Harrison Grant is the first African American woman ever nominated to the federal bench in Cleveland. But when her 13-year-old daughter Olivia shares a family secret with a well-meaning guidance counselor, she sets the wheels in motion to feed partisan opposition, threatening her mother’s position…and both of their lives. Casey Cort made the mistake of crossing a classmate from a prominent and influential family. Now she works as a faceless cog. When fate gives Casey a second chance, she has to find the strength to fight for those with nowhere else to turn.
-
-
Engaging!
- By PWyant on 08-23-23
By: Aime Austin
-
A Skeleton in the Family
- Family Skeleton Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Leigh Perry
- Narrated by: Katina Kalin
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Moving back into her parents’ house with her teenage daughter had not been Georgia Thackery’s “Plan A”. But when she got a job at the local college, it seemed the sensible thing to do. So she settled in and began reconnecting with old friends. Including Sid. Sid is the Thackery family’s skeleton. He’s lived in the house as long as Georgia can remember, although no one, including Sid, knows exactly where he came from and how he came to be a skeleton.
-
-
Love Sid.
- By Samantha Stevens on 01-31-25
By: Leigh Perry
-
Murder Undeniable
- By: Anita Waller
- Narrated by: Claire Storey
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a Deacon at St. Lawrence parish, Katerina Rowe enjoys a quiet life in the village of Eyam. But everything changes when she discovers the body of a man and a badly beaten woman in the alleyway behind her husband’s pharmacy. Kat is immediately drawn to Beth, the young woman she saved. But in order to keep her safe, Kat finds herself embroiled in a baffling mystery.
-
-
very good myst
- By Irish Roever on 11-26-23
By: Anita Waller
-
Precious Few Clues
- The True Crime Investigation of Kansas City’s “Precious Doe” Murder
- By: Marla Bernard
- Narrated by: Lee Ann Howlett
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On an unseasonably warm April evening in 2001, the headless body of a tiny girl was found discarded in a makeshift dump site in the woods on the southeast side of Kansas City, Missouri.
-
-
Gone but Not Forgotten
- By Rebecca Hill on 07-28-23
By: Marla Bernard
-
Wheeler-Dealer Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery, Book 1
- The Ghost & Camper Kooky Mystery
- By: Rita Moreau
- Narrated by: Gail Asher
- Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mabel Gold still isn’t sure what happened. Traded by her husband for a busty bimbo the same age as their youngest daughter, the feisty 60-something rejects the retirement community and heads west in a vintage camper. But the RV comes complete with a ghost who needs a good deed to get into heaven, and cracking open a homicide at their first stop in Savannah could give them both a new lease on life.
-
-
Great characters
- By Anita Brannon on 01-12-22
By: Rita Moreau
-
Shadow Falls
- Detective Madison Harper, Book 1
- By: Wendy Dranfield
- Narrated by: Gigi Burgdorf
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Detective Madison Harper arrives at a remote summer camp in Shadow Falls, Northern California, her heart breaks for Jenny, the sweet little girl last seen splashing in the lake with her friends before she vanished. Peering into the silent cabins filled with rows of neatly made beds, Madison knows this idyllic place is hiding a terrible secret.
-
-
Language is an issue
- By GMA7 on 01-26-21
By: Wendy Dranfield
-
How to Book a Murder
- A Starlit Bookshop Mystery, Book 1
- By: Cynthia Kuhn
- Narrated by: Rachel Dulude
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To help save her family’s floundering Colorado bookstore, Starlit Bookshop, newly minted PhD Emma Starrs agrees to plan a mystery-themed dinner party for her wealthy, well-connected high school classmate Tabitha Baxter. It’s a delightful evening of cocktails and conjecture until Tabitha’s husband, Tip - hosting the affair in the guise of Edgar Allan Poe’s detective C. Auguste Dupin - winds up murdered.
-
-
A really great read
- By Amazon Customer on 05-04-22
By: Cynthia Kuhn
-
Emerald City Thrillers, Books 1-5
- By: Audrey J. Cole
- Narrated by: Marcio Catalano, Veronica Pace, Patrick Zeller
- Length: 26 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From USA Today best-selling author Audrey J. Cole—the first five books in the Emerald City Thriller series.
-
-
So worth listening to
- By PattyH on 02-16-21
By: Audrey J. Cole
-
The Doctor
- By: Annie Payne
- Narrated by: Tamsin Kennard
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Running away from a past she’d rather forget, Doctor Alison Wilson has moved to a new town to take up the role of Medical Officer at failing hospital St Margaret’s. Tasked with shaking things up, she quickly learns that things are worse than they initially seem: patient records are in disarray, staff morale is low, and there’s something afoot that she can’t quite put her finger on As Alison starts to dig into the hospital’s past, she gradually discovers a trail of lies that runs deeper and darker than she could have ever imagined.
-
-
Unnerving, twisted, but definitely worth it.
- By Amazon Customer on 01-27-25
By: Annie Payne
-
What Would Jane Austen Do?
- By: Linda Corbett
- Narrated by: Sophie Roberts
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Maddy Shaw is told her Dear Jane column has been cancelled she has no choice but to look outside of London’s rental market. That is until she’s left an idyllic country home by the black sheep of the family, long-not-so-lost Cousin Nigel. But of course there’s a stipulation… and not only is Maddy made chair of the committee for the annual village literary festival, she also has to put up with bestselling crime author –and romance sceptic – Cameron Massey as her new neighbour.
-
-
Nice listen,
- By A. Ahearn on 04-03-24
By: Linda Corbett
-
Frozen Stiff
- A Chase Adams FBI Thriller, Book 1
- By: Patrick Logan
- Narrated by: Lainie Pahos
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The two corpses are mutilated. Naked. Frozen solid. It’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again. With no evidence, no leads, and no clues, the local PD has no choice but to call in the FBI. Enter FBI recruit Chase Adams. While she may be new to the Bureau, Chase is no rookie when it comes to murder. But this case will push even Chase to the limits - it’s like nothing she has investigated before. When a third body surfaces across the country, Chase realizes that she is on the hunt for a killer whose murder spree knows no boundaries.
-
-
One Night and One Morning
- By Patti on 01-21-19
By: Patrick Logan
-
The Ninth Rain
- The Winnowing Flame Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Jen Williams
- Narrated by: Jot Davies
- Length: 20 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jen Williams, acclaimed author of The Copper Cat trilogy, featuring The Copper Promise, The Iron Ghost and The Silver Tide, returns with the first in a blistering new trilogy. The great city of Ebora once glittered with gold. Now its streets are stalked by wolves. Tormalin the Oathless has no taste for sitting around waiting to die while the realm of his storied ancestors falls to pieces - talk about a guilt trip. Better to be amongst the living, where there are taverns full of women and wine.
-
-
Couldn’t put it down!
- By Renae on 09-09-22
By: Jen Williams
-
Secrets of the Greek Revival
- The Mystery House Series, Book 1
- By: Eva Pohler
- Narrated by: Eva Pohler
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ellen and her two best friends share a mid-life crisis by hatching a plan to renovate an 1860s Greek revival in the nearby historic district of San Antonio. Although Ellen isn't one to believe in ghosts, she comes face to face with something inexplicable in the attic. Her ghost-enthusiast friends convince her that they must help the spirit find closure, and as they dig deeper into the past, they uncover a shocking history that someone in the neighborhood doesn't want exposed. But Ellen and her friends don't give up easily.
-
-
probably better without audio
- By Lora on 01-28-21
By: Eva Pohler
-
The Followers
- By: Bradeigh Godfrey
- Narrated by: Eileen Stevens, Tim Lounibos
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Molly Sullivan is used to sharing intimate details of her life with millions of followers. A thirty-one-year-old single mom, she has built a career out of fearless posts about parenthood and dating. But when Molly shares a photo of her new fiancé, Scott, she is shocked by his negative reaction. For the sake of their relationship, Molly agrees to remove the post and keep Scott and his ten-year-old daughter out of her social media spotlight. But it’s too late, someone has already recognized him.
-
-
An Insult to Women
- By Justine on 09-05-23
By: Bradeigh Godfrey
-
Her Little Flowers
- By: Shannon Morgan
- Narrated by: Siobhan Waring
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Francine Thwaite has lived all her fifty-five years in her family's ancestral home, a rambling Elizabethan manor in England's Lake District. No other living soul resides there, but Francine isn't alone. There are ghosts in Thwaite Manor, harmless and familiar. Most beloved is Bree, the mischievous ghost girl who has been Francine's companion since childhood. When Francine's estranged sister, Madeleine, returns to the manor after years away, she brings with her a story that threatens everything Francine has always believed.
-
-
Loved it!
- By jessica Phillips on 08-14-23
By: Shannon Morgan
-
One Last Step
- A Tara Mills Mystery, Book One
- By: Sarah Sutton
- Narrated by: Rebecca Johnson
- Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
FBI Agent Tara Mills is young, brilliant and new to the force. With a promising career in front of her, she faces the ultimate test when she is assigned the case. It soon proves to be more challenging than she ever could have imagined – an impossible riddle that leaves even her seasoned partner stumped.
-
-
Lacks character development
- By Alison Smith on 04-15-21
By: Sarah Sutton
-
Murder on Cape Cod
- Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery, Book 1
- By: Maddie Day
- Narrated by: Rachel Dulude
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Summer is busy season for Mackenzie "Mac" Almeida's bicycle shop, nestled in the quaint, seaside hamlet of Westham, Massachusetts. She's expecting an influx of tourists at Mac's Bikes; instead she discovers the body of Jake Lacey. Mac can't imagine anyone stabbing the down-on-his-luck handyman. However, the authorities seem to think Mac is a strong suspect after she was spotted arguing with Jake just hours before his death. Mac knows she didn't do it, but she does recognize the weapon - her brother Derrick's fishing knife.
-
-
Save Your Credit
- By DKP on 06-24-22
By: Maddie Day
Critic reviews
"A real treat, highly recommended for its fine attention to both detail and the psyches of investigators who confront themselves as much as the threat at hand." (Midwest Book Review)
What listeners say about A Life for a Life
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lori J
- 10-09-22
Wonderful story brought to life
The narration is perfect. Closed my eyes as the world of Abit and Della was brought to life with voices that fit their descriptions and brought even more color to the story. McDaniel has the unusual gift of perfectly setting a scene with characters that you can’t help but root for and love .
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Armand
- 11-15-22
A Life for a Life Audio
I've enjoyed all of Linda McDaniels books in this series. I just started listening to this first audio version of the series. I've always enjoyed all the books and I'm excited that there is an audio version. It took me a while to accept the narrator's voice for Abit. In my mind, while reading the series, I always thought he had a much stronger Appalachian accent. Nonetheless I think anyone listening to this book for the first time will really enjoy the story. it's well written and leads you to want to read the next in the series. André
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Pamela Ann Plumer
- 05-29-24
Awesome listen with great characters!
This is a very well done audiobook the voice actors were very talented , definitely beats virtual voice that seems to be popular right now. I’m looking forward to book two in this series.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!