Girls Night Out is a 2024 e-original short story from American author Judith Ann Jance. Judith writes three series of mystery novels, centering on retired Seattle Police Department Detective J. P. Beaumont, Arizona County Sheriff Joanna Brady, and former Los Angeles news anchor turned mystery solver Ali Reynolds.
A skilled mechanic and certified spitfire, Twinkle Winkleman is as hard as nails; she has to be with a name like hers. Twinkle learned everything there is to know about cars from her time in her daddy’s garage in Anchorage, and when her father dies, she gains ownership of the shop and Maude, her dad’s prized 1973 International Harvester Travelall.
Life has not been kind to Twinkle: she grew up without her mother, her daddy’s gone, her ex-husband betrayed her, and her son Tad was killed after a trip to Seattle to handle some “unfinished business.” Right now, the only things Twinkle truly cares for are her garage, Maude, and Cindy—her daughter-in-law and Tad’s widow.
One evening, Cindy and her friend, Leslie, have a girls’ night out at the local karaoke bar. Even though neither Twinkle nor Cindy are fans of Leslie’s boyfriend, James, Twinkle is happy to see her daughter-in-law enjoying her freedom and a night on the town. That is, until she wakes up in the middle of the night and discovers Cindy hasn’t come home. Even more concerning, she isn’t picking up her phone.
What follows is a mother-in-law’s desperate and bold attempt to find her daughter-in-law—even if it means leading the dangerous search on her own, with a little help from J. P. Beaumont. As an Alaskan Winter rears its head, Twinkle is up against the clock: will she be able to save the person that means the most to her?
Girls’ Night Out is a suspenseful, action-packed short story from acclaimed author J.A. Jance. Despite this being marketed as a J.P. Beaumont tale, his character never appears in this story and is only referenced. This may be somewhat disappointing to die-hard J.P. Beaumont fans, but this story still has several compelling characters and an enticing storyline that are worthwhile. The short story is written in first-person narration from the perspective of protagonist Twinkle Winkleman. If her name alone doesn’t intrigue you, her spitfire character and entertaining dialogue certainly will. It should also be noted that the audiobook is actually shorter than 2 hours, as the last quarter is an excerpt from the next J.P. Beaumont series book, Den of Iniquity.
Despite the story’s short length, there are many characters introduced with compelling back stories. Twinkle has had a difficult life, having grown up without a mother, having had her ex-husband betrayed her, and her son murdered. Despite all this, Twinkle is portrayed as an optimistic woman who is very protective of those close to her, in particular her daughter-in-law, Cindy. In fact, Twinkle is such a likeable and fun character that it would be great to see her in future books of the J.P. Beaumont series or even in a series of her own.
The book is set in Anchorage, Alaska, and J.A. Jance provides some wonderfully vivid writing to describe the beautiful landscapes and roads depicted in the story. The rural setting also offers a perfect backdrop for a suspenseful winter night thriller, where time is of the essence and help is not quick to arrive!
Narrators Hillary Huber and Mike Ortego do a fantastic job with this audiobook. Huber’s portrayal of Twinkle is spot on, using an exuberant, sarcastic humour tone perfectly suited for this fiery character. Huber paces the story very well and does a great job clearly narrating the backstories of various characters. Huber increases the pace and emotional intensity of her performance when the suspense escalates in the second half, making for a very captivating listen. Ortego provides entertaining and authentic voices for secondary characters, giving the audiobook the feel of a full cast listen. With such great narration, the audiobook is the recommended format for enjoying this short story!
Overall, this is a perfect story to enjoy in an afternoon sitting or during a short commute. Twinkle’s fearless attitude and the story’s engaging and humorous dialogue alone are worth the short read or listen. If you enjoyed books from this author before or are looking for something suspenseful and short this spooky season, this one has you covered!