Tom Lennon / Audiobook and Book Reviews by Audiothing

Tom Lennon

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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

Without Remorse: The Harry Starke Novels, Book 9

Thursday, 9 March 2017

Without Remorse: The Harry Starke Novels, Book 9

Written by: Blair Howard

Narrated by: Tom Lennon

Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins

Series: Harry Starke, Book 9

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:01-31-17

Publisher: Blair Howard

5 Stars

Publishers Summary

On a balmy afternoon in May 2002, wealthy stockbroker Peter Nicholson was turkey hunting with three friends in Prentice Cooper State Forest when he tripped, fell on his shotgun, and accidentally shot himself...dead, but did he? 15 years later, as a last resort, Nicholson's mother asks Harry Starke to find the truth. As we all know, Harry loves a cold case, but...as always, there's a twist in the tale.

Review

When Harry returned to work after his last adventure it was to discover that his staff were so efficient that they had nothing for him to do. Amanda was busy trying to get her old job back, Kate was busy, even Jaque was too busy to chat. He was a bit put out about this …. and Harry was bored!

That is until Helen Nicholson walked in. Helen did not believe that her son Peter shot himself, she was convinced it was murder. Having made several unsuccessful attempts to get the case reopened, she was looking for someone to dig up fresh evidence. She did not expect Harry to accept the case.

Well, of course, being Harry - a bored Harry, he surprised her by accepting.

However, when she told him who her sons shooting companions were on that day Harry could see why

1: nobody else wanted to touch it and

2: that this was going to be a very, very tough assignment.

You see, one was now a senior circuit judge, one was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and the third, a high flying lawyer.

Harry was right, it was tough going, but what an assignment it proved to be! Can Harry win this one?

In true Blair Howard style we get a fully engaging fast paced yarn, inhabited by all those wonderful, richly developed characters that Harry fans have come to know and love. Have no doubt, Without Remorse will keep you guessing.

Yes, narrator Tom Lennon lives up to our expectations again, giving us yet another outstanding performance and a high quality recording, thanks Tom.

Copy provided by narrator for review purposes

Calypso: The Harry Starke Novels, Book 8

Monday, 20 February 2017

Written by: Blair Howard

Narrated by: Tom Lennon

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Series: Harry Starke, Book 8

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:11-04-16

Publisher: Blair Howard

Publishers Summary

"There are four basic reasons why someone commits murder. The first and most powerful is love. The second - equally powerful - is hate. Almost equally compelling is revenge. The fourth is profit. Money. When one family member kills another, one or more of them is almost always the motive, and the murders on Calypso Key were no exception." - Harry Starke

Review

Every book in this series has something new and fresh to offer the fans of the Harry Starke series and this one is no exception. Harry has gathered all those close to him, family, friends and employees and swept them off to a beautiful exotic location to witness his marriage to the beautiful Amanda. Of course, where Harry is concerned, trouble is always just around the corner ….

A murder, right there on the island and he has no choice but to give in to the plea for his help from the victims father. “But” bewails Harry “I’m on my honeymoon”. August, his father, explains to Harry that they both owe this man a huge debt of gratitude, when Harry learns the reason for this debt, he has no option but to help.

Suspects soon arise, and in what is a “locked room” mystery, albeit on an island, Harry must discover which one is the murderer - all without the benefits of specifically trained investigators and on the spot forensic amenities.

Come along and enjoy the ride, another great Harry Starke investigation from author Blair Howard.

Narrator

….and another great narration from Tom Lennon who never fails to deliver the goods. The voice, the delivery and the outstanding interpretation of the characters all combine to provide a wonderful, high quality listening experience

Audiobook review copy provided by the publisher

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:

The White Russian Caper: The Damien Dickens Mysteries 5 Stars

Friday, 4 November 2016

Written by: Phyllis Entis
Narrated by: Tom Lennon
Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
Series: Damien Dickens Mysteries, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:08-05-16
Publisher: Quintzy Press
Whispersync for Voice-ready

Summary
A mortally wounded Miss America entrusts a mysterious Russian coin to Damien Dickens, PI, before she dies. After Damien disappears while researching the significance of the coin, Millie tracks her husband's abductor to Florida. When his captor falls to his death from the balcony of a seventh floor apartment, Damien escapes; then he and Millie join forces to unravel the web of intrigue surrounding the Russian coin and its connection to the murder of Miss America.

Review
This is the second book in the series and can probably be read as a standalone, but I would highly recommend that you read The Green Pearl Caper first.

Damien gets a call for help from the somewhat foppish Stephane Major, manager of the Boardwalk Hall, home of the Miss America Pageant. The good Mr. Major is overwrought, Miss America is missing! Damien agrees to meet him at the Boardwalk Hotel and Casino where Miss America - aka Miss Cynthia Mills - has her suite.
When Damien searches her rooms he discovers her in the bathroom. She has been badly beaten and is on the point of death, but she manages to convey to him that he must safeguard an old coin. She dies before she can provide any more information.
The distraught Stephane Major begs Damien for help, Damien accepts, but his investigations lead him in to great danger and he is abducted.

His resourceful wife Millie decides that she will find her husband who, having escaped from his captors has had to undertake a gruelling trek from somewhere in the wilds to somewhere civilised. He becomes ill and confused, eventually a police officer, thinking that Damien was drunk, drugged or crazy, approached him to see what his problem was and, as thanks, got his nose broken! Damien is taken to hospital but nobody knows who he is.
Meanwhile, Millie is still searching for him, and there follows great drama and excitement.

We were introduced to Millie in the first Damien Dickens mystery, "The Green Pearl Caper".
Millie worked as Damien's secretary until things went awry, but happily, they were eventually married. I was delighted to discover that in this latest mystery, Millie's character has been greatly expanded, part of this book is written from Millie's point of view, which, in my opinion is an excellent move, adding dimension and interest to the story.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable listen, a great mystery, lovely ending and with some wonderful characters, Particularly Millie and the unforgettable Mr. Stephane Major, n’est-ce pas?

Narrated by Tom Lennon who, once more does an excellent job. By using just the subtlest changes of tone, rhythm and pitch he makes each character so distinct and recognisable. He is very easy to listen to, his voice never intrudes upon the story but enhances it.
The recording quality is excellent.
Audiobook provided by the narrator, author or publisher for an unbiased review

The Green Pearl Caper

Friday, 1 July 2016

Written by: Phyllis Entis
Narrated by: Tom Lennon
Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:05-25-16
Publisher: Quintzy Press
4 STARS

Publishers Summary
Celine Sutherland is dead - her body half-hidden under the Atlantic City Boardwalk - and Damien Dickens, P.I. killed her. Detective Lt. James Holmes found Damien's gun and wallet near the crime scene, and discovered Celine's cash-filled, emerald-studded evening bag hidden in Damien's apartment. Sylvia Sutherland, Celine's older sister and CEO of the family's tobacco empire, insists that Dickens pulled the trigger. And the Sutherlands carry a lot of influence in Atlantic City. Even Damien's secretary has deserted him - gone to work for the Sutherlands. Only Celine's younger sister, Susan, believes in his innocence. After Susan bails him out of jail, Damien follows his gut and a series of clues in order to clear his name. His quest takes him to several Atlantic City landmarks, inland to Everettville, a small New Jersey town, and north to Vermont, where he confronts Celine's killer.
The Green Pearl Caper, set in the summer of 1979, is the first in a series of Damien Dickens mysteries.
©2015 Phyllis Entis (P)2016 Phyllis Entis

Review
Damien Dickens (Dick) had been set up as the murderer of Celine Sutherland, he feels responsible for her death as he had failed to protect her. This drives him to discover who is the true murderer, he is hampered in his investigations because the police find so much evidence against him.
The story is set in the 70s when, of course, all the whizbang technology of today had yet to be invented, this meant a lot of legwork for Dick. It was quite interesting really to hear of some of the investigative techniques used back then, like the close examination of typewriter ribbons!
The story is full of twists and turns and though slow in parts, does have an interesting plot to engage the reader and the ending has a couple of unpredictable surprises.
Having three women with names beginning with the same sounding letter was a bit offputting, but that's just a personal peeve.

Tom Lennon gives his usual superb performance, but both narrator and author were let down by whoever is responsible for sound quality. Very frequent changes in pitch and volume along with echo interfered with my enjoyment of this audiobook, the poor quality made it difficult to concentrate on the story.

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

Hill House: Harry Starke 3

Tuesday, 14 June 2016

Written by: Blair Howard
Narrated by: Tom Lennon
Length: 8 hrs
Series: Harry Starke, Book 3
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:02-24-16
Publisher: Blair Howard
5 STARS
Publishers Summary (extract)
For more than ten years, she lay beneath the floorboards of Hill House. For more than ten years, she waited. Who was she? Who put her there? Why? Harry Starke vows to find the answers to those questions, but to do so he must embark upon an investigation that will put him and those close to him in deadly danger, take him deep into the underground city, the Dark Web, murder, organized crime, prostitution, and human trafficking.
©2015 Blair Howard (P)2016 Blair Howard
Review
The beginning of this book is very atmospheric and just a little bit dark and it hooked me in straight away. Hill House was about to be demolished, some young fellas go in to help themselves to the floorboards hoping to make a bit of money by selling them. A grisly discovery is made. A body is found under the boards. The body has been there for some time and doesn't fit any of the missing persons descriptions.
They find out that the old house was once a shelter for young people, but it's not as simple as tracing the owners. The investigations lead Harry and the police into some very disturbing situations involving some very dark and disturbing people. Yet even these people aren't quite as they seem.
Harry comes up against an old adversary and things get violent, he is upset because his work has put his staff at risk of injury or worse. The way he deals with this particular situation gives us some real hard boiled "Harry Starke" moments, quite hair raising at times.
Harry continues to work well with his former girlfriend the police officer Kate and I really enjoy the way she treats him, as usual, Harrys love life is perplexing him, he continues to get himself into some awkward "romantic" situations. There are some wonderfully witty interactions between Kate and Harrys newer interest, Amanda, and in this book, Amanda really steps up to the mark maybe compensating for her past mischief making.
Each one of the Harry Starke novels has a unique plot and can from that point of view be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading them all so as to get to know the characters. It's not essential, I know, but I've enjoyed following the Kate and Amanda situation evolve, and I'm also very interested in the characters who make up Harrys staff, in each book these characters have been fleshed out a little more.
The author has given his readers yet another excellent story.
Narrator
Another riveting performance by Tom Lennon who is, in my opinion, the perfect Harry. He gives each character a distinct and easily identifiable voice, something which is so important to the listener. I look forward to many more Harry Starke adventures
Audiobook provided by the narrator, publisher or author in return for an honest review.

Two for the Money: Harry Starke: Book 2

Friday, 29 April 2016

Written by: Blair Howard
Narrated by: Tom Lennon
Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
Series: Harry Starke, Book 2
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:01-15-16
Publisher: Blair Howard
5 STAR REVIEW
Publishers Summary
Who killed Tom Sattler? Who stole $350 million from New Vision Strategic Investments? It's up to Harry Starke to figure it out.
The call came on a Tuesday evening in the middle of August at around 9:30. It was from an old school friend that Harry Starke hadn't heard from in almost five years, and he hadn't thought about him in almost as long. Tom Sattler wanted to meet with Harry urgently, and it wouldn't wait until morning. When Harry arrived at Sattler's luxury home less than an hour later, he found him dead, lying in a pool of blood, a single gunshot wound to the head, and .22 revolver lying close to his hand.
Suicide? If he was going to do that, why the hell did he call me?
The search for an answer to that question starts Harry on a wide-ranging investigation that involves murder, corruption, organized crime, and deception.
My Review
Poor Harry, talk about be caught in suspicious circumstances, how could he have foreseen that a phone call from someone he hadn't seen in years would land him in such a precarious situation? There he is, in the house of his long ago friend Tom, problem is, Tom is very dead, along come the police and the tale begins.
Lieutenant Kate Gazzara and Harry Starke are old friends, well, they were once, in fact for years they were very close until a certain incident involving another woman put paid to that. However, Kate and Harry continue to occasionally work together. Harry, an ex police officer now works as a private investigator, Kate takes advantage of the fact that Harry can do things that she, as an officer of the law, would get fired for if she were to do them. Maybe not ethical, but their system works, and Kate is usually there to help extricate Harry from the troubles arising from his methods.
Harry needs all his wiley ways to solve this one, it's a real humdinger of a twisty tale and I reckon the most experienced of armchair sleuths would be hard put to solve this one. For a start, there are just so many possible suspects, but slowly Harry and his team whittle them down until they get to the bottom of it. Have to say, it's a really interesting outcome!
I'm not sure why I like Harry so much, he's like the iron fist in a kid glove, smooth, suave and polished, but underneath it all he really is as hard as nails. He can say the most dreadful things yet make them sound like a compliment, he doesn't hold back on dishing out the physical punishment either, and because he seems such a charming character, the violence does come as a bit of a shock.
Harry loves women, he does seem a little weak in the presence of a beautiful female, he just knows he ought to say no but, somehow, talks himself into doing just the opposite.
This book, like the first, is full of interesting characters and their personalities are well written making the reader feel involved with them, they stay in your head long after the story has finished. This was a great read, I enjoyed it every bit as much as Book One
Narrator
There could not be a more perfect narrator for Harry Starke than Tom Lennon, I can't fault his performance. He captures Harrys charm, yet when Harry is at his most thuggish and threatening, Tom makes these threats sound like a verbal caress, cleverly insinuating that there is a deeper and more frightening aspect to Harrys character. This in turn adds adds an extra dimension of interest to the story made possible only through an outstanding narration
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator or publisher in return for an honest review.

Thursday, 10 August 2017

Thursday, 9 March 2017

Monday, 20 February 2017

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Friday, 4 November 2016

Friday, 1 July 2016

Tuesday, 14 June 2016

Publishers Summary (extract)

Friday, 29 April 2016

5 STAR REVIEW

Publishers Summary

My Review

Narrator