Download Popular Authors Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

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Title: Sister

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Rosamund Lupton

Narrator: Juanita McMahon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-06-11

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 216 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

Debut author Rosamund Lupton crafts a striking literary thriller with Sister, which received numerous starred reviews. When Beatrice learns her sister Tess is missing, she goes to London to join the search. And when everyone else gives up, only Beatrice soldiers ondetermined to cut through the dark secrets and learn the truth behind her sisters disappearance.

Members Reviews:

Deliciously Dark Literary Thriller

I haven't had the best of luck purchasing from the "Literary Fiction New Releases" section lately. Beginning to wonder if my expectations had become too high, I halfheartedly purchased "Sister" by Rosamund Lupton and prepared for yet another disappointing but somewhat diverting read. I was completely surprised when "Sister" grabbed me immediately and continued to be a satisfying, engrossing listen to the very end. Narrator Juanita McMahon was flawless: her delivery well paced, intonation perfectly capturing a wide range of characters.

Currently living in the U.S., twenty-something Beatrice is called home to England when her sister, Tess, goes missing and is ultimately found dead. Stunned and numb with grief, Beatrice struggles to get to know the person Tess had become in recent years so she can come to terms with this sudden and incomprehensible death. Of course, one question leads to another and it soon becomes clear that the answers needed to make sense of Tess' present are rooted in their family's complicated and haunting past.

The one little annoyance I had was how free spirited Tess is portrayed as a bit of a caricature: fragile genius hippie chick with noble social conscience, loved by all she meets. Upon reflection, however, I realized that even during flashbacks into the past, Tess is unable to speak for herself. All we know of her is through the recollections of others; and what we tend to do when some one we loves dies, is idealize them. This novel reminded me of "Restless" by William Boyd, which I loved. Both authors know how to spin a compelling, intelligent tale with characters flawed and fascinating.

LOVED it!

LOVE! This book was great. Very sad. A wonderfully told story. Knowing the ending at the beginning of the book, made it impossible to stop listening. I was dying to know what happened to lead up to what we knew to be the ending. I highly recommend this one. Love, love, love it!

Compelling, wonderful novel

Would you consider the audio edition of Sister to be better than the print version?

Yes. Juanita McMahon did a beautiful job narrating this book. Beatrice, her mother, even Tess came to life in startling clarity.

What did you like best about this story?

The weave between past and present... and the plot devices used... I didn't see many of them coming!

What does Juanita McMahon bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Her narration was just pitch-perfect and brilliant! I wish she read more thrillers or general market fiction, and fewer romances... but that's just me.

Any additional comments?

I read this book when it first came out, and I adored it. When I found it on Audible, I snapped it right up! This book is more character-focused and more layered and nuanced than a standard thriller. Action scenes are minimal, so if you want a shoot-'em-up book this might be "boring" (to quote another reviewer).

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Title: The Score

Author: Richard Stark

Narrator: Stephen R. Thorne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-13-11

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 51 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

It was an impossible crime: knock off an entire North Dakota town called Copper Canyon - clean out the plant payroll, both banks, and all the stores in one night. Parker called it "science fiction," but with the right men (a score of them), he could figure it out to the last detail. It could work. If the men behaved like pros, cool and smart; if they didn't get impatient, start chasing skirts, or decide to take the opportunity to settle secret old scoresthey just might pull it off.< /p>

Members Reviews:

Best Parker Book Since The Outfit

If you could sum up The Score in three words, what would they be?

Return To Form

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Score?

Parker's interactions with women both before and after a job.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Edgars reveals his pychotic side and starts shooting people and blowing the town up.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

It was the perfect score. What could go wrong?

Any additional comments?

I prefer Stephen Thorne's reading than John Chancer's who tended to exaggerate the voices, sometimes quite differently than how I imagined them. While not quite as exciting as The Hunter (the original and still the best) and The Outfit, both of which feature a revenge theme, it is the best of the Parker heist stories so far and a return to form after the disappointing "The Mourner".

Weak 3 stars. Not enough suspense or unexpected.

This wasnt as good as some of the others in the series, but it was ok. Im intrigued with Parker, and that keeps me reading.

Edgars has an idea for stealing from several businesses at the same time in a North Dakota town. He tells a guy who brings in Parker to plan and run it. It will require 12 to 20 guys.

The ending was weak. Things felt hanging and not wrapped up well. I would have liked a different ending for some of the good guys who were victims. And I wanted something really bad to happen to Edgars. What happened to him was not painful enough.

The narrator Stephen R. Thorne was good, but I wish he had a rougher or more gravely voice for Parker. His Parker voice was too clean cut and normal sounding. Parker is a beast.

This is book 5 in the 24 book series. Its about half the length of a typical novel. If you want to be selective, you could skip this one without hurting the flow of the series.

Genre: noir crime fiction

Best book so far in series

This is a straight forward crime caper.

We see how a heist is put together,planning it , anticipating possible problems, getting the crew necessary together

This book introduces a new character Alan Grofield who later has his own series by Richard Stark

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Title: Adrenaline

Author: Jeff Abbott

Narrator: Kevin T. Collins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-11

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 195 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

"If you knew this was our final day together, what would you say to me?"

"Anything but good-bye. I can't ever say good-bye to you."

Sam Capra is living the life of his dreams. He's a brilliant young CIA agent, stationed in London. His wife, Lucy, is seven months pregnant with their first child. They have a wonderful home, and are deeply in love. They have everything they could hope for... until they lose it all in one horrifying moment.

On a bright, sunny day, Sam receives a call from Lucy while he's at work. She tells him to leave the building immediately. He does... just before it explodes, killing everyone inside. Lucy vanishes, and Sam wakes up in a prison cell. As the lone survivor of the attack, he is branded by the CIA as a murderer and a traitor.

Escaping from the agency, Sam launches into a desperate hunt to save his kidnapped wife and child, and to reveal the unknown enemy who has set him up and stolen his family. But the destruction of Sam's life was only a step in an extraordinary plot - and now Sam must become a new kind of hero.

Members Reviews:

Close, but not quite

I like a good thriller as much as anybody, but this one falls a little short for me. The problem? The "bad guy" dialog is, frankly, terrible. The story itself is OK, but the cheesy talk ruined the book for me. Not horrible, but there are much better out there.

Very Good

This captured my attention. The writing is good, not great. I expect Abbott's writing will improve and I look forward to more stories about "Sam."

The interest in Parkour or "free running" is very cool and a thread throughout. The only other reference I know of it comes from a book by John Twelve Hawks called the Traveler. I recommend both.

Good read / listen

Read something else!

This is one of the most overwrought, contrived books I have listened to in many a year. And the reader was no better -- in fact, probably worse.. Listening to this was like having showers of flaming daggers aimed at my cerebral cortex, and feeling smothered by tons of burning shale, with pain searing my every sinew, and gasping for life breathing oxygen, while struggling to reach the surface, gasping................., well, you get the point. Bottom line: read something elee.

Author does't think his readers are intelligent

Every few minutes there was a contradiction or an inconsistency of one kind or another.

I know you have to sometimes "suspend disbelief" but this book really pushed it to the limit.

Despite all that the story sucks you in and keeps you involved and entertained if you can get used to the grating, often frustratingly overly emphatic naration.

Compelling

What did you love best about Adrenaline?

Story and presentation was excellent. Hard to put it down.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sam was perfect. I had a distinct picture of him in my mind thoughout the book.

Which character as performed by Kevin T. Collins was your favorite?

Mia. Loved the Russian accent and the strenght of the character

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Pushing you to the limits.

Any additional comments?

The different voices and accents made me feel like there was a whole cast of different readers. Excellent.

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Title: Vanish in Plain Sight

Author: Marta Perry

Narrator: Therese Plummer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-11

Publisher: Harlequin Books S.A.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 56 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

Since she was a little girl, Marisa Angelo has been haunted by the image of her mother walking away, suitcase in hand, to return to her Amish roots.

Marisa and her "Englischer" father never saw or heard from her again. Now Marisa has received a shocking call from police. Her mother's bloodstained suitcase was found hidden inside the wall of a Pennsylvania Dutch farmhouse.

Desperate for answers, Marisa heads to Lancaster County. But no one - not the police or Marisa's tight-lipped Amish relatives - can explain what happened to her mother.

Only one man is as determined as Marisa to unravel the mystery: Link Morgan, the handsome ex-military loner who found the suitcase in the house he inherited from his uncle. Now both Link's and Marisa's family members are implicated in the decades-old disappearance.

The secret lies somewhere in the quaint Amish settlement. But someone will do anything to ensure the truth remains hidden forever.

Members Reviews:

Just okay

I picked this book because of the narrator (Therese Plummer is the best) but I feel I wasted a credit. Therese is the only reason I gave this book 2 stars, the story not so much. You know it is not a good book with you figure out "who done it" in the first few chapters. This was not a romance either (although I think it was sold as one.) There was no chemistry between the two main characters. Save your credit.

Amish Romantic Suspense at It's Best!

Wish more of Perry's works were available in audiobook. Skilled writer paired with the phenomenal narration of Plummer, makes "Vanish in Plain Sight" a win/win! The second in the series, it doesn't disappoint. Highly recommend!

Finally a great reader of a good story

What did you love best about Vanish in Plain Sight?

It had a beginning a middle and and end, very good story line

Who was your favorite character and why?

No one in particular, everyone was needed to make the story work and it did

What about Therese Plummers performance did you like?

She is the best reader of any of the books I've ordered. I feel like I'm listening to a movie with many characters, not just one boring voice.I don't know where all these authers are getting there readers, but I think a good reader makes or breaks an audio. I now follow the list of her books and have chosen 3 books based on her and the story. I was not dissappointed yet.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Was very interested and put more time to listen than I normally do. I have also recommented it to friends

Any additional comments?

Authers, start being more selective with your readers, they are stopping some from ordering what might be a purchase. I have returned some books just because I couldn't listen to there voices. I also have not made a purchase after listening to the reader sample.

I enjoy Perry's writing and this was a solid book.

Would you consider the audio edition of Vanish in Plain Sight to be better than the print version?

Perry who typically writes christian books, has moved mainstream and begun to write mysteries. This is a stand alone second book. The family is great, mom is a up in every ones business . The main character finds out her mother may have been killed rather than abandon her when she was young.

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Title: The Altar of Bones

Author: Philip Carter

Narrator: Jim Frangione

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-08-11

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 96 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

They didnt have to kill him. He never drank from the altar of bones.

Cryptic dying words from a murdered homeless woman in present-day San Francisco unlock a decades-buried secret that changed history. Now a pair of ruthless assassins are sent to cut the few living "loose ends." And a young, resourceful woman on the run encounters a determined man with his own connected past and vengeful agenda.

Forced to partner for survival and answers, a fast-paced and deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, taking them across the globe from the winding streets of Paris to the faded palaces of Budapest to the frozen lakes of Mongolia... where destiny, passion, and further betrayal await them.

The Altar of Bones has it all: The Russian mob. KGB spies. Presidential assasination. A doomed Hollywood legend. Deathbed confessions. Corrosive power. Shattered families. Guardians of an ancient religious icon housing a secret others will kill to possess. The dark promise of immortality. And it delivers on its ambitious premise to leave you stunned and breathless at the end.

Critic Reviews:

The Altar of Bones is one of the most stunning novels I've ever read. From superbly etched characters to a plot rich with twists and heart-stopping action, Altar is an incredible reading experience you can't miss. (New York Times best-selling author Catherine Coulter)

Members Reviews:

Fast Moving Exciting Read

Book lends itself to a fast paced, action packed, shootem up, chase movie. Although it is an unbelievable, far out drama, it is a fun read. The narrator/reader is excellent. Good plot but one has to suspend belief for much of the action scenes.

Excellent read

Well written, interesting characters and historical background. Highly recommend. Did not want book to end, even after 17 hours. At (1) credit, it is a super buy. Enjoy!

Not Overly predictible

Overall, the tale was engrossing. I did not like the sporadic swallowing sounds from the narrator, I could have completely done without that. As for certain parts of the tale, the twists were a little predictible, but it was exciting action and often times palpable. (Spelling? lol)

Perils of Pauline

Okay. I was vastly disappointed. The concept and multiple plot lines seamed like a winner until the book deteriorated into yes the Perils of Pauline. Our poor heroine( just like Pauline in the silent movies) escapes trains, assassins, machine guns fired point blank, ex-KGB operatives and a homicidal witch err substitute b. Its high/low point is when she and her partner race headlong through a seven layer wedding cake (I cant make this stuff up). This idea had such promise and failed so miserably,.

Very decent book overall

The book began in a way that was not to captivating. But it got better as it went on. A lot of twists and turns that were surprising. Characters had depth to them. And you can notice how the main characters mentality changes as everything goes on. ( its not noticeable if youre not looking for it). All in all great adventure book

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Title: Rafferty's Wife

Author: Kay Hooper

Narrator: Parker Leventer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-12-11

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

Sarah Cavell is a beautiful, brilliant cryptographer with the uncanny ability to crack any code. But her most daunting challenge may be reading the true feelings of her new "husband," Rafferty Lewis, the secretive federal agent to whom she's just been assigned. Sent on a perilous mission to a Caribbean nation teetering on the brink of revolution, the two must go undercover as husband and wife to make contact with a shadowy informant passing on cryptic messages that could trap a terrorist.

Pilot, sharpshooter, and accomplished yachtsman, Rafferty prides himself on being the epitome of coolness under pressure. But in the aftermath of a marital tragedy that exposed his vulnerable core, the prospect of pantomiming intimacy with a woman of Sarah's intoxicating allure has him unnerved, to say the least - and that could prove deadly for both of them. Dodging danger at every turn even as passion's magnet draws them closer to each other, these two make-believe lovers will learn that the heart is a puzzle they can only solve together.

Members Reviews:

LOVE AND SUPENSE

What did you love best about Rafferty's Wife?

I FELT SHE WAS EXACTLY RIGHT FOR HIM

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

ONLY THE PART ABOUT THE ISLAND AND NOT KNOWING WHAT WOULD BE WAITING FOR THEM

Which character as performed by Parker Leventer was your favorite?

THE PART THE PRESIDENT OF THE ISLAND PLAYED

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

A NEAR TRAINGLER OF LOVE

Any additional comments?

I LOVED THE BOOK BECAUSE THE STORY WAS GREAT THE PLOT WAS ENTERTAINING, NOT A DULL MOMENT

Not So Great

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

someone who likes easy listens.

What could Kay Hooper have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

the hero and heroine were scatter brained and it would have nice if they were a little more realistic.

What does Parker Leventer bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

she is a good reader.

Fun story!

If you sometimes want a simple, light-hearted story, this one fills that need. It's a quick listen, that's relaxing. I've always like this series. I read them when she first wrote them, now I can't wait to listen to all the series. The reader is ok.

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Title: Damage

Author: John Lescroart

Narrator: David Colacci

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-04-11

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

The Curtlees are a powerful force in San Francisco, unscrupulous billionaires whove lined every important pocket in the Bay Area in pursuit of their own ascent. So when the familys heir, Ro Curtlee, was convicted of rape and murder a decade ago, the fallout for those who helped to bring him to justice was swift and uncompromising. The jury foreman was fired from his job and blacklisted in his industry. The lead prosecutor was pushed off the fast track, her dreams of becoming district attorney dashed. And head homicide detective Abe Glitsky was reassigned to the police departments payroll office. Eventually, all three were able to rebuild their lives.

And then Ro Curtlees lawyers won him a retrial, and he was released from jail.

Within twenty-four hours, a fire destroys the home of the original trials star witness, her abused remains discovered in the ruins. When a second fire claims a participant in the case, Abe is convinced: Ro is out for revenge. But with no hard evidence and an on-the-take media eager to vilify anyone who challenges Ro, can Abe stop the violence before he finds himself in its crosshairs? How much more can he sacrifice to put Ro back behind bars?

Members Reviews:

Not the best, but still enjoyable.

I love Lescroarts books, but this one was a bit frustrating. The political slant here in the Bay Area, and especially San Francisco, is pretty liberal, but the depiction of the judges and the press as totally in the pocket of a convicted felon and his rich family seemed really over the top. It improved as I went along, and had a nice twist or two at the end.

Too tense!!

What a wonderful but frightening TENSE book. It took me a day and a half to read. A righteous and very cleverly constructed thriller. OMG! I love the characters,; the affection the men and women show teach other, and the 'never give up' detectives . . .Loved it

Thorough, complicated story

This story built up a lot of emotion within me: empathy for the victims and hate for the perpetrators. The wish for justice was intensely felt. The ending was complicated and yet satisfying in that all the threads of the story were pulled together. Well done.

Another five star!

Another five star! John Lescroart gives us another great read. That about says it all, twists and turns keep you guessing right up to the end. Will not disappoint.

Passable

Usually I don't figure out "who done it ", but this was too easy. I had trouble focusing also. Didn't hold my attention like his books usually do.

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Title: Crescent Dawn

Subtitle: A Dirk Pitt Novel

Author: Clive Cussler, Dirk Cussler

Narrator: Richard Ferrone

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-16-10

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

Dirk Pitt returns, in the extraordinary new novel from the number-one New York Times-best-selling author.

In A.D. 327, a Roman galley barely escapes a pirate attack with its extraordinary cargo. In 1916, a British warship mysteriously explodes in the middle of the North Sea. In the present day, a cluster of important mosques in Turkey and Egypt are wracked by explosions. Does anything tie them together? NUMA director Dirk Pitt is about to find out, as Roman artifacts discovered in Turkey and Israel unnervingly connect to the rise of a fundamentalist movement determined to restore the glory of the Ottoman Empire, and to the existence of a mysterious "manifest", lost long ago, which if discovered again...just may change the history of the world as we know it.

Members Reviews:

I've listen to most Clive Cussler's books

Would you consider the audio edition of Crescent Dawn to be better than the print version?

I do alot of Driving. A good audio book makes the day go by fast.This was one of those books.

What does Richard Ferrone bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Great vioce and speaks clear and brings you into the story as you listen to it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wish I could of listen to this book in one sitting.

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Title: The Midnight Road

Author: Tom Piccirilli

Narrator: Donald Corren

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-27-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 22 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

From the moment he saw the girl in the snowstorm, Flynn had less than an hour to live. But hell remember his last 50 minutes long after hes dead. As an investigator for Suffolk County Child Protective Services, Flynn has seen more than his share of misery, but nothing could prepare him for the nightmare inside the Shepards million-dollar Long Island home. In less than an hour, that nightmare will send him plunging into a frozen harbor - and awaken him to a reality even more terrifying.

Theyve nicknamed Flynn The Miracle Man because few have ever been resuscitated after being dead so long. But a determined homicide detective and a beautiful, inquisitive reporter have questions about what really happened at the Shepard house - and why the people around Flynn are suddenly being murdered. Flynn has questions of his own, especially when one of the victims dies while handing him a note: This is all your fault. Flynn has returned from the Midnight Road - and someone wants to send him back.

Tom Piccirilli is the author of more than 20 novels, including Shadow Season, The Cold Spot, The Coldest Mile, and A Choir of Ill Children. Hes won two International Thriller Writers Awards and four Bram Stoker Awards, as well as having been nominated for the Edgar, the World Fantasy Award, the Macavity, and Le Grand Prix de lImaginaire.

Critic Reviews:

[Piccirilli] gives you the distinctive shiver all good horror writingall good writingprovides: the certainty that the writers own ghosts are in it. (New York Times Book Review)

Tom Piccirillis fiction is visceral and unflinching, yet deeply insightful. If you miss Piccirilli youre missing one hell of a treat. (F. Paul Wilson, author of The Keep)

Tom Piccirilli writes like a crazed banshee. I love his work. Ken Bruen, author of (The Guards and Ammunition)

Members Reviews:

Dark shapes in the snow...

...don't quite resolve themselves. The events in this book are like the events in a dream: related but hazy. You spend a lot of time floating around the protagonist's thoughts and feelings, yet by the end of the book, you still don't feel like you know who he is or understand his motives. There's a lot of talk about parents and child abuse, but this only muddles the character because it seems he had a pretty good childhood until one very significant event. That this event, now 20 years past, plays a big role in the character's life due, presumably, to the events that take place in the opening scene is unconvincing.

The reveal of the killer makes you say "Huh?" instead of "Ah ha!" because it seems to come out of left field. Piccirilli doesn't set up enough clues throughout the story for the revelation to feel natural; that moment of "I should have known it all along!" is missing for the reader.

Corren does a good job with the voices of each character, and the descriptive writing brings the location to life if not the characters.

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Title: Slow Horses

Subtitle: Slough House, Book 1

Author: Mick Herron

Narrator: Sean Barrett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-11-10

Publisher: ISIS Audio Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 345 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Suspense

Publisher's Summary:

Slough House is Jackson Lambs kingdom; a dumping ground for members of the intelligence service whove screwed up: left a secret file on a train, blown surveillance, or become drunkenly unreliable. Theyre the services poor relations the slow horses and bitterest among them is River Cartwright, whose days are spent transcribing mobile phone conversations. But when a young man is abducted, and its threatened that hell be beheaded live on the Internet, River sees an opportunity to redeem him.

Is the victim who he first appears to be? And whats the kidnappers connection with a disgraced journalist? As the clock ticks on the execution, River finds that everyone involved has their own agenda.

Members Reviews:

Le Carre's Heir Apparent

You know those books where immediately after you finish it, you think, "I hope this is the beginning of a series!" Yeah, me neither. Except I felt that way about "Slow Horses." Dismissing it for months because of the title (horses = wild west = yawn) After a spate of unwise, underwhelming book choices, I finally read this novel's description and gave it a try. Well, as they say, 'even a blind pig finds a truffle every once in awhile,' and I found a treasure in "Slow Horses." The title is a wordplay and the pejorative term used to describe those British intelligence officers who have somehow messed up just enough to take themselves off the MI5 fast track but not quite enough to get fired. In author Mick Herron's words, (Slough House) "serves as an administrative oubliette where alongside a pre-digital overflow of paperwork, a post-useful crew of misfits may be stored and left to gather dust."

You can see the vein of gold waiting to be mined right there: the back story of each disgraced officer, what they reveal to each other, how they accept their lot, the painful interactions with MI5 high flyers when their duties involve an errand to Regent's Park. Add to that the kidnapping of a British national with foreign roots and we're off and running for an enthralling ride of intrigue. It is tempting to agree with the other excellent reviews describing this book as full of 'twists and turns.' But in an effort to say something new, I'll describe it as a book with ongoing revelations that cause the reader to think, "Oh, so that means...." As the story progresses, details about each character emerge and they are always smart and they always make sense. The head of Slough House, Jackson Lamb, is an acerbic, vulgar "anti-Smiley" who lives less in his head than George Smiley does, but is just as old school in his fierce loyalty to those agents entrusted to him.

Narrator Sean Barrett delivers the story well and without distraction."Slow Horses" contains portions of intense dialog so being able to differentiate the speakers is crucial and Barrett does this well.

Back to the series idea. I'm picky and have probably shot myself in the foot by avoiding some great reads just because I've seen them in airport bookstores. I'm not proud of my literary pretensions, but I believe they have protected me from excessive eye rolling and exasperation over the years. I'll immediately pounce on a Dalgliesh mystery from P.D. James, a Wexford novel from Rendell, and an Inspector Gamache from Penny. Other series? Wary as a cat.