The Making of Jackson Parrish

Mrs. Parrish #0.6

by Liv Constantine, Ari Fliakos (Narrator), Suzanne Elise Freeman (Narrator)

3 hours, 50 minutes

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Next Mrs. Parrish comes a gripping, original audiobook set in the intoxicating world of the Parrish universe— The Making of Jackson Parrish.

Every villain has an origin story, and Jackson Parrish is no exception. A single scandalous act severs his fragile relationship with his disapproving father and costs him his place in the family empire. Jackson’s devoted mother sends him to Greece, hoping that time and distance will heal old wounds and open the door to reconciliation.

In Greece, Jackson is swept into the orbit of Stavros Demaris, a powerful and magnetic figure who opens the door to a world of wealth, power, and excess. From Malta to Mykonos, Jackson begins to reinvent himself, but the cost of ambition is steeper than he imagined.

Set against a lush Mediterranean backdrop of glittering seas and decadent indulgence, the Making of Jackson Parrish is a riveting exploration of how charm, cunning, and calculated ambition transformed a young man into a formidable master of power and persuasion, and a seductive glimpse into the high-stakes world he mastered to get there.

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Audiobook

First published September 16, 2025

About the author

Liv Constantine is the pen name of sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine. Lynne and Valerie are New York Times and international bestselling authors with millions of copies sold worldwide. Winners of the 2025 Silver Falchion awards for Best Book and Best Suspense, their books have been translated into 29 languages, are available in 34 countries, and are in development for both television and film. Their books have been praised by The Washington Post, USA Today, The Sunday Times, People Magazine, and Good Morning America, among many others. Their debut novel, THE LAST MRS. PARRISH, is a Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection. Visit Liv at www.livconstantine.com

Reviews

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, good insights but don't think any book after the first will ever give me the same thrill.

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you familiar with the series Mrs. Parrish? Did you wonder how it all began? What made Jackson Parrish the man he is today?

Well, wait no more. We are about to discover the making of a villain.

From his upbringing with a devoted mother and demanding father to taking opportunities where he could in Greece not caring who he hurt in the slightest.

This was a fast audio at under 4 hours with multiple narrators Who all did an amazing job. Though I may not love the character for all his evil ways I did enjoy learning more about him!

Now that I’ve caught up on the backstory I’m ready for the series to continue!

✍️ Liv Constantine
🗓️ September 16 2025
⏳ 3 hours and 50 min
🎧Ari Fliakos, Suzanne Elise Freeman and Scott Brick
👉 prequel, mystery

Thank you to libro.fm, Random House Audio

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

the setup…
Jackson Parrish may be the apple of his mother’s eye but to his father, he’s a massive disappointment. Though he works for him, it’s clear Jackson isn’t the heir apparent for the family business. When Jackson does something that threatens to bring scandal upon the business and the family, his father fires him and kicks him to the curb. Mom comes to the rescue and sends him to Greece to stay with friends where he meets the wealthy and powerful Stavros Demaris who Jackson comes to idolize. Is this his redemption?

the heart of the story…
This is Jackson’s origin story and because I’m starting with the two prequels, I began with a clean slate. I know he’s supposed to be a villain and I got more than a whiff of that here. Let’s just say that he didn’t learn his lesson and his time in Greece was a primer for his return to the US.

the narration…
Scott Brick is a perfect choice as Jackson, making me feel sympathetic towards him in one moment and disgusted the next. Ari Fliakos and Suzanne Elise Freeman also delivered excellent performances. The subtle sound effects at the transitions to each chapter added some flair.

the bottom line…
I can’t wait to start the first book now that I’ve gotten both Amber and Jackson’s backstories. This one was more nuanced as Jackson seems to always be in the right place at the right time. Whether you’ve already read the series or are just beginning as I am, this will be a tasty part of the experience.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Random House Audio and Libro.fm for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

[emilybookedup · Rating 3 out of 5]

the series that keeps on going!!! this was a fun audio original under 4 hours and easy to binge in one day while doing chores / working out. i love THE LAST MRS PARRISH and while it’s not completely necessary to keep building on this universe, i do like learning more about the messy characters and how they became who they are.

so i liked learning about Jackson’s story pre-Daphne (and Amber🤣). the Greek setting was a vibe and the narrators did a good job making you feel bad for him one min and despise him the next.

and! we get answers on where those jewels came from in THE NEXT MRS PARRISH 👀

thanks to Libro FM for the gifted audio copy! 🎧 the quick audiobook helped me during a reading slump :)

[Teju A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we learn the beginning of the Parrish story; and of course the source of those diamonds!!!!😏😏😏

Solid 4 stars !!!!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s too bad Jackson didn’t have better parents because he and Daphne probably would have been perfect for each other.

[Angie Miale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why did it take me so long to get through a four hour audiobook? Jackson is plain awful. Which we already knew.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Random House Audio for an advanced listening copy! Jackson Parrish has been a narcissist his whole life! This story shows that the behaviors he displayed in The Next Mrs. Parrish were in him long before he met Daphne. Loved the connection to the infamous diamonds. (IYKYK)
If you’re a fan of Liv and this series, would recommend this one.

🗓️ : 09.16.25

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Making of Jackson Parrish by Liv Constantine is a quick, bingeable prequel to The Last Mrs. Parrish that I knocked out in a day. While I’m not sure we really needed Jackson’s backstory, I can’t deny it was entertaining—especially with the fantastic multicast narration and polished audio production. The Greek setting added a fun, sun soaked backdrop that made it perfect for squeezing in some late summer listening, and overall it was a fast, easy, and mostly enjoyable ride!

[Ty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly this prequel didn’t feel all that necessary. We already knew Jackson was a jerk and surprise he’s still a jerk. The only real ‘new’ thing was a detail that shows up later in the series, which didn’t feel worth a whole prequel. It was short and to the point, but I was hoping for a little more than just a confirmation that Jackson’s the worst..

[Natalia Farnham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insanely fast listen and always fun to go back into the parish world. And to get some back story on Mr. Parish was super interesting. I think I wouldn’t have even minded if it were a little longer. Now I just need her to write another book for me to binge!

[Kayla Tremblay]

Yeahhhh Jackson was and is still a crappy excuse for a human being why am I not surprised 🙄

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to PRH Audio for my #gifted copy.

This was a quick listen. I liked learning the background of Jackson Parrish and how he became the character he is in the Parrish novels. The sound effects and the cast of characters made this audiobook really come to life. Highly recommended!

[Heather Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explains so much about the man who is Jackson Parrish and I absolutely loved it! Jackson wanted to be just like his father and make big money but every time he turned around his father was mad at him and degrading him until one day his father was just done with him. Jacksons mother had a soft spot for him and sent him to Greece to start over. While in Greece, Jackson learned how to manipulate and get what he wanted after an encounter with a very successful man, Stavros, takes him under his wing. Jackson saw a future that he wanted at any cost and to get that he would use his charm, manipulation and take down anyone in his way.

[Heaven Protsman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just okay. It was neat to learn the beginnings of Jackson Parrish, but it wasn't quite as "shocking" or intense as I thought it'd be. It would have been cool to go all the way to the beginning, because I KNOW his Certified Boy Mom mother was probably a doozy growing up. That dynamic plus a busy, working, possibly verbally abusive father could definitely create something of a monster if not handled correctly.

Nothing will compare to the shock of The Last Mrs Parrish and I so wish I could read that book again for the first time.

[Barbie Bumpus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick audiobook. It’s just okay.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the series and so I was curious about Jackson Parrish's past. This was mostly a story of Jackson Parrish behaving badly but wasn't in the least bit interesting. It was missing the wonderful storytelling and twists I have grown to expect from Liv Constantine's works. I struggled to get through this.

[Leah reading & recording · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting at all! Very well produced audio original though.

[Shelby Harder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did love the Parrish books, but I could have lived without this one.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved book 1 and 2. This was BAD 🙄 Just not necessary.

[Kelly NuclearFiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

🎧Song Pairing: Fuck You - Lily Allen

💭What I thought would happen:

Satan’s spawn’s origin story? Actually calling him a descendant of Satan is being kind 😂 but regardless count me in.

📖What actually happens:

🩷Jackson Parrish prequel
🇬🇷Greece
💋Torrid affairs
💶Corruption, theft, forgery

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

I’ll start by saying I love to hate this fictitious f@ck face. 😂 Tbh he was pretty mild in this novella, still green and not 💯 corrupted. Just a run of the mill scumbag.

I had ZERO CHILL. I was the first person to read and rate on Goodreads. Frick I’m such a geek 😂

This is short, to the point and just malicious enough to make you rage.

And if you haven’t read any of the books in The Last Mrs Parrish world or anything by Liv Constantine for that matter, just do it okay?!!

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes. This story is duller than a butter knife. Add to that a bland audiobook narrator and weird sound transitions between chapters. I just couldn’t….DNF at 42%.

[Brittany Simpson · Rating 1 out of 5]

…at least it was short

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for the Parrish family! This is the story of how Jackson Parrish became the successful businessman and domineering husband from the Last Mrs. Parrish. We also find out how he came to be in possession of the diamonds. This is an audio book and I had not listened to a book since they were called “books on tape”. I did have to rewind quite a bit and even started all the way over after I got through about 65% of the book. 🤣 I felt like a missed a lot as my mind would wander or if I was interrupted by the family. I started listening on my car drives and found that quite enjoyable. Will continue with this method for easy reads. Next audio book: Freida McFadden!

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great quick audiobook novella for those who have read The Next +/ Last Mrs Parrish books. We all love to hate Jackson and his villain origin story just confirms what we knew all along — he’s been rotten since day 1 with no redeemable qualities.

The audio production was nice — I don’t really enjoy music and sound effects in my audiobooks but I some do and they were subtle enough that if you don’t, they’re not insurmountable. The narrators were perfect for each characters and delivered a wonderful performance.

Thank you Libro FM and PRH Audio for the early access!

[em · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️

Enjoyed and a good quick read for the end of the year! My only problem was that it brought in too many side characters, and having their POV wasn’t necessary. I still found it a bit hard to see how these events led Jackson to becoming so horrible and so, so controlling in the books, this was definitely more of a set up or gateway to that behaviour. His behaviour in the books is so much more extreme, but it did connect, just maybe not enough? I guess his becomes worse with time! Listening to this and Amber’s prequel are both entertaining because they’re both so awful and made for each other!

[Rebecca Marlatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 (rounded down)!

I am glad to finally have insight as to why Jackson Parrish turned out the way he did.... this wasn't my favorite Mrs. Parrish prequel, but let's be real, anything in this series I will read/listen to happily!

[Hallie | halsbooknook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had such higher hopes for this one 🫠 I wanted lots of tea on Jackson’s upbringing, and while this kinda delivered - it felt kinda pointless 😂 I loved the Greek island setting + it was fun to get the backstory for the Diamond from THE NEXT MRS. PARRISH! but absolutely not a must read!

[Gary Parkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short and fun one! I’m not a big reader of novellas but I did enjoy this one but as always, I want more!

[Louis (audiobookfanatic) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Making of Jackson Parrish is a tightly constructed, fast-paced audiobook original prequel to Liv Constantine's bestselling novel The Last Mrs. Parrish. This audiobook might be short, but it still delivers an action-packed and compelling origin story—foreshadowing how Jackson Parrish became the manipulative, power-obsessed villain in The Last Mrs. Parrish!

This story begins in Chicago, where Jackson is working in a low-level position at his father’s company. An affair with his colleague escalates into a scandal that ruptures Jackson’s already fractured relationship with his father. Cast out by his father and shielded by his protective mother, Jackson is shipped off to Greece. In Greece, he falls under the wing of Stavros Demaris, a charismatic and dangerously influential figure. Through Stavros, Jackson is introduced to a world of Mediterranean luxury—yachts in Mykonos, parties, & the intoxicating allure of power and wealth!

The story is told mostly from Jackson’s POV, giving listeners direct access to his charm, narcissistic tendencies, resentment towards his father, and growing ruthlessness. He’s an unreliable narrator—especially when it comes to his stance on personal relationships—but he’s also brutally honest in his justifications, which makes him captivating! Jackson’s mother is blind to his true manipulative nature and constantly coddles him—her decision to send Jackson away for “reflection and reset” catalyzes his transformation. On Mykonos, his worldly mentor, Stavros Demaris, is a man who embodies both opportunity and corruption—Stavros’s tragic past fuelled him to become a powerful manipulator, and Jackson is in awe! Stavros becomes not only a mentor but also part father figure and part tempter for Jackson—and his presence constantly looms over Jackson’s choices!

The book has some major themes—Jackson’s desire for reinvention leads him build a new identity and attain power using menace and charm. The seduction of power, wealth, and status is the central theme of the story—and they become a drug for Jackson that he can’t get enough of—while relationships are only the means to an end instead of something meaningful. The story also shows a more human side to Jackson—he has never recovered from the death of his first love, Lily, and no one he meets compares to her.

The atmospheric Mykonos setting is the perfect backdrop for a seduction story of wealth and power with its hum of parties, luxury yachts, and intoxicating wealth. All the dazzling sites are masking the moral rot going on around the island—mirroring Jackson’s own morally black interior hiding behind his striking appearance.

At just under four hours, the audiobook is tightly paced—there are no filler scenes, major subplots, or repetitive inner monologues. Every scene moves the story forward and drives Jackson further into his obsession with power, wealth, status—and ultimately full independence from his father! The audiobook literally flies by—and listeners might crave a longer exploration of Jackson’s early years, as the story is so interesting and addictive! It’s important to know that this is more of a character study of Jackson, and although there are some twists and turns, don’t expect anything jaw-dropping like you’d get in a full-length novel!

Overall, The Making of Jackson Parrish is a compelling origin story and the perfect companion piece to The Last Mrs. Parrish. This is a must-listen for fans of Constantine’s work, villain origin stories, and fast-paced, binge-worthy dramas!