Download Top 100 Full Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective Top Rated

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Title: Road Rage

Subtitle: An Inspector Wexford Mystery

Author: Ruth Rendell

Narrator: Davina Porter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-29-11

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 48 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A proposed highway through a forest near Kingsmarkham has caused loud cries of protest. One group has taken more drastic measures. It will risk everythingincluding the lives of five hostagesto halt construction. When Inspector Wexford learns that one of the hostages is his wife, Dora, he is caught in a spiral of frustration and fear. The gripping drama of his search takes on added intensity through Davina Porters crisp narration.

Members Reviews:

Dragged

Render died, of course. She had a long career. But this book is too layered, too detailed. The book says nothing much about development. Just going to happen. Quirky but good ending.

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Title: The Russia House (Dramatized)

Author: John le Carré

Narrator: Tom Baker

Format: Original Recording

Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-15-11

Publisher: BBC Worldwide Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 39 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Tom Baker stars in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of John le Carrés powerful thriller. In the third year of perestroika, London publisher Barley Blair is sent a manuscript from Moscow. Exposing Russian nuclear threats as a sham, the information - if its genuine - could shatter East-West relations. Jazz-loving, hard-drinking Blair is hardly the spymasters idea of the perfect agent, yet they are forced to send him to Moscow to make contact. But the Cold War thaws when Barley meets Katya, the beautiful Russian intermediary who is equally sceptical of state ideology. Mere pawns in a deadly game of international espionage, they nevertheless represent the breakdown of hostilities and a future which poses a huge threat to the entrenched professionals on both sides... Both a gripping spy saga and a poignant love story, The Russia House delivers all the excitement and tension expected from the master of espionage fiction. This BBC Radio 4 adaptation was dramatised by René Basilico.

Members Reviews:

Just okay--No substitute for a narrated book

As a Le Carre fan I've exhausted Audible's selection of his books. So I turned to the dramatised production of Russia House in hopes of getting more. I have ot say it's a bit of a letdown, with a lot of over-acting and irritating sound effects that I found distracting. Although Russia House was made into a pretty bad movie (starring Sean Connery), some of Le Carre's books have been successfully adapted to film and television (Smiley's People with Alec Guinness is simply superb). It's not an impossible task to capture Le Carre's distinctive prose style and nuanced characters in a medium other than the printed word. This dramatised version of Russia House falls far short of excellence. I hope that Audible will add the book to its offerings at some point.

Top notch dramatic adaptation

This is an excellent traumatize Asian of the novel. Running time is three hours which is great for a car drive, bike ride etc. Very high-quality.

Dr. Who as Spy boozes up dynamite as small press publisher

Not one of Le Carre's masterpieces but this lesser story is well done in an audio adaptation feature Dr. Who's Tom Baker playing Barley Blair a drunken small time publisher and big time failure who finds love and purpose being a reluctant spy.

OOPS

Ordered the abridged play version by mistake. Wanted the book. I had trouble paying attention to the play version.

Top notch dramatisation

I have to say that this adaptation is a must for those who have enjoyed BBC Radio 4's recent "The complete Smiley". Tom Baker is utterly magnificent as Barley, a larger than life character. It is one of those dramatisations you find yourself listening to from start to finish in one sitting.

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Title: Blackwork

Subtitle: A Needlecraft Mystery

Author: Monica Ferris

Narrator: Susan Boyce

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-15-11

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 105 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

There's a witch running loose in the town of Excelsior, Minnesota, and her brew is beer. Actually, Leona Cunningham, co-owner of The Barleywine, is a practitioner of Wicca, the nature-based religion that many mistakenly believe to be sorcery or black magic. But that doesn't bother the thirsty crowds - or the Halloween Committee members who have fallen under the spell of Leona's tasty ales.

Then, after one too many pints, local alcohol aficionado Ryan McMurphy accuses Leona of being a real witch, blaming her for the series of accidents that have happened throughout town. When Ryan ends up dead, without a mark on his body, Leona is not only the target of a witch hunt but also the prime suspect. But with Betsy on the case, the murderer doesn't have a ghost of a chance of getting away with it.

Members Reviews:

Charming "Who Done It?"

These are all good 'three stars.' If a change from teeth grinding suspense and gory descriptions of macabre emotional mayhem are what you seek perhaps a small town 'murder ' may be in order. This is an amusing tale of committee meetings, grudges, brewing beer, needlework and knitting. And a death from maybe natural causes. The sort of story you can put down for a while, and happily return to again and listen some more.

Halloween Cozy

Blackwork was the first book I read in the Needlecraft Series by Monica Ferris and I really enjoyed the story and the narrator. I like cozy mysteries but have trouble finding ones I like the narrator on. This was not only an interesting plot but the narrator was easy to listen to. I know this is not the first book in the series but I wanted a Halloween themed cozy since this is October. If you enjoy cozy mysteries and want a light easy listen with a Halloween theme then try this book. I will be listening to more of this series I just wish Audible had them all.

great

good story the narration was excellent it kept me guessing all the way to the end.

didn't hold my interest

Would you try another book from Monica Ferris and/or Susan Boyce?

I have read all the previous books in this series and thought I had listened to some of them. But I must not have because I found the narrator very dull. I won't pick another audio book with this narrator but will continue to READ the books.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

different narrator.

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Title: Dead Lift

Subtitle: An Emily Locke Mystery, Book 2

Author: Rachel Brady

Narrator: Carrington MacDuffie

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-07-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Single mom Emily Locke is building a new life with her daughter. Hoping to spend more time at home, shes put her career on hold to work part time for her private investigator friend, Richard Cole. Its a nice balance between work and family until Emily finds out shes been working for the attorney that defended her husbands killer.

The discovery nearly destroys her friendship with Richard, but Emily resists abandoning his client, the socialite Carissa Gaston, who awaits trial for the murder of a local plastic surgeon. The threat of losing her children to a self serving ex husband terrifies Carissa more than the thought of a life behind bars. Sympathetic to a mothers fears and unconvinced of Carissas guilt, Emily resolves to stick with the case despite her growing concerns about Richard and the dubious attorney who hired him.

A mysterious note leads her into a daring undercover ruse at a highbrow ladies health club. Impervious to fashion trends and uninterested in beauty treatments, Emily fakes conformity with Houstons elite debutantes and trophy wives in a surreal fitness subculture where things, and people, are seldom what they seem. At this gym, killer workout has a whole new meaning.

Members Reviews:

Flat sequel

The first book was better. This book was more about Emily's relationships with her daugther and boyfriend Vince. I read it anyway because I like reading books set in places I'm familiar with. I gave it an extra star because it was set in Houston.

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Title: Mister X

Author: John Lutz

Narrator: Scott Brick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-28-10

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 225 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

He mutilates his victims. Slices their throats. And carves an X into their flesh. Five years ago, he claimed the lives of six women. Then the killings abruptly stopped - no one knows why. Ex-homicide detective Frank Quinn remembers - which is why he's shocked to see one of the dead women in his office. Actually, she's the identical twin of the last victim, and she wants Quinn to find her sister's murderer. But when the cold case heats up, it attracts the media spotlight - and suddenly the killings start again....

Members Reviews:

It's the narrator

John Lutz is pretty predictable in his gore and blood and guts. Standard for him and that is really what I have come to expect from him. His books are always interesting "reads". To me it is always Scott Brick who makes his stories so very good. Don't know if I would be drawn to this author's books without this narrator.

Finally a new twist

I've listened to most of the books from John Lutz and have to admit they are often filler for me to get through a lapse in audiobook releases. While I like the books quite a bit there are a few things that just do not get me excited about his books. Frank Quinn is always thought of as the powerful mind that captures serial killers but actually he doesn't do much at all and pretty much relies on his team to further the case. Every book also takes place in New York with the killer terrorizing the city and scaring everyone into their apartments. Another signature John Lutz approach to storytelling is bringing you back in time to learn of the killer's upbringing. All these similar plot mechanics exist in Mister X as well. The good news is there are some very interesting twists, turns (and ending) that really make Mister X stand out among other John Lutz Books. I would definately recommend listening to this book but don't think you will be missing much if you pass it by. As always, Scott Brick makes the story even more dramatic and compelling.

Did NOT expect that ending!

I must say that I did not see that coming! The conclusion threw me and prompted me to re-listen to the last few chapters just to make sure I understood what had happened! That doesn't happen often for me, so very good twist!

A good old fashion murder mystery

Lutz is one of my favorites as is Scott Brick and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The Quinn/Pearl books are in my top list and this didn't let me down. When Pearl gets engaged it throws a kink into the story and as usual, you think you know then you think you don't. Good listening.

Run of the mill murder mystery

Today, there are many murder mystery books, and most of them are the same. The answer to most of them is the character that a reader realizes he should have suspected all along. They all have a killer with a somewhat unique MO and a moderately surprising twist at the end.

Mister X is not much different than the rest of these books. Yes, the killer was slightly unique, and yes, the private investigator team was well-written. But this is basically "just another murder mystery".

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Title: Death Is a Lonely Business

Author: Ray Bradbury

Narrator: Peter Berkrot

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-31-10

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 54 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Toiling away amid the looming palm trees and decaying bungalows, a struggling young writer (who bears a strong resemblance to Ray Bradbury himself) spins fantastic stories from his fertile imagination upon his clacking typewriter. Trying not to miss his girlfriend, who is away studying in Mexico, the nameless writer steadily crafts his literary efforts - until strange things begin happening around him.

The writer first receives a series of peculiar phone calls, then finds clumps of seaweed on his doorstep. And, as the incidents escalate, his friends fall victim to a series of mysterious "accidents" - some of them fatal. Aided by Elmo Crumley, a savvy, street-smart detective, and a reclusive actress of yesteryear with an intense hunger for life, the wordsmith sets out to find the connection between the bizarre events and, in doing so, uncovers the truth about his own creative abilities.

Members Reviews:

Dark - Moody - Poetic - Noir - Mystery

To really appreciate this book you need to have grown up in Southern California in the 1950's when there were seedy amusement parks with rickety wooden roller coasters at the Sunset Pier, Venice Pier and Ocean Park Pier. This story is not typical Ray Bradbury in that it is not really his usual genre. However his poetic use of the English Language to give the feeling of an old black and white high contrast Noir mystery is unmatched.

There is a certain unreality that is present throughout which makes it seem like a fantasy but underneath it is a solid murder mystery. The characters are a mixture of Raymond Chandler, Charles Dickens and Edgar Allen Poe. While the storyline is solid, it obviously takes a back seat to the mood created by dark poetic language and the unique characters that Bradbury uses throughout. It is said that much of this novel is autobiographical and that the protagonist is really Bradbury himself. Frankly it doesn't matter. Overall this was a great listen. It literally sent me back in time; back to the days when there were roller coasters and seedy bars and tattoo parlors on wooden piers that have long ago been torn down or washed into the Pacific over time.

I wish Bradbury had written some more books like this one.

Peter Berkot did an excellent job of narrating.

5 stars.

Twilight Zone memories

If you could sum up Death Is a Lonely Business in three words, what would they be?

Bleak, Gritty, dark

Who was your favorite character and why?

The blind guy who could smell the bad guy.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the main character sees the vast and strange collection of books.

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

Remember the Twilight Zone

A new experience for me

While I have seen dozens of Bradbury's works on film, this was my first to read/listen to. If this is typical of his prose, we are missing a lot in his films. I gave the story four stars, really should have been 4 1/2, but I was too confused in places to have enjoyed every moment. I often use my audiobooks to put me to sleep (using the sleep button) and closing my eyes to just focus on the words. I was not able to do so with this story because I felt the need to be alert (and yes AWAKE) to really listen and 'protect' myself.

Mr. Berkrot is the best narrator I've yet heard. I had no doubt who was speaking as he read.

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Title: Queen of the Night

Subtitle: A Novel of Suspense

Author: J. A. Jance

Narrator: Greg Itzin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-03-10

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 192 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The New York Times best-selling author brings back the Walker family in a multilayered thriller in which murders past and present connect the lives of three families.

Every summer, in an event that is commemorated throughout the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Queen of the Night flower blooms in the Arizona desert. But one couple's intended celebration is shattered by gunfire, the sole witness to the bloodshed a little girl who has lost the only family she's ever known.

To her rescue come Dr. Lani Walker, who sees the trauma of her own childhood reflected in her young patient, and Dan Pardee, an Iraq war veteran and member of an unorthodox border patrol unit called the Shadow Wolves. Joined by Pima County homicide investigator Brian Fellows, they must keep the child safe while tracking down a ruthless killer.

In a second case, retired homicide detective Brandon Walker is investigating the long unsolved murder of an Arizona State University coed. Now, after nearly half a century of silence, the one person who can shed light on that terrible incident is willing to talk. Meanwhile, Walker's wife, Diana Ladd, is reliving memories of a man whose death continues to haunt her in the present day.

As these crimes threaten to tear apart three separate families, the stories and traditions of the Tohono O'odham people remain just beneath the surface of the desert, providing illumination to events of both self-sacrifice and unspeakable evil.

Critic Reviews:

"Dedicated to the late Tony Hillerman, Jance's brilliant fourth suspense novel featuring former homicide detective Brandon Walker and his wife, novelist Diana Ladd (after Day of the Dead), spans some 50 years, from a murder in 1959 in San Diego to a rash of killings in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Tucson, Ariz., in 2009. Interwoven with these crimes are legends of the Tohono O'odham Indians (aka the Desert People) and the lives of such contemporary Native people as Lani Walker, Brandon and Diana's adopted daughter. Jance's masterful handling of a complex cast of characters makes it easy for the reader to appreciate the intricate web of relationships that bind them across generations." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

great READ; so-so listen

J. A. Jance is on my very favorites list, but this one I wouldn't recommend for listening -- too many characters names, dates and times flash by too quickly. In a book I would have just flipped back a few pages to make sure of the character's name, etc. but with an I-pod that wasn't an option. If I had to do it over again I'd buy the book.

That said, I did love the story

Queen of the Night

I really enjoyed all the main/pertinent characters. Definitely different than usual. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the Native American aspect of the novel. I have read/heard all of the books, available to me, and loved them all... JoAnn Brady, J. P. Beaumont, I truly hope J. A. Jance writes more about these characters.

Queen of the Night

This is a bit different than the other J. A. Jance books. I enjoyed this book and all the native American stories and legends as well as the information about plants and fauna of the desert. The Walker family was wove into an intriguing story and I hope that this becomes a new series. Jance always writes stories that you can hardly put down.

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Title: The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing

Author: Tarquin Hall

Narrator: Sam Dastor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-15-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 608 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Dr. Suresh Jha, best known for unmasking fraudulent swamis and godmen, dies in a fit of giggles at his morning yoga class when goddess Kali appears from the mist and plunges a sword into his chest. The only one laughing now is the main suspect, a powerful guru named Maharaj Swami, who seems to have done away with his most vocal critic.

Vish Puri, Indias Most Private Investigator, master of disguise and lover of all things fried and spicy, doesnt believe the murder is a supernatural occurrence. How did the murder weapon miraculously crumble into ash? To get at the truth, Puri and his team of undercover operativesFacecream, Tubelight, and Flushmust travel from the slum to the holy city of Haridwar on the Ganges.

Editorial Reviews:

Tarquin Hall has evidently taken the criticism of his fun but simplistic first detective novel to heart; this second installment in the Vish Puri series is a head and shoulders above The Case of the Missing Servant, which was not too shabby in the first place. Where the first book was a fairly straightforward case, this one has at least a half dozen spectacular false endings that will keep you guessing until the very last minute.

Luckily, what hasn't changed at all is Hall's wonderful sense of authenticity in the dialogue. His ability to capture the flavor of New Delhi is impeccable, but a bigger treat is the return of narrator Sam Dastor, whose delivery of the rich dialogue is utterly unimpeachable. From English to Hindustani to Gujarati to Punjabi to even a little bit of ancient Urdu, Dastor does not miss a single beat while following the trail of Vish Puri, india's Most Private investigator, and it is his voice work that truly highlights what a good job Hall has done of showcasing all the comic wonder that northern india has to offer.

The case this time is much more complicated than just a missing servant. When "guru buster" Dr. Jha dies laughing in the face of an apparition of Kali, who slays him with a giant sword in a public park in the middle of the afternoon in front of dozens of witnesses, the alleged miracle appearance by the goddess touches off a whirlwind of speculation and debate between the rationalists and the godmen. it is too easy to accuse Maharaj Swami, the cult religious figure of the moment, who had long promised Jha he would get the "miracle" that was coming to him.

To assist him in solving this supernatural murder mystery, Puri enlists his team of various amusing undercover agents to infiltrate the confidences of his suspects and root out the evidence of the case. Thrown in for good measure is a minor secondary mystery involving the robbery of a ladies' gambling circle, presided over by Puri's own fairly witty wife and his overwhelmingly clever mother. Filled with criminal magicians, shady preachers, snooty academics, slimy bureaucrats, and a generous helping of police who are slow on the uptake, Hall's solid, classic characters are given fresh, spicy life thanks to such a charming narration. To read the book in print is to miss all the fun, as there is no better guide to Vish Puri's world than the flawless interpreter of Sam Dastor.

Members Reviews:

Fun and entertaining

This is a wonderful froth of a story with excellent narration that brings the story to life. There are no downsides.

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Title: Rain Gods

Author: James Lee Burke

Narrator: Tom Stechschulte

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-11-10

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 31 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Running from a traumatic and chequered past to become sheriff of a dried-out, broken-down border town in south Texas, Sheriff Hackberry Holland soon finds himself dealing with more than just his own demons after nine dead prostitutes are dug up in the desert. The search for justice pits Holland against hired guns, unscrupulous pimps, drug dealers, and a psychotic killer known as The Preacher.

Members Reviews:

Beware the Preacher

I love listening to the guy who narrates this, he also did No Country for Old Men and funnily enough there was a similarity in one of the main baddies to the McCarthy murderer.

A group of Asian women are found buried in a church's grounds. The Sheriff is a grizzled Korean POW still stuck in the past, while a local Afghan vet is somehow involved in the women's deaths.

Great story, good narration, but......

This is a really good story and the narrator is perfect for it, but the author must have been the star pupil at the Analogies-R-Us school of writing. Every single scene or piece of action had an analogy, even the food that was being eaten. I realise that when reading or listening to a book that there has to be a certain amount of description or scene setting, but this was ridiculous, to the extent that sometimes one analogy wasn't enough for a scene and in case we "didn't get" what was being described, another analogy was given. It was hard to concentrate on what would have been an excellent story, because it kept wandering off into yet another over descriptive sunrise or plate of pasta. I don't mind a book being slow, when the plot or characters are being built as this adds to the story, however this author's style really detracted from it.

V-e-r-y S-l-o-o-o-o-w

No matter how I tried this book failed to keep my interest. It should be interesting, the plot is good but everything is so drawn out that it fails miserably.

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Title: Blood Atonement

Author: Dan Waddell

Narrator: Colin Mace

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-10-10

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 53 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A body is discovered with her throat cut and her daughter believed missing. DCI Foster quickly sees parallels with the disappearance of a teenager three years earlier.

With hopes fading, he calls on genealogist Nigel Barnes to piece together the links between the families of the two girls. The trail leads back to 1890, and a young couple fleeing a terrible crime in their past....

Members Reviews:

Superb

This is the second Dan Waddell book I've listened to and I loved both of them. There is a great dynamic between the three principle characters. A geneology researcher makes a great amateur detective!

Once again, Waddell has a two threaded narrative running - one in the past and one in the present. I enjoyed this structure so much!

The reader is superb also; his accents and voices are great, although perhaps he's not as good at American voices as he might be, but it doesn't detract at all from the listening experience.

Blood Atonement

Any additional comments?

We listen to audiobooks while driving around in our car. This story has kept our interest and we often sit in the car on reaching our destination just to hear a bit more of the story. Great writer and great story.

Good Listen but ....

Good listen but doesn't line up to the first when it comes to suspense and drama. Still recommend it though, looking forward to the next book.

Fantastic

Great great listen- 2nd book of his i've read really enjoying the series. Gtreat detective novel with the twist of history thrown in. Very clever idea it works for me.

Download This!!

What a fantasic "Listen" this was!! It really does grab your attention. If you like Crime/Thrillers then this is an excellent choice. So good I have just downloaded Dan Waddell's Blood Detective and am looking forward to it very much!