Caffeinated Reviewer

An unclaimed fae working as a private investigator in east London…. count me in. Live Fae or Die Trying by Jenna Wolfhart is the first audiobook in the Paranormal PI Files, narrated by Kristin James. Missing and murdered fae and secrets await you…

I'm a fae without a court, but that suits me just fine. Kind of. For years, I’ve hidden in my shabby East London flat, working as a private investigator for romantically-scorned supernaturals. The pay? Total rubbish. I’m broke as hell and almost homeless. But I’m stuck in this life. If anyone discovered my dark past, I’d end up dead.

But when a serial killer starts picking off London's fae, it seems fate has other plans for me. Balor, a dangerous and sinfully enticing fae prince, wants me to help him hunt down the killer. Apparently, my mind-reading abilities would be an asset. Now, I'm being whisked away into a court of wealth and magic.

Problem is, I can't read his mind, and I'm not sure I trust him. Worse, he knows I'm keeping a secret of my own, and he's determined to figure it out. Despite his allure, I start to wonder if he's behind the crimes. If he is, I'll never make it out of his Court alive.

While I didn’t care for the male voice Kristin James provided, she captured Clark’s personality. We meet Clark, an unclaimed fae who owns a PI investigation business just as clients trash the place. When Balor, the Fae Prince, appears and summons her to his court. The tale that unfolds offered an interesting case, budding sexual tension and teases at secrets regarding Clark’s origins.

First in series are hard, but Wolfhart did a great job of fleshing out the world without a lot of info dumps. We learned about Balor’s court along with Clark who spent most of her life in hiding with her grandmother. Frustratingly, we learn very little about her past, but we learn about her gift and bear witness to her fearlessness and investigative urges.

Clark cannot read Balor and initially doesn’t know if she can trust him. Their chemistry was intense as they got to know each other, and I enjoyed seeing them spar both physically and verbally.

The case was an interesting one with missing fae, plenty of suspects and danger in the catacombs. I look forward to listening to the next audiobook in the series. Currently, there are six books, and it looks like they will be released on audio.

Amazon* | Audible | Libro.fm

*kindleunlimited

About Jenna Wolfhart

Jenna Wolfhart spends her days dreaming up stories about swoony fae kings and rugged blacksmiths. When she's not writing, she loves to do CrossFit competitions, rewatch Game of Thrones, collect Taylor Swift vinyls, and drink far too much coffee. Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction. Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.

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About Kristin James

Kristin "KJ" James was born and raised in the Nashville, Tennessee, area. Starting on the stage as early as preschool, KJ pursued her passion into college, where she received a BA in communication with a double emphasis in theater and public relations from Mississippi State University. When she's not in her booth, you can find her crocheting, playing video games, or running with her dogs.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2025 Audiobook Challenge

About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram