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

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Title: Death Vows

Subtitle: A Donald Strachey Mystery

Author: Richard Stevenson

Narrator: Richard Stevenson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-05-10

Publisher: BMA Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 22 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Private eye Donald Strachey is out to solve another mystery, this time in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. When he starts probing into the institution of gay marriage, he doesn't expect it to lead to murder. Along with a birds-eye view of Berkshire culture, this audiobook combines the literary styles of Dashiell Hammett with the wit of Dorothy Parker. A taut, suspenseful, ripped from the headlines thriller, this is the ninth in the Strachey series.

Critic Reviews:

"Death Vows is engaging and powerful. Richard Stevenson can write." (Robert B. Parker, author of the Spenser series)

Members Reviews:

Authors, never narrate your own books.

I only rated this book 3 stars because the author narrated it. Most authors do not have the talent to transfer their written work into an enjoyable listening product. It was hard to discern who was "speaking" because the narrator's inflection never changed. I don't know how they pay the narrator, but it makes a difference to the listeners. Bad reviews because of bad narrations means fewer people will purchase your audible book.

A Good Time-Killer

This was an interesting read for me. It took a while to get into the author's reading of the book. Some of the phrases seemed stilted and therefore difficult to understand. The voices were rarely acted and a lot of the characters seemed to run together when speaking. This title won't be on my list of favorites due to the narration. Having said that, though, it wasn't the first audiobook that I have listened to where the narrator put me to sleep. IMHO, author's should stick to doing what they do best and let actors bring their works to life whether on screen or in the spoken word. As for the plot, it was well thought out, but was resolved before we even had a chance to guess at it. One of the fun parts of a murder mystery is trying to figure it out. This book just laid everything out all at once without most of the vital clues necessary to put the pieces together yourself. It felt more like deus ex machina than murder mystery...

Five Stars

I'm giving this 5 stars because I prefer authors reading their own work. No one can be as authentic or know the character's psychologies as well. Such is the case with this rendition. Stevenson's tough but ironically funny delivery delivers detective Strachey in pure form. The text is as compelling as a Hammett or Chandler. I only wish Hammett recorded his own material. This will be a classic.

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Title: Cold River

Author: Carla Neggers

Narrator: Carol Monda

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-29-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The New York Times best-selling author of runaway hits such as The Angel and Dark Sky, Carla Neggers blends suspenseful romantic fiction with realistic and memorable characters - and the results have earned her an immense following. In Cold River, Neggers sweeps readers away to Black Falls, Vermont, for a riveting adventure set in a small town that's hiding more than a few secrets.

Hannah Shay has finally shown the town what she's worth. Her Three Sisters Café is a success, and she's soon to become a prosecutor. When the café becomes an epicenter for investigators trying to pierce a violent crime ring that's leaving bloody trails on nearby Cameron Mountain, Hannah suspects a man from her past is involved.

Sean Cameron returns to the snowy cold of his Vermont hometown to unmask his father's killer. Sean has the skills and resources to mount his own search, but he must convince the resistant Hannah to cooperate - because the killer is ready to strike again...and closer than anyone ever imagined.

Members Reviews:

A Brief Listen

I never made it through 30 minutes of this book. My head was spinning trying to figure out if she was writing a book - or telling the listener about all her other books. I felt as though I had entered Chapter 20 instead of Chapter 1.

I am afraid to download any of her earlier books, in case she decides to take me back to any essays she wrote in college.

Ugh.

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Title: Cold in Hand

Author: John Harvey

Narrator: Nick Boulton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-07-09

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 21 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A dispute between rival gangs escalates into violence. One teenage girl is left dead, another injured and a police officer is caught in the crossfire. DI Resnick is hauled back to the front line to help deal with the fallout.

But when the dead girl's father seeks to lay the blame on his colleague, Resnick finds the line between personal and professional dangerously blurred...

Members Reviews:

excellent

this is my first john harvey book & it won't be my last. this is an engrossing story with believable and well rounded characters. excellent narrator. i found it hard to put it aside until i had finished the book. definitely some surprises that i didn't see coming.

Slow start but worth it.

I was thinking this was a pretty ordinary Police Procedural and then the surprise came.

I think I'll read more of Harvey's work

Nottingham

Happy with the reading, story etc, BUT it would have been more authentic if place names of some areas of the city had been pronouced correctly.

Kept my interest

I mostly enjoyed this book, but felt it became a little tedious at times. Nevertheless, I finished it and overall enjoyed it

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Title: The Rabbit Factory

Author: Marshall Karp

Narrator: Tom Stechschulte, James Jenner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-05-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 169 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Marshall Karp is an acclaimed playwright known for his witty sense of humor and crackling dialogue. His debut novel The Rabbit Factory stars the irreverent LAPD detective duo of Mike Lomax and Terry Biggs. Dean Lamaar is the architect of an entertainment empire and the creator of iconic characters like Rambunctious Rabbit and McGreedy the Moose. When his company falls on hard times, the only hope to get it back in the black is Familyland - an amusement park in Las Vegas. Mere days before the grand opening, an actor playing Rambunctious Rabbit is found dead on the park grounds and everyone senses foul play. And after more characters wind up murdered, it becomes obvious that someone has it in for Lamaar. Lomax and Biggs are put on the case and together they root out a murderer. This rollicking tale is at once a multi-layered whodunit and a skewering of Tinseltown.

©2006 Mesa Films, Inc.; (P)2006 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

Bizarre but engaging mystery.1st-rate performance.

This is the first in a series of 4 featuring Detectives Lomax & Biggs* of the LAPD. I found Lomax an engaging personality, witty, honest, and like most men, confused about his feelings. I enjoyed the repartee between the partners, but I'm not sure that it will remain fresh through another 3 books. On the other hand, the book depicts most women as sex objects, and the sexism wears a bit thin after a while. There are points of the plot that are a bit over the top, but I won't spoil it for you. If you like police procedurals with a comic touch, this is good reading for a long airplane ride or day at the beach. It's entertaining but not deep.

*The series is not so identified by audible.com; the order is

2. Bloodthirsty, 3. Flipping Out, 4. Cut, Paste, Kill.

Great Story, Great Storytelling!

What did you love best about The Rabbit Factory?

the sarcastic humor & the way Karp tells the story. He describes things without OVERdescribing things, if you know what I mean

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Didn't know until the end whodunit

Any additional comments?

100% recommend reading all of the Lomax & Biggs series

No normal bunny trail!

Would you listen to The Rabbit Factory again? Why?

Oh, yes, I would. Mr Karp did not let any of his readers down in this Biggs & Lomax book. The plot moves quickly enough to keep everyone engaged. The twists & turns are more than enough to keep all guessing!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Rabbit Factory?

When Mike Lomax finally gave in to Diana's charms

Which scene was your favorite?

oh, the explosion

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

BOTH!!!!

Any additional comments?

Can't wait for the next in this series

95 out of 100.

What a great book. Great story, great characters, well written, good plot, narrated very well, etc. I really can't think of any criticism. It's not a standard "who dunnit", it's better. I think everyone will enjoy it.

Really enjoyable, glad I found Marshall Karp's boo

The second in the Lomax/Biggs detective series by Karp. I really enjoy all of these and the performance is excellent. I listen to them while running on my long distance days - they make the miles pass so much easier!

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Title: A Darker Domain

Author: Val McDermid

Narrator: Eilidh Fraser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-12-09

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Twenty-three years later, a young woman is asking the police to trace her missing father. Miner Mick Prentice vanished, never to be seen again. Soon, DI Karen Pirie and DS Phil Parharta find themselves investigating a forgotten disappearance.

Members Reviews:

Cleverly constructed story

I'd sometimes shied away from Val McDermid's books, despite my admiration from her excellent writing, as I found her viscerally explicit descriptions of violent and cruel acts off-putting. This book is quite different for, although it does involve deaths these are peripheral to the two intricate and cleverly intertwined stories that kept me rapt for many hours eager to find out how the stories ended. A splendid book with a good narrator.

Very enjoyable

If you could sum up A Darker Domain in three words, what would they be?

This was a fast moving plot with no boring and unecessary facts. The clever plot starts with the search for a man who went missing 20 years previously during the time of the miners strikes. Also at that time in a nearby location was the death of a well-heeled woman after a kidnapping turned sour and the disappearance of her son, then a baby.The story takes you to beautiful Italy with it's laid back "hippy style" communes and also into the lives of a powerful familiy who believe they are beyond the law.The relationship between the reporters and Police was revealing and so accurate.My only gripe is the ending which was left a little unfinished.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Undoubtably the best character was DI Pirie. Fiesty yet likeable with grit and determination, a person not to be cowed by her supervisors nor class division. A good cop who gets the job done.

Have you listened to any of Eilidh Frasers other performances? How does this one compare?

A good performance by Eilidh Fraser whose lilting tones fitted the story so well.

Good story but unfinished ending

I stuck with this book as really not sure about the narrator - guess I've been spoilt by Sean Barrett and Steven Pacey who are excellent. Good story with the background running alongside, came together well towards the end but very disappointed with the unfinished ending - a lot of guessing left with the story on both sides.

All in all ok, but not sure I would recommend as a great read compared to some of the many books I have listened to. Don't want to put anyone off but a 3 star from me.

Good story with interesting insight into UK miners

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. The plot is plausible, and the characters are interesting.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Darker Domain?

The descriptions of the hardships suffered by striking miners, and the conflicting loyalties they faced.

What three words best describe Eilidh Frasers performance?

A bit staccato. She put pauses, every few words, which I found, irritating after, a while.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Light and dark in Scotland and Italy.

Twisted plot

What did you like best about this story?

Loved the plot twists and turns and the colourful characters. My first Val McDermid book. Gonna get more!

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Lovely and appropriate to have it read in a Scottish accent, but she couldn't really vary it at all - posh Scottish, strong Fife and English sounded pretty much the same.

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Title: The Ignorance of Blood

Author: Robert Wilson

Narrator: Seán Barrett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-07-09

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 75 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The violent death of a gangster provides evidence implicating the Russian mafia, but pitches Falcón straight into the heart of a turf war over prostitution and drugs.

Now the target of vicious hoods, Falcón finds those closest to him are also coming under pressure. His best friend, who's spying for the Spanish government, reveals he is being blackmailed by Islamist extremists and Falcón's own lover suffers a mother's worst nightmare.

Confronted by such fanaticism and brutality, Falcón realises that only the most ruthless retaliation will work. But there is a terrible price to pay...

Members Reviews:

One of the best...

Robert Wilson is a very good writer. And he writes a very good book - one of the best of this genre that I have read. His characters are finely drawn with economy and depth. He understands people, their motivations, and how they can react in the face of disparate levels of stress. His detailed development of plot is masterful - marked by a credible combination of circumstance and random complication. This is a great story and read with perfect pitch by Sean Barrett. Thoughtful detective/thriller afficionados will not go wrong with this one. It's a gem. Mike Connelly. watch out!

The smartest crime fiction writer

Robert Wilson's crime/terrorist fiction is so well researched and well written it is hard to tell from non-fiction. I like fiction to be believable and savvy and Wilson writes about crime and terror in Spain and Morocco with flair and knowledge about what is happening in both countries. His Inspector Falcon is flawed and very human, but like all good cops is driven to find the answers and solve the crime. Robert Wilson is one of the very best writers in any genre.

Great suspense but a bit over the top

I hadn't read Robert Wilson in a while and going back to him with Ignorance of Blood was a good reading experience. He's clearly become a better writer over the years. His characters are complex and interesting. The plot is convoluted, many layered. But it's a bit much: his hero, Falc??n, is a Spanish superman. Nonetheless, I loved Se??n Barrett's performance.

Excellent!

If you enjoy early Le Carre, Martin Cruz Smith, or Phillip Kerr, you might really want to give Robert Wilson a try. An intelligent, complicated, credible, (well, for a police procedural), well written mystery/thriller. Dialogue that doesn't offend the ear; tense, gripping, but not overly graphic or inane violence; relationships that aren't driven by the author's need to write bad erotica. Characters to like, to care about, to fear for and to fear. A great listen excellently narrated.

Excellent listen - didn't want it to end!

Listened to this straight after book 3 which I would highly recommend as the story continues from the end of that book. Wow! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and couldn't take my headphones out! Sean Barrett does his normal excellent job of bringing the characters to life.

Am disappointed it had to end! Not sure there are any more of this series? More please!

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Title: Night Shadows

Subtitle: A Jake Sands Mystery

Author: Ron Ely

Narrator: Ron Ely

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-02-09

Publisher: Phoenix Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

One night, while jogging along the path of Coco Palms, the exclusive, high-security residential enclave in Santa Barbara where he lives, Jake literally stumbles upon a body. As the fates would have it, Jake is back in business.

Convinced by a beautiful lady to help find her missing husband, Jake's troubles are just beginning. In the process of helping her, more bodies turn up along with a treasure that's "to die for". He also has a confrontation with the Coco Palms security force, whose own criminal record could fill a book. And then there's the Santa Barbara police, run by a bullhead Texan who knows something he'd rather Jake didn't.

Jake Sands takes his place comfortably alongside such notable suspense heroes as Travis McGee, Dave Robicheaux, and Lew Archer. Night Shadows is the first in a new series by former actor Ron Ely that promises to become a winner.

Members Reviews:

"A" class mystery for mystery lovers!!!!

Ron Ely's Jake Sands, after several personal tragedies, moves from Los Angeles to beautiful Santa Barbara, Southern California's paradise famous for the rich scenery as well as for the rich and famous. He is thrown into a tornado of unusual, dangerous and life threatening situations.

I met Ron Ely at "Earthling Bookshop" in Santa Barbara while he was signing his book "East Beach", also a Jake Sands mystery. Both books I highly recommend. I only have one big regret: there are no more books written by Ron Ely.

For those who remember watching Ron Ely as "Tarzan" you can still purchase the TV series on DVDs.

Fantastic first book by TV's Tarzan!

Ron Ely, best known for his TV role as Tarzan in the late sixties, seems to be the exception to the rule that books by "stars" are usually not that great. This was a well-written mystery, with a lot of twists and turns. His main characters aren't the cardboard stereotypes you expect. Jake Sands reads as a fully-developed individual, with sophisticated tastes, forties charm and a penchant action when required.

The book was an enjoyable read from start-to-finish, and forced me to slow down my normal reading speed just to savor the moment. I'll definitely be purchasing any and all of Ron Ely's other books!

Ron Ely is an excellent writer!

A gritty, no-nonsense "Detective" novel with a very original storyline and interesting twists.

I met Actor Ron Ely at a convention once~ nice guy!

I love all the Ron Ely books I can find

I love all the Ron Ely books I can find. I just wish he had done more. I love his style and his stories.

Night Shadows a excellent read

It was a chiller thriller that ease you into the next novel. I heard there were 4 more.....any chance of finding them.

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Title: The Shimmer

Author: David Morrell

Narrator: Phil Gigante

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-09

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 54 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Frantic, Page follows her trail to Rostov, a remote town in Texas famous for a massive astronomical observatory, a long-abandoned military base, and unexplained nighttime phenomena that drew onlookers from every corner of the globe. Many of these gawkers - Tori among them - are compelled to visit this tiny community to witness the mysterious Rostov Lights.

Without warning, a gunman begins firing on the lights, screaming "Go back to hell where you came from," then turns his rifle on the bystanders. A bloodbath ensues, and events quickly spiral out of control, setting the stage for even greater violence and death.

Page must solve the mystery of the Rostov Lights to save his wife. In the process, he learns that the decaying military base may not be abandoned at all, and that the government may have known about the lights for decades. Could these phenomena be more dangerous than anyone could have possibly imagined?

Members Reviews:

Thriller set within a real-life mystery

With "The Shimmer," David Morrell, as always, has given us a good thriller. He sets the story in fictional Rostov, Texas -- which, he tells us in the book's Afterword, corresponds to the real-life west Texas border town of Marfa. I had never heard of the Marfa lights before I listened to "The Shimmer;" but, it seems, these mysterious nighttime lights have been baffling people for well over a century. Adding to their mystery, some people can see the lights, and some people can't! According to Morrell, nobody, so far, has adequately explained the lights -- providing a perfect setting for a spooky thriller, right? Intriguingly, similar lights appear at three other widely-dispersed places in the world: Norway, Thailand, and Australia. Utilizing his born-in-the-blood writing genius, Morrell also incorporates other real-life elements into "The Shimmer" -- the near-by abandoned WWII air base, radio observatory, and set for the 1956 James Dean movie "Giant" (called "Birthright" in the story) -- weaving them cleverly into the plot. I deducted a star from my rating of the story, because I found the character of Tori -- the protagonist's wife -- unlikeable, and, therefore, Dan's devotion to her inexplicable. Otherwise, I liked "The Shimmer," and recommend it to all thriller-lovers intrigued by mysteries. The Narrator, Phil Gigante, is an excellent actor, with more than enough expertise to enliven anything that he dramatizes.

Morrell Fan

Story was OK, narration good but not up to par for Morrell. I've been a fan since the "Brotherhood" books, "Rambo" and on so not only do I love his reads, I'm always rooting for and expecting the best. For me, this one wasn't quite up to Morrell standards.

Bad effort my a good author.

I like Morrell. The Protector was excellent, and so was Creepers. But I just could never get into this one. Mystery lights in the wilderness mess with people's minds. There isn't a whole lot to this story in the way of plot. It probably should have been a short story. It's slow and fairly boring. It's also a little unbelievable, the way so many people fall under the control of these "lights". Skip this one, and try some of Merrill's other books.

Good listen

I have read or listened to each and every book written by David Morrell. This was not a typical David Morrel story.

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Titre: L'ange gardien [The Guardian Angel]

Sous-titre: Alex Leroc, journaliste

Auteur: Christian Lause

Narrateur: Christian Renaud

Format: Unabridged

Durée: 46 mins

Langue: Français

Date de publication: 06-03-09

Éditeur: Difusión, S.L.

Evaluation: 4.5 sur 5 sur 21 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Résumé de l'éditeur:

Please note: This audiobook is in French.

Avis des membres:

French spoken thriller

Perfect for learning french. No complicated french vocab but does not sound dumbed down like a text book. Interesting to listen to. This series should be sold as a set to buy.

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Title: Dante's Numbers

Author: David Hewson

Narrator: Saul Reichlin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-31-09

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 59 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

But, as Nic Costa and his colleagues attempt to guard the precious collection of historic artifacts attached to the event, the premiere is disrupted by tragedy and a horrific murder. Is a disgruntled admirer of Dante taking his revenge on the cast of the movie? Or are more mundane motives, the dubious financing of the film through criminal connections, to blame?

Before Costa and crew have the chance to find out they are removed from the inquiry and find themselves sidelined by the Carabinieri. But when the movie premiere shifts to California and the iconic surroundings of the Marina in San Francisco, Nic Costa's inspector, Leo Falcone, manages to bring them along to work on the investigation from the sidelines.

And as life begins to resemble art, Costa and his friends come to realise that the inspiration behind these crimes may be more recent than the Carabinieri suspect.

Members Reviews:

An Adequate Filler Of Extra Time

Got time on your hands? Want to escape it every now and then? Hewson's book is totally up to the job. He reminds me of a very adequate craftsman. But art without wonder is merely craft, eh?

Costa goes to SF??

Would you try another book from David Hewson and/or Saul Reichlin?

Definitely not as good as the previous book in the series. Felt the change of location overtook the importance of the story. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.

When in Rome...

I've listened to all the Nic Costa series and have really enjoyed them, especially when read by Saul Reichlin. Much of their appeal is the setting in Rome and in my opinion, something was lost by transferring the team to San Fransisco. There is little interaction between Costa, Peroni and co which I missed and I found it hard to sympathise with any of the new American characters. Hewson writes brilliantly and his plot is ingenious but too complicated and contrived for me. If I had read Dante's Inferno or seen Vertigo I might have enjoyed it more. For the first time I was glad when the audio book came to an end but it won't stop me listening to the next one, especially if it's back on home ground.

Dantes Numbers

Like the first reviewer I found the change of scene to America distracting and could not emphathise with the American characters at all. I hope David Hewson's next book is again set in Rome and we again have the full interaction between Costa, Falcone et al. Saul Reichlin was superb as always but confess I was quite glad when the book ended. And that was a first!

Not as good as predecessors

I like David Hewson's novels. Their evocation of Italy and portrayal of the the tortuous links between various police agencies are well researched, well written and well worth a read. This story, for reasons I can't really comprehend, moves the setting almost totally outside Italy. But the usual characters simply don't work in this unusual setting. And, candidly, the storyline itself require more suspension of disbelief than I could muster. Sorry! Let's hope the next one I read returns to his norms.