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Audiobook Review

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Calaway Jones: Blair Howard. Harry Starke 10

Thursday, 10 August 2017

Calaway Jones: The Harry Starke Novels, Book 10

Written by: Blair Howard

Narrated by: Tom Lennon

Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:05-03-17

Publisher: Blair Howard

Publishers Summary:

"Stand absolutely still, Amanda," she read, "and you won't get hurt." Two seconds later a bullet from a sniper's rifle shattered the driver's side window of her Lexus SUV.

That's how it began, early on a Friday morning when Amanda, Harry's wife, found the note tucked under her windshield wiper. The incident was quickly followed by a series of events that would put his family and friends in deadly danger and test Harry to his limits.

Review

Just when you think the “Harry” stories can’t get any better another great new read comes along.

Harry has never had a fight on his hands like this one, someone wants him dead, but that someone wants to play games.

Once again, all the team are pulling for Harry, but there isn’t much they can do to help him, Harry does everything he can to keep them out of the way because he knows what will happen to them if they interfere in this battle of wits.

The thing is, Harry thinks he knows who wants him dead but he doesn’t know who is trying to do the deed. This adds to the excitement, which, in this story, gets quite intense.

Brilliantly entertaining Five star story, Highly recommended.

Narrated by Tom Lennon, who yet again makes Harry and the team come alive. Each time I listen to a new Harry Starke book I am reminded yet again of how lucky we are that someone chose Tom to narrate this series.

Audiobook review copy provided by the narrator

Dead Like Me: Kelly Miller

Monday, 17 April 2017

Dead Like Me: A Detective Kate Springer Mystery, Book 1

Written by: Kelly Miller

Narrated by: Angel Clark

Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:02-13-17

Publisher: Kelly Miller

Summary

On edge after a two-week mandatory leave, Homicide Detective Kate Springer is blindsided when she discovers she shares a link with Tampa's newest murder victim. A troubled teen is found strangled and dumped in a remote part of town. The bond between them threatens to expose Detective Springer's past, a past she's been hell-bent on keeping secret. When the killer finally emerges from the shadows, Kate's secrets aren't the only thing on the line. So is her life.

Review

Content warning: this story deals with child abuse which may distress some readers.

Detective Kate Springer is seeing a police psychologist, ostensibly because of her involvement in a shooting incident. However, as time goes by, Kates childhood secrets, so carefully hidden in deep her mind, begin to emerge.

When called to a crime scene Kate gets a real shock when she first looks at the body of the young girl because she bears such a strong resemblance to herself at that age.

The investigating team pull in several men to assist with their murder inquiries and when Kate, by chance, sees one of them being interviewed, she is horrified, he is like a ghost risen from her secret past.

How will she cope? Can she maintain her outward composure when all the time her mind is trying to make sense of this awful situation?

This story contains some interesting characters, Kates work partner Patrick Jessop is the perfect foil for Kate with her funny little ways. They get along quite well but that doesn’t prevent Kate from hiding her secrets from him. Her relationship with her therapist is interesting too, I can see this being built upon in future books.

Though quite gripping and fast moving for the most part, it did seem as if certain parts were being read straight from a text book, particularly the information regarding alcoholism, for me, this somewhat intruded on the flow of the story.

I’m not usually too keen on the psychologically damaged, kick ass type of character in books, but must say, that Kate, despite her flaws, comes off as far more interesting than most.

I have made a couple of negative comments but I really did enjoy the story and would happily read more about Kate Springer, I’m sure this will be a successful series.

Ah yes, just one more thing, I’m sure all us frumpier RNs didn’t take too much offence!

Narrated by Angel Clarke who is a seasoned performer with several audiobooks under her belt. Her experience shines through, I loved her as Kelly in particular.

Angel brings a vitality to the characters, but a little too much at times I thought as couple of female voices were just a tad over animated for my taste.

Audiobook provided by the author in return for an unbiased review

Killer on the Fens: Joy Ellis 5 Stars

Tuesday, 4 April 2017

Series: DI Nikki Galena, Book 4

Written by: Joy Ellis

Narrated by: Henrietta Meire

Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:02-28-17

Publisher: Tantor Audio

This is the fourth book in the series and it follows on nicely from the previous books.

Nikki, still fragile following the death of her daughter, now face the inevitable loss of her father. During the end stages of his dementing illness he tells Nikki that she must “find Eve”.

DS Joseph Easter is on leave, his daughter Tamsin is staying with him, their relationship is still on very shaky ground. Deciding that they both needed something that they could do together, Joseph asks Tamsin to help him find the elusive Eve. Joseph is surprised at Tamsin’s efficiency and skill at putting together all the little clues gleaned from old papers and photographs.

Meanwhile Nikki must solve what turns out to be an extraordinary and complex case, her investigations lead her to a very strange and eerie underground location.

It all begins with the discovery of a badly injured young man who had fallen down a shaft, he was near to death. Later, when the murders begin, this young man is brought to Nikki’s attention. His grandmother is missing, as are some of the stray animals she had adopted.

Strange lights appear on the Fens, they are witnessed by police officers but their source cannot be found. Are they connected to the murders?

This is another intriguing mystery story in a series that continues to get better, and, in my opinion, this is the best one yet.

For those who love audiobooks, the narrator can make or break a story.

Luckily for us listeners Henrietta Meire continues to narrate this series and, as always, does a great job. Take a look at my reviews of previous “Fens” mysteries to read more about Henrietta. This recording is of excellent quality.

Copy provided by Tantor Media for an unbiased review

Links to

Book 3 Hunted on the Fens

Book 2 Shadow over the Fens

The Dry: Jane Harper, 5 stars

Tuesday, 7 March 2017

The Dry

Written by: Jane Harper

Narrated by: Steve Shanahan

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

U.S. Publisher: Macmillan Audio

ISBN: 9781250117632

Australian Publisher: Wavesound Audio

Publishers Summary:

After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke’s steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn’t tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead.

Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets.

A bit more about the book .....

Some twenty years after being hounded out of Kiewarra, Aaron Falk is back, summoned by a note from Gerry Hadler, the father of his old friend Luke.

The note read:

“Luke lied, you lied. Be at the funeral”

Review

Apart from being uniquely Australian, there is definitely something a bit special about this book.

The writing, whilst not flowery, is beautifully descriptive, easy to read with not a wasted word.

There are no blazing blue lights, wailing sirens or high octane action to drive this story, it is all about the characters, the narrative and the search for secrets.

Some of the characters are not quite as they first seem, but the truth of their lives is divulged in an enticingly measured manner. This leads the reader to doubt their true natures, one minute you are trusting someone and the next you find yourself feeling a bit mistrustful, even of Falk himself.

This is an outstanding, satisfying read.

The audiobook is narrated by Steven Shanahan, an Australian voice-over artist with a really easy on the ear voice and accent.

His style is so very different to that of other narrators in that he seems mainly to use one voice, however, subtle nuances of tone, rhythm plus little vocal sound effects do identify the characters. Very clever!

Whatever his technique is, it certainly works, as it feels just like someone sitting down with you and telling you a story, a more intimate style which works perfectly for The Dry.

I don’t know who picks narrators but I think author Jane Harper must be absolutely thrilled with whoever chose Steve Shanahan. I'm hoping he will be narrating more audiobooks.

An outstanding story, an excellent narrator and a high quality recording, what more could you want?

Review copy provided by Macmillan Audio

Last word

Yes, this prize winning debut novel by Jane Harper certainly lives up to the hype. In fact the story of how the book came about is a pretty incredible story in itself, well worth visiting her website to find out. Take a look at The Road to Publication (bottom of page) Here

Huntsman = a spider, a very, very large spider as big as handspan, luckily it is harmless!

Ute = Utility vehicle known elsewhere as a pick-up truck

Shadow over the Fens: by Joy Ellis

Friday, 10 February 2017

Shadow over the Fens: DI Nikki Galena Series, Book 2
Author Joy Ellis
Narrated by Henrietta Meire
Publication date Dec 27, 2016
Running time 7 hrs 22 min
Publisher: Tantor Audio
4 Stars

Publishers Summary
Detective Nikki Galena’s friend and neighbour meets a tragic end but there’s more to his death than meets the eye . . .

And someone terrible from DS Joseph Easter’s past is back . . .
A man is found executed on a piece of wasteland in Greenborough town. The cold-blooded murder triggers terrible memories for DS Joseph Easter.
Just when things seemed to be going well for DS Easter, he realises that the nightmare is coming back, threatening his career, his sanity, and maybe his life.
In a breath-taking conclusion even Nikki begins to doubt DS Easter as he faces a race against time to save someone very close to him.
Review
This second book follows straight on from the first, Nikki Galena and Joe Easter now are working together in the Fens area.
When Nikki’s neighbour, Martin Durham, calls by her cottage one day he offers to slap a coat of paint on her garden gate. Next thing she knows is that Martin, acting like a crazed man, careers up the steps of the church tower and jumps off to his death. Nikki does not accept that he took his own life despite it being the obvious conclusion, she decides to dig around to see what she can uncover …

The sight of a murder victim shocks Joe Easter almost beyond words, he fears his old nemesis has returned to persecute him. Meanwhile, he has met a woman who just might be the one for him …

There is a lot going on in this twisty tale, eventually the strands merge to reveal a very smart and well written plot. Plenty of action and suspense keep the reader well engaged throughout, plus there is an exciting end!

The single most impressive thing about this story for me is how well the author has developed the character of Nikki Galena. In the first book Nikki was the ubiquitous arrogant and flawed cop who always knows best, the one who always somehow avoids getting kicked off the job.
Thankfully, in this second book her character is far more realistic. She remains tough, edgy and strong but is far more believable.
I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys police procedurals with a good, twisty plot.
Narration
Narrated by Henrietta Meire who gives us an excellent performance. I thought she captured Nikki’s accent and character particularly well, brisk and to the point with a bit of attitude.
All the characters are well differentiated which is pretty important when listening to a story.
Her voice is pleasing to the ear and has good rhythm and cadence.
Excellent recording quality.
Review copy provided by Tantor Audio

Retribution: Harry Starke Book 7: 5 Stars

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Written by: Blair Howard

Narrated by: Tom Lennon

Length: 5 hrs and 53 mins

Series: Harry Starke, Book 7

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:09-20-16

Publisher: Blair Howard

Publishers Summary

Shadows from the past. A brutal murder. This time it's personal.

It takes only one phone call to turn Harry Starke into a monster. It begins when Harry's kid brother is brutally murdered, his body thrown into the murky waters of the Tennessee River. That alone would be enough to set Harry on the warpath, but less than 24 hours after the body is found, Harry finds out there's a bounty on his head, too. $25,000. His answer? Strike first and strike hard. And so it begins. Harry and his army of three must go up against old enemies, but they face almost insurmountable odds when they go looking for retribution.

Review

What marks the Harry Starke books above many a P.I. series is that each book is so different to the other. There’s nothing run of the mill about this series, it never gets stale, and in this book we see yet another side of Harrys complex character.

“Retribution” begins with so much happiness, Harry, August, his father, Rose his stepmother and Amanda his fiancee are at the country club. Rose pushes Harry and Amanda for a wedding date, Harry surprises them all with not only a date, but also, actual wedding plans. A great celebration is arranged and everyone is over the moon.

Not for long though, when Harry is told the terrible news of his brothers death he puts life on hold. He vows to find the murderer.

His quest for retribution results in his life and the lives of his family and staff being put in great danger. To avenge his brothers death Harry and his team of two face seemingly impossible odds, there is a lot of gunfire and there’s violence aplenty. What follows is a dangerous, exciting and nail biting adventure.

How the heck does he get out of this one?

Yes, there is a lot of violence in this book but it is balanced out with some tender and moving moments as the family bonds are strengthened in their time of grief.

To get the full back story on Harry and all the other characters it is well worth reading the earlier books in this series

Narrated by Tom Lennon who, once again, succeeds in bringing Harry and all the characters to life. Most audiobook fans agree that a good narrator adds an extra dimension to a story thereby making it that much more enjoyable, and Tom Lennon excels in doing just that. Top job Tom!

Audiobook provided by Narrator, author or publisher for unbiased review

click on the links to read reviews of previous Harry Starke books:

Harm: Rina Walker Book One: 5 Stars

Saturday, 10 December 2016

Written by: Hugh Fraser

Narrated by: Annie Aldington

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date: 14/07/2016

Publisher: Audible Studios

Source: Own copy

Publishers Summary

Acapulco, 1974: Rina Walker is on assignment. Just another quick, clean kill. She wakes to discover her employer's severed head on her bedside table and a man with an AK-47 coming through the door of her hotel room. She needs all her skills to neutralise her attacker and escape. After a car chase, she is captured by a Mexican drug boss who exploits her radiant beauty and ruthless expertise to eliminate an inconvenient member of the government.

Notting Hill, 1956: Fifteen-year-old Rina is scavenging and stealing to support her siblings and her alcoholic mother. When a local gangster attacks her younger sister, Rina wreaks violent revenge and murders him. Innocence betrayed, Rina faces the brutality of the postwar London underworld - a world that teaches her the skills she needs to kill….

Review

I loved this story!

It isn’t often that I get so deeply immersed in a story so quickly. Half-way through the first chapter I knew I’d find it hard to stop reading, or, in my case, listening ….

Rina, beautiful, strangely compelling Rina, discovered that the reason for her abduction was because the drugs lord needed her to kill an enemy. His logic for choosing Rina was because of her ability to attract men and, of course, her job skills. Her pay off would be generous but would she live to collect?

From then on there follows an amazing adventure made all the more hairy by Rina not knowing who she can trust …

The story moves between 1974, Rina’s adult years and 1956, when Rina was fifteen years old and caring for both her siblings and her incapacitated mother, they were living a desolate and demeaning hand to mouth existence. People did what they had to do in order to make life a little more tolerable, Rina, at fifteen years old, committed her first hit.

The story is utterly compelling from the very beginning to the very end, the characters are vibrant and diverse, and the writing style is clean, uncluttered and flows beautifully.

The vivid descriptions of the living conditions endured by the poor are quite moving: the over crowding; the unsanitary conditions and the ever present fear of eviction.

It’s the use of the parlance of those times and the inclusion of little details which adds both authenticity and flavour to the story. Not many people have to “pull the chain” in the lavatory these days, and certainly nobody has to deal with the old telephone kiosks with their button A and button B.

The story stayed with me long after I finished it, wondering how Rina came to be that person who kills for money, the bigger question though is how on earth did the author get me to be rooting for her!

Narrator

Narrated by Annie Aldington, a renowned British actress and voiceover artist. Her talent is obvious from the very start of this high quality recording. For me, one of the most important qualities of a good narrator is the ability to produce well differentiated and consistent characters, a talent that Annie has in abundance. I also admire her ability to portray emotion - or lack of - in her characters, there no overacting here. Excellent job which added to my enjoyment of this book.

Source: Own copy purchased from Audible Australia

The Dress Shop of Dreams: 5 STARS

Thursday, 24 November 2016

Written by: Menna van Praag

Narrated by: Jane Carr

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:05/05/2016

Publisher: Lamplight Audio

Source: Purchased Copy

5 STARS

Publishers Summary

Since her parents' mysterious deaths many years ago, scientist Cora Sparks has spent her days in the safety of her university lab or at her grandmother Etta's dress shop.

Tucked away on a winding Cambridge street, Etta's charming tiny store appears quite ordinary to passers-by, but the colourfully vibrant racks of beaded silks, delicate laces and jewel-toned velvets hold bewitching secrets - with just a few stitches from Etta's needle, these gorgeous gowns have the power to free a woman's deepest desires….

Review

A Serendipitous Purchase ...

This book is so very different to my usual crime fiction picks that even I wondered why I bought it. The thing is, I was in a bit of a reading slump, the audiobook on my app was awful, in both content and quality, so I returned it to Audible, something I rarely do.

I opened my Audible Australia page ready to spend my new credit and there, floating along on the slider, was this book entitled “The Dress Shop of Dreams” and I was, quite simply, drawn to it.

A whimsical turn in behaviour for me I can tell you!

I was rapidly immersed in this entrancing story of clever Cora the scientist who lived for two things; her work and to discover the truth surrounding the death of her parents. Her Aunt Etta who, in her own special way, liked nothing better than to make right the troubled lives of others, and Walt, hapless Walt who had loved Cora since childhood.

The most fascinating aspect of the story is Etta’s Gift. She would just know if any of her customers were in need, she would sew her little red star into a dress and persuade them to try it on. Immediately they would feel transformed, and able to do whatever it took to change their lives for the better.

The story is, in fact a little more complex than it at first seems, there’s a little magic, a little love and a little mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this heart warming story and was very happy to sit back and let the mystical tale wash over me.

Narrator

Narrated by the fabulous Jane Carr, a voice that most listeners will recognise. Jane Carr has an acting resume as long as your arm including many popular television series.

I can’t fault her performance, she is a true professional . Every character is given a distinct and appropriate voice, eliminating any doubt as to who was speaking, that is a huge plus. Pacing is perfect, and she brings a sparkling vitality to the words and so bringing the story to life

I’m glad that I disregarded the “chicklit” label!

This book earned 5 Stars for the sheer enjoyment and pleasure it brought.

Book source: Own Copy

Triple Crown by Felix Francis: 4 Stars

Wednesday, 2 November 2016

Title: Triple Crown
Author: Felix Francis
Published by: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd
Published: September 22 2016
Narrator: Martin Jarvis
Number of CDs / Tapes: 9
Duration: 9 hours 58 minutes
ISBN: 9781489352262
Source: Bolinda Publishing

Review

I was always a fan of the novels of the late Dick Francis and so was delighted to have the opportunity to review Triple Crown written by his son, Felix Francis. This is his 10th novel and the 3rd to feature Jeff (Jefferson) Hinckley who works as a (sometime) undercover operative for the British Horseracing Authority.

Triple Crown leads on from the previous book Front Runner which ended with Jeffs life being in a bit of a mess, and to add to his troubles his girlfriend had left him. He was ripe for change when he meets Tony Andretti, the deputy director of the US Federal Anti-Corruption in Sports Agency (FACSA).

Tony suspects that one of his team is leaking information to certain horse trainers because they always seem to be prepared for the raids. Wanting to bring in an unknown face he approaches Jeff as a potential investigator. Jeff and his employers agree and he soon finds himself on a plane flying off to Kentucky for the first race in the Triple crown The Kentucky Derby, where another bust has been planned. It goes terribly wrong, someone gets killed. On race day, three horses have to be withdrawn because of an unidentified illness, which strikes everyone as being highly suspicious.

Believing that he will not learn anything of much use by simply mingling and observing, Jeff thinks that his best bet will be to go undercover. Posing as an Irish groom with ID provided by FACSA he gets a job at Belmont Park, home of the Belmont Stakes. This proves to be a bit of a challenge as unlike the British strapper whose job description can include several roles, the Americans appear to have a strict hierarchy of stable staff, Jeff has to be careful cross any of those lines.

During all this time Jeff is learning a great deal about the differences between American and British horse racing, and also of the complications caused by State specific racing regulations. He finds it hard to accept some of these differences and also seems quite shocked by the American gun laws.

As the story progresses, the suspense excitement builds towards the big finale.

As mentioned, this is the third Jefferson Hinkley book but the first that I have read, however, I’m happy to recommend it as a standalone.

I really enjoyed listening to this story, but racing and horse lover that I am, I did feel that some passages were a tad over abundant with detailing the rules and regulations of the British and American racing worlds, this did impinge on the flow of the story. Also I’m not sure if American readers will appreciate some of the less than favourable comparisons between the American and British approaches to the management of horse racing - and other things! Hence the four stars.

Narrator

Narrated by Martin Jarvis who is a well respected British actor who has several television roles to his credit. He has also won many Earphone Awards and the coveted Golden Voices gong awarded to him by the highly regarded Audio File magazine.

Martin Jarvis, as would be expected, reads beautifully and easily with his lovely golden voice. It’s not all about the voice though, the cadence, rhythm and timing are spot on. Each character, being given their own voice, is easily identifiable. Wonderful job, but … perhaps Irish accents are not quite his forte?

I found the recording to be of the highest quality, crisp, clear with not one discernible glitch.

Copy provided by Bolinda Publishing for an unbiased review.

We Are Holding the President Hostage: Warren Adler 4 Stars

Thursday, 18 August 2016

Written by: Warren Adler

Narrated by: Eric Bryan Moore

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:05-18-16

Publisher: Stonehouse Productions

4 STARS

Publisher's Summary

Ageing mafia Don Salvatore Padronelli, a.k.a. the Padre, is furious when fanatical terrorists capture his beloved daughter and grandson on a trip to Egypt. Fed up with diplomatic caution that prolongs their captivity, the Padre and his loyal henchman cleverly insinuate themselves into the White House and hold the President and his wife hostage. Now the Padre calls the shots on getting the President to take steps to release his family. This classic confrontation between two men on utterly opposite sides of the law is laced with humor and illustrates how fierce paternal love can motivate even the most ruthless of gangsters into reckless acts of courage and bravery.

Review

We Are Holding the President Hostage was first published in 1986, now, 30 years later it is available as an ebook and audiobook.

The story opens in Egypt with the attempted kidnapping of an American Assistant Secretary of State, when this went awry, the terrorists immediately changed plans and kidnapped Maria Michaels and her five year old son Joey who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The kidnapper, Ahmed, has no idea that Maria is the daughter of the very powerful Mafia leader, Salvatore Padronelli “The Padre”.

The Presidents attempts to negotiate freedom for Maria and Joey are failing and the Padre is becoming very impatient.

The Padre holds a meeting and tells his men of his audacious plan.

Meanwhile, at The White House, first lady Amy Bernard is finalising plans for a grand State Dinner.

The evening of the dinner is when the Padre strikes, some of his men, dressed as waiters, snatch the President and hold him hostage in the presidential quarters.

However, things do not proceed as smoothly or as quickly as the Padre had expected.

Meanwhile, Maria and Joey are in captivity with only their basic needs being met, it is quite touching, the way Maria attempts to comfort her son.

Back at the White House it’s interesting to hear of some of the less ethical plans that some of the Presidents men come up with.

The final plan causes the First Lady to doubt her husbands integrity and the tension is building.

Though a little slow to start, this was an exciting read, I couldn’t wait to find out how they would resolve the situation, and there is a little twist in the tail.

I would also recommend it even if the reader has no interest in politics.

Narrator

Eric Bryan Moore has a versatile voice ranging from the trusting to the menacing. His good pace and rhythm carries the story well and makes it an easy listen. He gave a distinct voice to each character of which there were many, the accents, again, quite a few, sounded natural and authentic.

I hope we will be hearing more of him in the future

Audiobook provided by the producer, author or narrator in return for an unbiased review

Rain Dogs: Adrian McKinty 5 STARS

Monday, 15 August 2016

Written by: Adrian McKinty
Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
Series: The Troubles, Book 5
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:08/03/2016
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
5 STARS
Source: Own copy

Publishers Summary
Rain Dogs, a stunning instalment in the Sean Duffy thriller series, following the Edgar Award-nominated Gun Street Girl, is "another standout in a superior series" (Booklist).
It's just the same things over and again for Sean Duffy: riot duty, heartbreak, cases he can solve but never get to court. But what detective gets two locked-room mysteries in one career?
When journalist Lily Bigelow is found dead in the courtyard of Carrickfergus castle, it looks like a suicide. Yet there are a few things that bother Duffy just enough to keep the case file open, which is how he finds out that Bigelow was working on a devastating investigation of corruption and abuse at the highest levels of power in the UK and beyond. And so Duffy has two impossible problems on his desk: Who killed Lily Bigelow? And what were they trying to hide?
©2016 Adrian McKinty (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review
What a great opening chapter! Yes, Duffy is in his riot gear again, but on this day he and his men are detailed to protect a very special visitor. Muhammad Ali is visiting Belfast on his Peace Initiative tour. Thousands turn out to see him, all the bigwigs are there, even little (elevated) Bono is all excited.
Not all are friendly though, the National Front are there shouting their hateful racist bullshite. Then the unthinkable happens, the protectors nightmare; Ali goes walkabout and heads straight for the heckling skinheads! Fearing the worst, his protectors try to get to him, to take him to safety, but then the strangest thing happens …..

His hero now safe, Duffy goes home to Coronation Road where a nasty shock awaits. His lovely Beth, she of the questionable taste in music, but with the razor sharp wit, tells Duffy she is leaving in the morning. He didn't see that coming! He had thought that something which had begun as a temporary arrangement had settled nicely into something more permanent.
Work is an immediate distraction though, Duffy is called out to investigate a petty offence, a wallet stolen from an hotel room, it only contained twenty pounds so hardly called for the attention of an inspector. However, the complainant is a foreign business man , the city needs his investment money, Duffy is told sort it. During his investigation at the hotel Duffy meets up with Financial Times reporter Lily Bigelow, she is there to report on the Finnish business dealings. Hearing the activity she turns up, notebook at the ready, hoping for a story.

Lily is found dead, seemingly she jumped from the Carrickfergus castle. Duffy and his surreptitiously irreverent young sidekick, Lawson, attend. Cause of death appears to be suicide but this changes, not only does Duffy have a murder to solve, it is a Locked Room Murder!
When Lily’s missing notebook is found they discover that she was following up on a tip-off about a potential sex scandal, a well known TV celebrity is involved and gets a visit from the RUC. In fact their investigations require a bit of world travel, stretching the budget to its limits, much to the ire of Dalziel the budget man (pronounced differently to the Dalziel of the Dalziel and Pascoe TV series, who likes to be called “Dee-al”).
Young Alexander Lawson gets a well deserved prominence in this book, I love his wit, and please don’t let anything happen to Crabbie, (McCrabben) my favourite character,

This book is a little different to the others in the series, Duffy seems to be less angst ridden, less tortured by his thoughts, he is still drinking, still toking, but maybe not in such a desperate manner. He seems a little calmer, that is until his Beemer gets nicked, then he gets mad “call Interpol!”.
Luckily a good deed is repaid and his beloved Beemer is returned safe and sound.
As usual, Adrian McKinty gives his readers top value for money with a book filled to bursting with sheer good reading.

Narrator
What can I say about Gerard Doyle that I haven’t said before, there comes a point when the use of too many superlatives sounds a bit ridiculous. Suffice to say he is a magnificent narrator; top of the line; best in the biz; storyteller extraordinaire, well, you catch my drift! …..
This audiobook is my own copy.
Authors Website
To read my review of the first in series The Cold Cold Ground click here
To listen to a sample or purchase: Audible Australia
Audible U.S.
Audible U.K.

Career of Evil: 2 Stars

Sunday, 7 August 2016

Author: Robert Galbraith

Narrator: Robert Glenister

Series: Cormoran Strike Book 3

Length: 17 hours 54 minutes

Source: own copy

2 Stars

The severed leg is delivered, the horror begins .....
I really liked the first in series, The Cuckoos Calling, even though it was a bit dark for my taste. The second book: The Silkworm, I found disappointing, now this, the third in the series I found to be simply distasteful and silly.

There is a lot of grim, dark and deviant goings on, too much for me, it is as if some of it was plonked in merely for shock value. Much of it seemed superfluous to the story, but maybe the author just enjoys writing about the macabre, I know that plenty of people enjoy reading that stuff.

Strikes character changes in this book and I, who was so fond of that character especially with his Cornish background and interesting family, now find him slightly farcical, especially so at the end of the book.

It is an unnecessarily long book, nearly eighteen hours but I did finish it, judicious editing of waffle could probably cut that back to eight. No, there won't be anymore Cormoran Strike books for me.

Narrator

Robert Glenister does a great job with Strikes' accent, which is that of a man raised in Cornwall but who has lived his adult years in England. He also does an excellent deep, dark, evil and creepy voice, I had no issues with his accents or voices at all, but maybe he didn't much like the story either because some of it just sounded a bit off-hand, as if he were a little bit bored with it all. Well, it did go on a bit! However, it is a really good quality production.

Guilty as Sin

Saturday, 23 July 2016

Written by: Adam Croft
Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins
Series: Knight & Culverhouse, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:07-06-16
Publisher: Adam Croft
3 Stars
Publishers Summary
When 17-year-old Danielle Levy goes missing, DS Wendy Knight and DCI Jack Culverhouse believe they have a routine case on their hands. Later, when a prominent local businessman is found dead in his warehouse, however, the case takes a whole new disturbing turn as Knight and Culverhouse begin to unravel the connections between the two cases, which leads to a dark and disturbing secret.
Review
Guilty as Sin is the second book in the Knight and Culverhouse series, the author provides just enough back story for this to be a standalone read.
I thought the opening was promising and the idea for the plot interesting, but what could have been a big story just fell short of the mark for me.
I enjoyed some of the characters but I'm not sure about Wendy, it didn't seem right to me that the police force would have allowed her to return to such a responsible position so soon after suffering such horrific personal traumas.
It was a bit too gory for me but that is just a personal opinion, if you don't mind a bit of gore there is a very good murder scene!
For me there was just too much going on for such a short book, and it lacked polish but it was worth reading for the twist at the end.
Narrator
Excellent narration by Nigel Patterson, I like his voice, so easy to listen to and he is so good at accents. His characters are all so believable and realistic, a pleasure to listen to.
Audiobook provided by the author, narrator or publisher in return for an unbiased review

One Dead Two to Go

Friday, 22 July 2016

Written by: Elena Hartwell
Narrated by: Moira Driscoll
Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins
Series: Eddie Shoes Mystery, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:04-15-16
Publisher: Audible Studios
5 STARS

Publishers Summary
Private Investigator Edwina "Eddie Shoes" Schultz's most recent job has her parked outside a seedy Bellingham hotel, photographing her quarry as he kisses his mistress goodbye. This is the last anyone will see of the woman...alive. Her body is later found dumped in an abandoned building. Eddie's client, Kendra Hallings, disappears soon after. Eddie hates to be stiffed for her fee, but she has to wonder if Kendra could be in trouble too. Or is she the killer?
Eddie usually balks at matters requiring a gun, but before she knows it, she is knee-deep in dangerous company, spurred on by her card-counting adrenaline-junkie mother who has shown up on her doorstep fresh from the shenanigans that got her kicked out of Vegas. Chava is only 16 years older than Eddie and sadly lacking in parenting skills. Her unique areas of expertise, however, prove to be helpful in ways Eddie can't deny, making it hard to stop Chava from tagging along.
Also investigating the homicide is Detective Chance Parker, new to Bellingham's Major Crimes unit, but no stranger to Eddie. Their history as a couple back in Seattle is one more kink in a chain of complications, making Eddie's case more frustrating and perilous with each tick of the clock.
©2016 Elena Hartwell (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review
This is great start to a new series, Edwina Schultz was right to change her name "Eddie Shoes" is a far more appropriate and cool name for a Private Investigator. She herself is cool and feisty, but she isn't one of those hard headed female P.I.s who are always making ridiculous choices that land them in predictably dangerous situations.

I enjoyed the plot, being a relatively short book it moves along at quite a pace which keeps the reader interested.
Eddie gets a lot more than she bargained for when she takes on the case of the wronged wife looking for hard evidence of her husbands infidelity. When Kendra, the mistress, turns up dead the action starts.

Just to add to Eddies problems Chava, her mother turns up. Chava, being a mere 16 years older than her daughter, has not been the most motherly of mothers. Now she has got herself in to a bit of a fix and needs a roof over her head for a while and decides to visit her daughter. She is a wonderfully written character, quirky and just as feisty as her daughter bringing a whole new and interesting dynamic to the story. I hope she stays around a long time as I loved reading about their evolving relationship.

Later in the story a mysterious hero comes to Eddies rescue, a fabulous chap, a real big fella whom I'm pretty sure we will all come to love.

I thought that this was a thoroughly enjoyable story, well written with fresh and interesting characters, hopefully this is the first of a nice long series.

Narrator
Moira Driscoll was an excellent choice for this book, she gave each character a distinctive and easily identifiable voice. I thought she captured Eddies character perfectly, lively and feisty when appropriate, I especially appreciated how she conveyed all the hidden undercurrents of emotion in the relationship between Eddie and Chava. An all round high quality production.

Audiobook provided by the author, publisher or narrator in return for an unbiased review

Oil and Marble

Thursday, 21 July 2016

Written by: Stephanie Storey
Narrated by: P. J. Ochlan
Length: 13 hrs and 34 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:06-10-16
Publisher: Audible Studios
5 STARS

Publishers Summary
From 1501 to 1505, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti both lived and worked in Florence. Leonardo was a charming, handsome 50-year-old at the peak of his career. Michelangelo was a temperamental sculptor in his mid-20s, desperate to make a name for himself.
Michelangelo is a virtual unknown when he returns to Florence and wins the commission to carve what will become one of the most famous sculptures of all time: David. Even though his impoverished family shuns him for being an artist, he is desperate to support them. Living at the foot of his misshapen block of marble, Michelangelo struggles until the stone finally begins to speak. Working against an impossible deadline, he begins his feverish carving.
Meanwhile, Leonardo's life is falling apart: He loses the hoped-for David commission; he can't seem to finish any project; he is obsessed with his ungainly flying machine; he almost dies in war; his engineering designs disastrously fail; and he is haunted by a woman he has seen in the market - a merchant's wife, whom he is finally commissioned to paint. Her name is Lisa, and she becomes his muse.
Leonardo despises Michelangelo for his youth and lack of sophistication. Michelangelo both loathes and worships Leonardo's genius.
Oil and Marble is the story of their nearly forgotten rivalry. Storey brings early 16th-century Florence alive and has entered with extraordinary empathy into the minds and souls of two Renaissance masters. The book is an art history thriller.
©2016 Stephanie Storey (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review
I rarely read book reviews until after I have read the book and posted my own, but in this case I made an exception because the genre is so far outside of that which I usually read. What I found were some wonderful reviews written by some very enthusiastic and seemingly knowledgeable art lovers, so, as one who knows very little about art, my review will be from a very non-arty-type point of view.

I did find it a little hard to get immersed in the story, but once I changed my mindset from worrying about what is fact and what is fiction to one of simply listening to and enjoying the story for what it is, (fiction loosely based on fact) I really got into it and enjoyed it.
No art expertise required!

The main story is, of course, based on the rivalry between da Vinci and Michelangelo, both being attributed with artistic temperaments and each man being highly reactive to the achievements of the other. Each artist is featured in alternating chapters; their lives, families, loves and their careers, the highs and the lows.

Despite the rivalry and dislike between the two men, the older daVinci is shocked and distressed when he hears that Michelangelos' completed statue of David might have suffered damage at the hands of vandals. This revealed another side to his character; the side that believes that, above all else, art is everything.
I enjoyed the chapters about daVinci more so than those about Michelangelo, I'm not sure why, maybe because he was older and had more interesting things going on in his life; the account of his attempt to re-route the river in order to prevent flooding was fascinating to me. He seemed always to be working on various projects, improving the old and inventing the new.

Michelangelo seemed to have but one obsession, his "David", he also seemed to spend a great deal of time feeling hard done by and sorry for himself, but then, those characteristics may have been the result of the authors artistic licence.

I loved the accounts of how people lived in those times, the streets, the buildings, the food and drink, their clothing. I can't imagine how many hours that the author would have spent in researching this for her work, dedication indeed!

I would highly recommend this book to those who love historical fiction, but art lovers, especially those who are really knowledgable, do need to bear in mind that, despite the factual content, it is a work off fiction.

Narrator
A narration of well over 13 hours and with many characters is no mean undertaking and I admire the narrator, P. J. Ochlan, for his consistency. Each character has an Italian accent and P.J. Ochlan succeeded in giving each one a distinct voice, I enjoyed them all, I thought he captured the complaining tone of Michelangelo perfectly.
I did find that listening to the Italian accents a bit wearing, but that really is just a personal preference, many audiobook listeners believe that accents add a nice touch of authenticity.

Audiobook provided by the author, narrator or publisher in return for an unbiased review

Louisiana Hotshot: Talba Wallis

Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Written by: Julie Smith
Narrated by: Nan McNamara

Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:04-05-16
Publisher: booksBnimble
Series: Talba Wallis Book 1
5 Stars

Publishers Summary

Confirmed grump Eddie Valentino placed the ad. Hotshot 20-something Talba Wallis knew exactly how to answer it.
And thus was born the dynamic duo of New Orleans private detectives, one cynical, 65-year-old Luddite white dude with street smarts, and one young, bright-eyed, 21st century African-American female poet, performance artist, mistress of disguise, and computer jock extraordinaire. Think Queen Latifah and Danny DeVito.
In Louisiana Hotshot, their job is to hunt down a sociopath and pedophile who's molested the 14-year-old daughter of their client, hangs out on the ragged edges of the rap and recording industries, and has more powerful allies than a Cabinet member.
But both detectives have unfinished business from the past - in Eddie's case, something he deeply regrets; in Talba's, a personal mystery, one so frightening no one will help her investigate. But she knows she won't sleep till she solves it - and the truth will change her forever.
Review
First up, just a little warning, this book is described as a Humorous Mystery but if you are expecting a cozy, just be aware that there is some strong language flying around!
It all begins with Talbas' mother, Miz Clara, thinking it about time her daughter got herself a job she scans the ads and discovers this gem:
"Nerd wanted. Nerdette wouldn’t be too bad. Young hotshot, under thirty, 5 yrs. computer, 10 yrs. investigative exp. Harvard ed., no visible piercings. Must play the computer like Horowitz played piano. Slave wages".
The ad. was placed by private detective Eddie Valentino but what neither he nor Talba knew was that Angela, Eddies daughter, had written a spoof ad., never imagining that he would actually run it!
Not worrying about such trifles as arranging an interview, Talba goes online, gets the lowdown on Eddie (and his family) and off she goes to see him. Eddie, feeling a bit blindsided isn't sure that Talba is quite suitable, despite the fact that she tells him that she is as much of a hotshot as he is likely to get.
Angela can't believe that someone actually answered the advertisement, she does a background check and discovers that Talba is a poet, the Baroness de Pontalba no less!
That night Angela takes Eddie and her mother to watch Talba perform. Talba gets the job.
The Poem
Tabitha raps out a poem about how she got her name, not Tabitha, not the Baroness, but a name that a cruel minded doctor suggested to Miz Clara. I loved this poem, and this is where audiobooks come in to their own, actually hearing it being recited (or rapped?) really conveyed the story in all its poignancy. The cruelty and humiliation of the name becomes more evident as the story progresses
Eddie has problems of his own so Talba takes on more than she ought, her lack of experience lands her in a few difficulties. She then adds to her problems by going against the wishes of her family by insisting on uncovering a long held secret.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mystery and humour, but wants something a little deeper and more complex.
Narrator
Narrated by Nan McNamara who did such a wonderful job of giving each character a distinct voice and personality. I've never been a follower of rap poetry but I have to say, her rendition of Talbas' poem was, quite simply, outstanding and not likely to be soon forgotten.
Audiobook provided by the producer, author or narrator for an unbiased review
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