tropical island / Audiobook and Book Reviews by Audiothing

Torch Ginger

Friday, 4 March 2016

Written by: Toby Neil

Narrated: by Sara Malia Hatfield

Length: 9 hours 6 minutes

Series: Lei Crime Book 2

Unabridged Audiobook

Published by Audible Studios

Release date: 11/11/14

Available from Audible

5 STAR REVIEW

Publishers Summary

If J.D. Robb's In Death series went on location with Kaui Hart Hemmings's The Descendants, you'd have Toby Neal's Torch Ginger.

The island of Kaua'i is remote jungle, golden beaches, and ancient culture - but transients are disappearing in paradise, and only Detective Lei Texeira notices. Lei transfers to the island of Kaua'i, where she uncovers a pattern of disappearances that may be related to a bizarre cult - or is it just one madman at work? In Lei's world, everyone is guilty until proven innocent. In the midst of the biggest case sleepy Kaua'i has ever seen, Lei must also untangle the mysteries of her heart and discover who she loves.

My Review

I didn't read the first in the series, "Blood Orchids" but there is enough back story in "Torch Ginger" to ensure the reader doesn't feel bewildered by how and why Lei finds herself now working on Kaua'i.

Lei is the new girl, low in the pecking order and as such, gets all the boring jobs. She is working hard to fit in but after only two months on an island described as "a jungle paradise of secretive people and strange spiritual forces" Lei is finding life to be "slow and boring".

It's while plodding her way through one of her dull cases that Lei is asked to talk to Kelly Waterson, Kelly reports her boyfriend Jay as missing. It has only been 24 hours since she last spoke to him by 'phone, but the circumstances catch Leis attention. When a worried Kelly flew in and visited Pine Trees, the unofficial camp site, she discovered Jays belongings dumped in the rubbish bin. His wallet still held his credit cards and also some strange origami shapes, three stones were left on his shoe.

Now the story really begins! During the course of her investigation she meets many strange and intriguing characters and she becomes convinced that the disappearances aren't merely people who have simply taken themselves off the grid. Getting others to take her convictions seriously is a hard task.

There are so many threads to this story, yet they are woven skilfully to produce a story that is difficult to put down. The characters are all so well described that they seem totally believable, even the more way out types.

Mystery and intrigue abound, there is, in some characters, a sense of other worldliness which is at odds with Leis own world view.

I thought the reunion of Lei and her father beautifully written, his gentleness and his love for his daughter so sensitively described.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who loves a mystery set in a lush and exotic location and with many intriguing extras. I for one shall be reading more of Toby Neil's work.

Narrator

This is the first book I have listened to narrated by Sara Malia Hatfield, and what a wonderful voice she has. Sara has all the attributes of a good narrator, but, for this book, it took a special person to pull it off. Born and raised in Hawaii, she was the perfect choice to perform those subtle differences in accents. The more I listened the more fascinated I became by both her voice and the pidgin speak, just wonderful! I look forward to more.

Just a word about the Audible sample, should you listen to it, it in no way does justice to the audiobook, for some reason, the sample seems of lesser quality.

This audiobook was provided, without condition, by the representative of the author.

Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Revenge Cafe

Written by: Lisa Shiroff

Narrated by: Wendy Pitts

Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release Date:10-30-14

Publisher: Tasfil Publishing

Audible.com

Publisher's Summary

What was supposed to happen: Mandy would land in the Virgin Islands, head to the Revenge Café on St. Thomas, and start living her dream life. She'd begin a new career sharing ownership of the restaurant with her best friend, Chance. She'd break her addiction to therapy cold turkey. And shed let the slow, laid-back pace of island life fix whatever was broken within her. What actually happened: apparently the Revenge Cafe is the "it" place for people dying, let alone dining. While she's dealing with a murder on the premises, Mandy learns Chance had been dabbling in a variety of activities that may or may not have been legal, and that may or may not have set her up to be the next victim. With people from her past refusing to stay there, a ghost in the dining room messing up closing time, and a too sexy police detective vying for her attention, Mandy wants only to bury her head in the sand, or at least drown it in a bottle of rum. But as the list of suspects grows to include an old boyfriend and former members of the VIPD, she realizes her own inner demons can destroy her faster than any living, breathing person. It is only after she gets the courage to face them head on that she finds the real murderers and learns they were the least likely of suspects.

My review

A thoroughly enjoyable story, it has everything, humour, location, food, fashion and murder! Oh, and a slightly serious side too, Mandy does have issues, however, some of the funnier aspects of the story do arise from Mandy dealing with her demons. Her driving maybe bordering on lunatic, but, my goodness, it's funny, some good writing here.

This book contains some wonderful characters, I would love to meet them again, I'm sure the Revenge Cafe would provide the perfect setting for lots more stories.

The Narration

One thing quickly became obvious to me, I should have read the book, not listened, as a book it deserves 4 stars. I felt Wendy Pitts was completely mis-cast, she came across as a teenager rather than a young woman, as did Ginger, who was older again.

In fact the best characterisation was of the two young girls.

I can't comment on the accent of the islanders as I don't know what they ought to sound like, but, being British, I do know the English accent. I'm so sorry to have to say, but the English accents were bad, truly awful. The narrative did not flow well, some sentences sounded stilted, as though they had been stopped and restarted. There was a lack of realism and of being in the moment, as if not much time had been spent in preparation, all in all, a difficult, uncomfortable listen.

This audiobook was gifted to me by the narrator in return for this, my honest opinion

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