Quick Take
- Narration: Greg Boudreaux handles the full ensemble of paranormal characters with impressive range, keeping Matt’s everyman voice grounded while giving the supernatural figures genuine personality.
- Themes: Belonging as an outsider, slow-burn M/M romance, mythology reimagined through comic absurdity
- Mood: Light, witty, and cozy with a genuine mystery underneath the puns
- Verdict: If you want paranormal mystery that makes you snort-laugh and actually care about the characters, this second Quest Investigations entry delivers.
I found this series by accident, which is honestly the best way to find cozy paranormal mysteries. I was looking for something low-stakes on a Friday night when I had no patience for anything heavy, and the title alone, The Hound of the Burgervilles, told me exactly what register I was in for. I queued up book one first, finished it in two sittings, and was immediately into book two.
E.J. Russell is writing in a tradition that owes a debt to both Agatha Christie and Douglas Adams, though she pulls off something distinctly her own. The Quest Investigations series centers on Matt Steinitz, who works at a paranormal investigation agency under the alias Hugh Mann, which the books treat as both a running joke and a genuine character statement. The name is silly on purpose, and it also tells you something real about a man who has spent years trying to pass in a world that does not quite recognize him as belonging.
Our Take on The Hound of the Burgervilles
This is book two in the series, and it picks up directly where Five Dead Herrings left off, so listeners who have not started from the beginning will miss context that matters. The romantic subplot involving Matt’s complicated feelings for Lachlan, a selkie whose nearly-ex-husband is somewhere in the fae world, runs quietly underneath the main mystery but earns its patience. Russell is writing an extremely slow burn, and Boudreaux plays it with exactly the right restraint, keeping the longing present but not overwrought.
The central mystery involves Matt being assigned to investigate a reported sighting of a giant glowing-eyed hound rummaging through dumpsters behind fast food restaurants. That setup is as ridiculous as it sounds, and Russell leans into the absurdity fully. What she does well is make the actual mystery land with appropriate stakes despite the comic framing. The resolution involves Welsh mythology, Herne the Hunter’s hound pack, and an unexpected body in the kennels, and the tonal shift from pun-delivery to genuine investigation works better than it has any right to.
Why Listen to The Hound of the Burgervilles
Greg Boudreaux is the primary reason to choose the audio format for this series. One reviewer described forgetting it was a single narrator performing all the characters, which is the clearest possible measure of a narrator doing exceptional work in a complex ensemble. Matt’s voice carries the world-weariness of someone perpetually the least powerful person in the room, while characters like Jordan, described by multiple reviewers as a no-impulse-control werewolf and a fan favorite, get enough distinct energy to feel genuinely different. The humor in Russell’s writing depends heavily on timing, and Boudreaux’s delivery consistently finds it.
The book also contains no sex or explicit violence, which Russell notes directly in the product description. For listeners who want paranormal romance and mystery without explicit content, this series is one of the cleaner options in the genre, and the character relationships are warm enough that the lack of explicit scenes does not feel like a compromise.
What to Watch For in The Hound of the Burgervilles
The romantic arc moves very slowly by design, and listeners who need romance to progress at a traditional pace will find this frustrating. Matt and Lachlan’s situation is constrained by external circumstances that do not resolve in this volume, and the book ends with the relationship essentially where it began, though with more texture. If slow burn with no payoff in this installment is a dealbreaker, that is worth knowing.
The mythology Russell draws on is rich but not always explained for those unfamiliar with it. The Cwn Annwn, Herne the Hunter’s hound pack from Welsh tradition, appear here without a great deal of context, and the series assumes a certain willingness to follow the worldbuilding without a glossary. That is generally part of the fun, but listeners who prefer tightly explained lore should be prepared to trust the story rather than demanding all the rules upfront.
Who Should Listen to The Hound of the Burgervilles
This audiobook is a natural choice for listeners who love paranormal cozy mysteries with M/M romance subplots, particularly those who enjoy mythology as a source of comedy and plot rather than gravitas. It works well for fans of light urban fantasy in the vein of Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London or the comedy-adjacent end of the paranormal romance shelf. It is not well-suited to listeners who need action-forward plotting, explicit romantic payoff, or a series they can enter at any point. Book one is a prerequisite, and the series rewards readers who are willing to trust that the slow accumulation of character detail will eventually be worth something.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to listen to book one before starting The Hound of the Burgervilles?
Yes. This is book two in the Quest Investigations series, and the narrative picks up directly from Five Dead Herrings. The romantic subplot involving Lachlan and the dynamics at Quest Investigations will not make full sense without the context established in the first book. Russell also notes in the product description that the series is best listened to in order.
Is the M/M romance explicit in this audiobook?
No. Russell explicitly notes that the book contains no sex or violence. The romance between Matt and Lachlan is a slow-burn subplot that develops through emotional connection and longing rather than physical encounters. Listeners looking for explicit content will not find it here; listeners who prefer romance without explicit scenes will find this a comfortable fit.
How well does Greg Boudreaux handle the paranormal ensemble cast?
Very well. Multiple reviewers specifically praise his ability to distinguish characters from one another, with at least one noting they forgot it was a single narrator. He keeps Matt grounded and distinctly different from the supernatural characters around him, and the comic timing required by Russell’s humor comes through consistently.
Is The Hound of the Burgervilles more of a mystery or a romance?
It is primarily a mystery with a romantic subplot, and Russell is clear about that framing in the book’s own description. The mystery involving the spectral hound and the body in Herne’s kennels drives the plot. The romantic thread between Matt and Lachlan runs alongside it but does not resolve in this volume. Think of it as a cozy mystery with romantic texture rather than a romance with a mystery plot.
