Discover Most Popular Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective Top 100

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Title: Four Blind Mice

Subtitle: Alex Cross, Book 8

Author: James Patterson

Narrator: Garrick Hagon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-14-12

Publisher: Headline Digital

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Alex Cross is preparing to resign from the Washington Police Force. He's enjoying the feeling; not least because the Mastermind is now in prison. And Alex has met a woman, Jamilla Hughes, and he is talking about the future. Then John Sampson shows up at the house, desperate for Alex's help. Three young military wives have been brutally killed during a 'girls' night out' and Sampson's friend, a master sergeant at the army base, stands accused.

Uncovering evidence of a series of suspicious murder convictions, Alex and Sampson are determined to infiltrate the closed world of the military. But what is the army trying to hide? And do the mysterious symbols daubed on the house of the accused mean that there are more sinister forces at work?

With his trade-mark razor-sharp plotting and adrenaline-filled action, James Patterson takes us on a rollercoaster tale of suspense, politics, and intrigue that proves once again that he is, quite simply, in a class of his own.

Members Reviews:

Not bad, but predictable as usual

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The book wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. The story was interesting enough, but Patterson's formula of introducing a minor character early in the book that comes back in a plot twist later on is tiring. It's in every one of his books. The worst thing is, he expects the reader to be shocked. However consistent readers of his books will be anything but.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The fact that it was a military-based story. Usually, it's just a civilian killing people and causing trouble. This was a welcome change. Least interesting (as usual) was the scenes with Alex and Nana Mama. Especially in this book, Patterson creates scenes where we should be concerned with Nana. But I find myself not caring about her at all. She just slows down the story IMHO.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narrator sounded good most of the time, easing into the role as if he had been reading since the beginning of the series. However, at times he speaks in a halting voice and inflection that reminds me of Zapp Brannigan from Futurama. This is not a good thing for a thriller.

Was Four Blind Mice worth the listening time?

I guess. It was something to pass the time while travelling.

Any additional comments?

Patterson needs to change his writing formula. He is so damn predictable, it's frustrating and boring: Story told from Cross's and the villains POV. Minor character introduced at some point early in the story and then forgotten. Events play out. Cross catches killer. Other evidence points to other parties being involved. Minor character turns out to be the ringleader behind everything. Rinse and repeat for next book. Don't be such a hack, James. Do something original for once

Not the best, not the worst.

I'm making my way through the Alex Cross series, so far so good. I'll keep you posted on the rest.

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Title: Every Dead Thing

Author: John Connolly

Narrator: Jeff Harding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-31-12

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Tormented and racked with guilt over the brutal slaying of his wife and daughter, Charlie Parker, ex-cop with the NYPD, agrees to track down a missing girl. It is a search that will lead him into an abyss of evil.

At the same time, he is warned by an old black woman in Louisiana that "The Travelling Man" is about to strike again. Multiple strands converge with a horrific confrontation in which hunter and hunted are intimately connected by guilt.

Members Reviews:

A symphony of noir and macabre

This is the first installment of the Charlie Parker series. A well-written rollercoaster of pain and loss that will grab you by the throat and never let go.

The plot is intricate, the characters well-developed.

Literary references are undeniable and well-put.

I had a great time listening to the narrator. He effortlessly led me through this nightmarish episode with elan and a captivating and mysterious cadence of words.

good book if you like this kind of thing

This is the first in the Charlie Parker series and I'd listen to this before listening to any of the others as it's story is often referred to in the other books. The story is very much in the style of the Phillip Marlow books; lots of hard boiled patter and tough guy philosophising. This gives it an old fashioned feel so it just depends on whether you like your detectives macho and just a tiny bit cheesy; I do and so loved this book. It's also worth noting that the murders are truly gruesome so if you've got a weak stomach I'd avoid this title. Turns out I'd read this title years ago and remembered who the murderer was half way through listening but this didn't lessen my enjoyment. It does on the other hand make it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the red herrings and eventual twist but as I said before even knowing who did it didnt spoil my enjoyment. The narration really fits the story; an inspired choice of reader

Settles in your bones and lives there

John Connolly writes as though he knows his characters and has seen what they see, and felt what they feel. He has an insight that makes me wonder how much of what he writes comes from personal experience, being able as he is to set the scene in minute detail, enabling us to really see, hear and smell what we need to in order to live the words he writes.

The story of a man struggling with his addiction to alcohol when his wife and little daughter are taken from him is laid bare for us as if written through he grieving. Then Parker makes it his mission to bring to his form of justice the killers on his way to finding the root of this nightmare.

The narrator, Jeff Harding, is an absolute talent and was perfect for this read.

I am only glad John has written so many books in this series!

A Strong Start to a Compelling Character

I stumbled onto this after wanting to read 'The Wrath of Angels' but felt I should do the groundwork and start Charlie Parker's story from the beginning. I'm glad I did, this is a great book and the narration by Jeff Harding is spot on. As other reviwers have mentioned the level of detail covering the Travelling Man killings is prety horrific but helps to set up Charlie Parker's character and motivations in later books. The hardboiled gumshoe thing is heavier in this book than later ones but suits the overall tone. Listen to this and then listen to all the other books in order.

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Title: Balloons Can Be Murder

Subtitle: A Charlie Parker Mystery, Book 9

Author: Connie Shelton

Narrator: Rebecca Cook

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-23-12

Publisher: Books In Motion

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Three days before the start of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, balloon pilot Rachael Fairfield walks into the offices of RJP Investigations. She received a threatening note, which she believes came from her father, a convicted felon whom she sent to prison 15 years earlier. To complicate matters, her brother has initiated a huge publicity campaign for the world altitude record Rachael plans to attempt on the final Sunday of the fiesta.

It seems simple enough. Charlie and her brother Ron will locate William Fairfield and keep him away from Rachael for the duration of the fiesta. But as they follow leads on William Fairfield, the threats escalate, and Ron and Charlie start to wonder whether he's really the stalker. Amid the color and beauty of the world's largest ballooning event, Charlie also finds herself at odds with her husband and reassessing her life's priorities. Only when she nearly loses her own life do the answers begin to fall into place.

Members Reviews:

Wonderful series

This is a really good series. If you're in the market for a good cozy series that just keeps getting better with every book, this one's it. In the first book you meet Charlie, her dog Rusty, and her brother, Ron, along with some other great characters. She and Ron are co founders/owners of a private investigative business, with her handling the accounting end and he the investigative part. Of course, she immediately becomes a sleuth, as well. She's a unique individual that you can't help but love. She's a delightful mix of Kelsey Millhone and Sharon McCone , while creating her own persona as an investigator. Each book has been good, some more exciting than others, but all good reads. Glad I found this series.

A compelling series of stories

Although this review is just for one book, consider it a review of the entire Charlie Parker series.

Let's face it, with so many free Kindly cozy mysteries available, why pay for a book?

Well, I did. After reading the first one, I was hooked and have now binge-read all of them.

Well told, the mysteries generally hang together.

There are some instances where you wonder why Charlie skipped some steps.

But you do come to like the characters and get to know them better from volume to volume.

Looking forward to the next one.

Great book

If you haven't read this gals books you're missing a great series. I started with book 1and I am just now headed to the next. Have fun and read.

Shining addition to this Series.

The New Mexico Balloon Festival has been written about many ways throughout the years, being rather unique and surely one of the most beautifully spectacular man-made craft mass launch world wide. One would think no new perspective could be launched about it, but here comes Charlie Parker, CPA and sis to her brother the investigator in the business they partner, getting herself right in the midst of everything. The ensuing tale will keep you enthralled, and perhaps send you for a manicure when you finish gnawing your nails on her behalf.

Delightful read

I must admit being hooked on the Charlie Parker series, and have been reading them all, in order, and am thoroughly enjoying being part of the action. I enjoy Charlotte more and more with each book, and will be sad to see the series end.

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Title: London Bridges

Author: James Patterson

Narrator: Garrick Hagon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-30-12

Publisher: Headline Digital

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The 10th book in James Patterson's Alex Cross series.

Alex Cross, FBI agent, is back in his most explosive adventure yet. And so is the Wolf. And so is the Weasel. Alex Cross is on vacation when he gets the call. A town in Nevada has been annihilated and the Russian super-criminal known as the Wolf is claiming responsibility. Major cities around the globe are threatened with total destruction and the thought of such dark genius at work makes Alex's blood run cold, and he is catapulted into an international chase of astonishing danger.

Full of the high-voltage action and enthralling intrigue for which James Patterson is best known, London Bridges is an unforgettable thriller that will grip you from cover to cover.

Members Reviews:

Almost feels like an abridged version

I like the character and the previous stories have been really well thought out and executed but this has the feel of an author who is going through a phase where he is bored with the franchise or is meeting a publishing deadline. The storyline had lost of unexplored potential and is worth a read to see what happens with the characters that readers of the series have come to know but don't build your expectations too high, for me this is not up to the author's usually high standard.

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Title: Desert Drop

Subtitle: Las Vegas Mystery Series, Book 3

Author: Rex Kusler

Narrator: Joyce Bean

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-24-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Private investigator and former homicide detective Alice James was just six months old when her father, Leon Stapper, abandoned his family. Forty years later, Alice has convinced herself shes over it - until her half sister, Corina, calls her up and wants to meet. But before Alice and Corina can get acquainted, everything goes terribly, tragically wrong.

Determined to uncover the truth behind what happened to her sister, Alice calls in reinforcements: Jim Snow, her partner in Las Vegass James & James Detective Agency who knows a thing or two about family drama. Their investigation takes them from Sin City to Silicon Valley, where Alice and Corinas father reigns as a high-tech CEO.

As Alice and Jim dig for clues, they find that Leons best friend and attorney Ron Bale took a very personal interest in Corina. Not to mention the fact that he used to be married to Leons ex-wife - until she vanished without a trace. Alice is convinced that if she and Jim can uncover the truth about the missing wife, they will discover what happened to Corina. But first, they will need a little help from some old friends.

Smart, sharp, and entertaining, Desert Drop is the third installment of Rex Kuslers Las Vegas Mystery series, starring one of contemporary crime fictions favorite investigating duos.

Members Reviews:

Excellence

This is one heck of a great book. Joyce Bean brought it to life. I don't know how Rex comes up with the humor but it was side splitting. The pairing of Alice and Jim is without compare. Bravo. Highly recommend this whole series.

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Title: The Bone Collector

Author: Jeffery Deaver

Narrator: Jeffrey Harding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-10-12

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 30 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

New York City is thrown into chaos by the assaults of the Bone Collector, a serial kidnapper and killer who gives the police a chance to save his victims from death by leaving obscure clues. The cops go to Lincoln Rhyme, an ex-NYPD forensics expert left paralysed after an accident on the job. Rhyme reluctantly postpones his ambitions towards suicide and puts together a forensic investigation team, enlisting as his eyes and ears young police officer Amelia Sachs.

Members Reviews:

great story great narration

I saw the movie a few years back but the book is soooo much better. don't go past this one.

Excellent performance

There are so many characters and the narrator had got a different voice or each and maintained them throughout. Did not particularly like his female voices but it did give them definition for their characters. Story was great.

Cracking listen brilliantly read

This is the first Jefferey Deaver that I have either read or listened to, and it definitely won't be my last. If you like Greg Hurwitz and Michael Connelly, you'll love this. It is very fast paced and it ties all the ends up nicely. I do like the author to tell me the end and not leaving me guessing... after all it's the author's story and I am paying him, so I want a proper end.. even if I don't like it.

Jeff Harding narrates this brilliantly, (one of my favourite narrators and I often pick a story simply because he's the narrator.) I love all the voices, he does, especially the black policewoman who cracks me up... he's brilliant at getting the sassy edge.

This story really keeps you guessing ... and even when you think you know who did what and why.. there was a brilliant twist I didn't see.

I don't want to spoil the plot but I can honestly say it's one of the best listens for a while, it got me through a lot of teadious jobs...

Highly recommended, I didn't want it to finish...

Quadriplegic Ex-Cop in a fight. Fantastic

What a great book with a preposterous yet joyous storyline. This was my first encounter with Lincoln Rhyme and his cantankerous view on life.

I absolutely love this story and the characters were brilliant, Amelia was the perfect stooge to Lincoln and the supporting characters made for a high enjoyable yarn. It is a book where you just suspend any grip on reality you might have and just enjoy. Based on this book I will look forward to the rest of the series. Natation was perfect and built the characters extremely well

Very glad I read this as my first as it seems to set out its stall for future books

Great book & great narrator

Great book & great narrator . First time to hear this book and worth every penny five stars

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Title: Sizzling Sixteen

Subtitle: A Stephanie Plum Novel

Author: Janet Evanovich

Narrator: Lorelei King

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-12-12

Publisher: Headline Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Its summertime in Jersey and all across the land,

Its time for Summer Reading and working on your tan.

But no vacation can start or go off without a hitch,

Unless you've packed your bag with the latest Evanovich.

Yes, it's time for Stephanie and gang to get up to their old antics,

With Grandma, Lula, Connie tooMrs. Plum, she will be frantic!

See, someone wants to kill Vinnie. Who? The list is long,

And Mooner returns to brighten our day, complete with his favorite bong.

And Lulas involved in a Ponzi scheme-

Stand back! You know shell be pissed,

While Stephanies chasing a dangerous skip

He thinks hell never be missed.

With Ranger days and Morelli nights

(Or perhaps its the other way 'round),

This sixteenth Stephanie Plum adventure will wear the blockbuster crown.

So grab some donuts and Cluck-in-a-Bucket, and get ready for grand-scale fun!

Number sixteen is a sure-fire bet for best-seller lists: number one!

Members Reviews:

Excellent Listen!

The narrator is excellent - Mooner's voice is hilarious.

The book is like all of the Stephanie Plum series, same story but different enough that you want to listen to it anyway.

giggles galore!

Just love the Stephanie Plum books. They are just so funny, and if I had 'Ranger' in my life, it would be complete. Goods story line, great characters. Just sheer fun.

Can't go wrong with Stephanie Plum.

These characters have evolved and matured but without taking away from the humour that you assocciate with the novels. Great to have this on audible, and to my mind you can never go far wrong with Lorelei King as the narrator.

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Title: The Weight of Evidence

Subtitle: An Inspector Appleby Mystery

Author: Michael Innes

Narrator: Matt Addis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-05-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 39 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Meteorites fall from the sky but seldom onto the heads of science dons in redbrick universities; yet this is what happens to Professor Pluckrose of Nestfield University. Inspector Appleby soon discovers that the meteorite was not fresh and that the professor's deckchair had been placed underneath a large, accessible tower - he already knew something of academic jealousies but he was to find out a great deal more.

Members Reviews:

Love it.

One of my favorite Innes books. Listened to it several times and I'm sure I will again. Great narrator.

Bad Narrator

The story was ok, but I couldn't get past the terrible narrator! Some of his voices were so annoying i had to completely skip that section of the audiobook.

A mellow and charming listen.

This book proceeds at a leisurely pace reflecting the environs of the university in which it is set, but is none the worse for that. Well narrated, although some of the academics sounded similar. Shall look for more by both the author and the narrator.

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Title: Baldi: Series 3

Author: Simon Brett, Mark Holloway, Martin Meenan

Narrator: David Threlfall, Tina Kellegher, T.P. McKenna

Format: Original Recording

Length: 4 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-01-12

Publisher: BBC Worldwide Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

On sabbatical from the Franciscan order, Father Paolo Baldi is working as a philosophy lecturer in Dublin when his life takes an unexpected turn and he finds himself helping the police to solve crimes.

Returning for his third series, Father Baldi investigates a string of curious murders. Along with Tina, Paolo discovers foul-play among a group of horticultural experts, a murder at a classical music concert and bad sportsmanship at a charity cricket match. Follow the priest-cum-sleuths thrilling adventures as he solves mysteries throughout Ireland.

The episodes included are: Tempus Fugit, The Bookcase, The Sick Rose, Settling Scores, The Dig and The Far Pavilions.

David Threlfall, Tina Kellegher and T.P. McKenna star in this exciting series written by Simon Brett, Mark Holloway and Martin Meenan in the series created by Barry Devlin.

Members Reviews:

Baldi by Simon Brett

This series is excellent. I love the performance, each one of the characters brought to life by the cast.

Father Baldi's struggle between his spiritual life and his love of the world gives the reader an insight into his world we cannot ever understand unless we live that life.

The almost romance between himself and the lady detective he frequently solves crime with is very insightful of his worldly struggle and his faith. David Threlfall and Tina Kellegher are truly great in this series.

Excellent Series

These stories are well told and involved. The dramatization iis splendid with each actor cast appropriately.

Enjoyable tales, but poor research.

I like the eccentric characters, especially landlady Mrs Reid and the irascible spiritual director Fr Troy, but even for a potboiler Afternoon Play, the writers are getting sloppy. Colour blindness is usually inherited as an X-linked recessive.

Knowledge of the history of Christianity in Great Britain and Ireland and of the Franciscan orders is sadly limited- centuries out!

Paolo Baldi's background is suddenly posh, and local...

Perhaps this is a reflection of the multiple authorship of the episodes and it's obvious they're not all Catholics, or Irish, and assume that listeners won't know anything..

"Dog-collar" indeed! Most clergy these days wear a Roman collar, even many Protestant ministers and Anglicans, much more comfortable. Baldi doesn't seem like the sort of priest given to unnecessary mortification of the flesh!

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Title: Shock Wave

Author: John Sandford

Narrator: Eric Conger

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-07-11

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The superstore chain PyeMart has its sights set on a Minnesota river town, but two very angry groups want to stop it. The first bomb goes off on the top floor of PyeMart's headquarters. The second one explodes at the construction site itself. Who's behind the bombs, and how far will they go? It's Virgil Flowers's job to find out... before more people get killed.

Members Reviews:

Brillant

John Sandford writes some of the best american crime thrillers today; after his highly successful Lucas Davenport 'Prey' series, Sandford has further expanded his repertoire to include another iconic character, the 'surfer-cowboy' cop, Virgil Flowers. More likeable and less hard-boiled than Davenport, Flowers is an intelligent character that works on a basis of street-smarts and intuition. Shockwave starts fast and just keeps building, with a myriad of twists and turns to keep listeners snared. Like Rough Country (the other Flowers audiobook) Eric Conger does a superb job of narrating this tale, getting the pitch and pathos just right. Highly recommended for old and new Sanford fans alike.

Not as good as I expected

This was my first Virgil Flowers book though I've read/listened to lots of Lucas Davenport books over the years. Despite what other reviewers have said, I just don't really like Virgil as a protagonist. He seems a bit one dimensional and unbelievable. He's supposed to be a bit of a ladies man with a string of failed marriages behind him but he just doesn't do it for me. The story itself was OK. The action built quite well and kept me entertained. Some of the other characters though are not very convincing either. The supermarket magnet seemed far too stereotypical.

Towards the end as the action reached a climax, I thought there was far too much, He said, she said, short and basic sentences. Perhaps this was meant to help build the tension but it just really annoyed me

I don't think I'll bother with another Virgil Flowers book.