Get Best Sellers Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

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Title: Bad Blood

Subtitle: A Kate Shugak Mystery, Book 20

Author: Dana Stabenow

Narrator: Marguerite Gavin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-26-13

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 207 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

New York Times best-selling author Dana Stabenow's latest, Bad Blood, finds Kate Shugak entangled in a bitter tribal rivalry and murder.

In Alaska, 100 years of bad blood between the villages of Kushtaka and Kuskulana come to a boil when the body of a young Kushtaka ne'er-do-well is found wedged in a fish wheel. Sergeant Jim Chopin's prime suspect is a Kuskulana man who is already in trouble in both villages for falling in love across the river. But when the suspect disappears, members of both tribes refuse to speak to Jim. When a second murder that looks suspiciously like payback occurs, Jim has no choice but to call in Kate Shugak for help. This time, though, her Park relationships may not be enough to sort out the truth hidden in the tales of tragedy and revenge.

Members Reviews:

Another Great Kate Shugak Story

This 20th book in the story of Kate Shugak and Alaska is another winner, though much of the story is actually about Jim Chopin. The plot, straight out of Shakespeare, involves the feud between two villages in the Park, and the problems of young love in the midst of feud fueled by profound cultural and socio-economic differences.

This book ends with a rather controversial ending that I will not describe or comment on to avoid spoiling the book. Suffice it to say, it's a shocker.

But even knowing that, I am extremely glad to have read this book, and, as usual, Marguerite Gavin's superb narration adds to the enjoyment and understanding.

Wait for the next book in the series

I love the Shugak series. I listen to them again and again...but I won't bother with this one. It's stuffed with poofy purple prose and so much description that one is ready to gag on it.

In general, it's a Romeo and Juliet rehash with star-crossed lovers from two different villages that have traditionally feuded with each other. Gack. I don't care for this kind of storyline. I might as well be reading about a grizzly dating a beaver.

We've also got multiple murders, bootlegging, Erland Bannister is once again on the loose (he's tried to kill Kate before), and Jim Chopin is losing his ability to interact with hostile locals. His skiff is sabotaged, leading to a sinking in an icy cold river and potential hypothermia. Some one -- or everyone wants him to stop investigating the man who drowned in a fish wheel and the man who died, nailed into a crawlspace.

I don't need to hear stuff reiterated. Hearing the same details repeated inside of 5 or 10 minutes regarding Chopper Jim or Kate or two villages having a pissing match gets old. Really old. I usually listen to these books in a day, two at most. It took me a week to keep interested in this long enough to get to the bitter end.

It ends with a cliffhanger that's definitely dirty pool. Bullets are flying and two characters are hit. Then it ends. If my favorite character dies, I won't return to these books.

Wait for the next volume so that you can find out right away who lives, dies, whatever. It would also be a good idea to switch back to the ebook version so that you can flip pages with rapidity instead of listening to hours of blaah. A print version should be only an hour's read. At the very least, use your iPod and jack up the speed to "faster, must go faster!"

I enjoyed the cliffhanger.

Unlike other reviewers of this book, I liked the cliffhanger.

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Title: Deadly Stakes

Subtitle: Ali Reynolds, Book 8

Author: J. A. Jance

Narrator: Karen Ziemba

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-05-13

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 228 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A thrilling mystery from New York Times best-selling author J.A. Jance starring Ali Reynolds, who finds herself working against the police to clear two innocent names...with deadly stakes.

In Deadly Stakes, police-academy-trained former reporter Ali Reynolds is contacted to investigate the grisly murder of a gold-digging divorcee on behalf of a woman accused of the crime. Lynn Martinson is dating the dead woman's ex-husband, and she and her boyfriend, Chip Ralston, have been charged.

Ali is simultaneously drawn to the case of A. J. Sanders, a frightened teen with secrets of his own. He's the first to find the body in the Camp Verde desert when he goes to retrieve a mysterious buried box hidden by his absent father - a box that turns out to be filled with hundreds of thousands of dollars in poker chips.

When the body of an ex-con is discovered near the first crime scene, Ali struggles to determine if A.J. and Lynn's cases are related. Though her friends in the police department grow increasingly irritated by her involvement with the cases, Ali must stop a deadly killer from claiming another victim - before she herself is lost in this game of deadly stakes.

Members Reviews:

Ali works as investigating reporter

I gave the story 3 stars as it is an average who done it book. J. A. Jance is a good writer and the story held my interesting as well as provided suspense. Ali had been finishing up working on her Mothers election campaign for the mayor's office. She is called to do investigative reporting for the Mother of a women accused of killing her boyfriend ex-wife. While police were working the crime scene they find a man's murder. Ali is off on both cases and conflicts with Dave (dep. sheriff) a friend and former boy friend. The suspense and "who done it" of the cases keeps building and it is hard to stop listening long enough to attend to vital chores. Karen Ziemba again narrates the story and does a good job. If you like J.A. Jance and/or mystery stories you will enjoy this book.

great story

J.A. Jance keeps the story moving. I couldn't put the book down. Not allot of sex, gore or horror, just good read. I love getting to know the characters and following along in their life.

J.A. Jance and Ali Reynolds are back!

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

Yep.

What did you like best about this story?

J.A. Jance finally stated to develop the characters more. It didn't drag along like her last Ali Reynolds book. It had action, character development and it was exciting to listen to.

Which character as performed by Karen Ziemba was your favorite?

Her mom.

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

I wouldn't call it extreme, although I was extremely happy that I didn't have to ask for my credit back like I did the last A.R. book. It was just a good listen.

Any additional comments?

If you hated the last A.R. book, fear not, this one will not disappoint.

What a ride!

Interesting and great story telling. I like the character Ali Reynolds very much so enjoyed getting to hear more about her adventures.

Greedy, selfish people

All about people living above their means or trying to live off of someone else. Taking advantage of elderly people, counterfeit money, lies to parents, and youthful indiscretions abound in this one.

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Title: Pastime

Author: Robert B. Parker

Narrator: David Dukes

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-05-13

Publisher: Phoenix Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 66 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Ten years ago, Paul Giacomin's corrupt father and loose mother used the boys as a pawn in their violent race: Only Spenser could call them off and straighten out the misled teen - almost getting killed in the process. Paul is now 24 and reconciled to his mother's wanton ways. But when Patty Giacomin vanishes, Paul begs Spenser to help him rescue her from the clutches of her boyfriend, a shady character he's sure coerced his mother into running.

As Spenser - accompanied by Paul, Susan Silverman, and the redoubtable Hawk - follow Patty's trail to its astonishing conclusion, he is led back through Paul's own rites of passage to the lanes of his own memories. The boy Spenser was and the man Paul must become race toward a confrontation that may break their hearts...and threaten their lives.

Members Reviews:

Abysmal

David Dukes ruined a book in one of my favorite series' with his monotone narration and his propensity to mispronounce every word more complicated than Hawk. Paul Giacomin was a huge disappointment in this book as well. Parker went way too far to create the juxtaposition in the father son relationships between Spenser and Paul and the Broz's Joe and Gerry. Paul develops a sudden anxiety about his mother that had been absent in previous books including his introduction in Early Autumn. He also reverts to being almost as diffident and whiny as the fifteen year old train wreck he was then. Still this one was a pretty decent book and with Joe Mantegna as the narrator it would have been an enjoyable listening experience; unfortunately it's quite likely that this reader could screw up the best or simplest literary work.

Not up to par

What would have made Pastime better?

A more energetic narrator

What could Robert B. Parker have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

It's probably a good book but Mr. Dukes reads it in such a monotone and so slowly that Spenser doesn't even resemble the character he was in previous books.

How could the performance have been better?

Go back to the previous narrator

Any additional comments?

I love the Spenser series but this was just really bizarre. I wasn't able to get into the storyline very easily - I finished it but it was tough

I love Parker but...

First, the narrator was completely wrong for this. Susan's voice made me cringe every time I heard it. Hawk's voice, forget about it. This sequel compared to Early Autumn, was very weak. It seemed like an experiment by Parker. Overblown description was cringe-worthy too. I liked Paul better when he was ten years younger, and had a real reason to act pathetic. All he did here was whine like a baby about how it hurt, and after Spencer had trained him. I didn't feel it the pain. The pieces didn't add up and it seemed mellow dramatic. The real gift Parker had generally, was how his books didn't seem mellow dramatic when they could easily have, or should have in the hands of another writer. This book showed how Parker was balanced on the razor's for most of his books, and pulled off regularly.

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Title: Only the Innocent

Author: Rachel Abbott

Narrator: Sarah Coomes

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-05-13

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 839 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When philanthropist Hugo Fletchers dead body is discovered tied to a bed in his London home, Chief Inspector Tom Douglas determines right away that hes hunting a female killer. Though Fletcher made countless enemies through his work with Eastern European prostitutes, the crime scene reeks of sex and revenge. This murder was personal. Douglas knows Fletchers unhappy wife, Laura, should be his prime suspect. Shes definitely hiding something. Something big. But he isnt convinced its murder. Besides, shes not the only woman with a motive to kill the manipulative billionaire. So he digs deeper, into a tangled web of secrets and lies, unraveling the sordid life Fletcher lived outside of the media spotlight.

What he uncovers is shocking, forcing the veteran cop to ask himself: With a man like Fletcher, should the guilty be punished? Or should the innocent be protected?

Members Reviews:

Not a Police Procedural, Not a Thriller

I thought this book was supposed to be a police procedural based on the description and ended up disappointed. I should have read more of the Amazon reviews.

The set up is interesting. A wealthy philanthropist is found naked, tied to a bed with silk scarves, and dead. It is not unknown for this sort of thing to happen in London from time to time. The body is discovered by the cleaner who calls in the police and an investigation into the family, employees, and associates of the dead man begins.

I bought the Kindle version and the whispersynced Audible version. The narrator Sarah Coomes was above average, but I shortly gave up on listening to the Audible version so I could skim the long (and I thought uninteresting) letters that give the back story of Sir Hugo's marriage. The characters of the people investigating the murder start out interesting enough, but it all quickly takes on a soap opera quality.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Douglas who is in charge of the investigation is having family problems of his own, but unlike many authors who work the family lives of their detectives into their books (Cynthia Harrod-Eagles for one), Abbott just has Douglas interrupting his interrogation of a suspect to answer phone calls from his ex-wife. Douglas' habit of having personal conversations on his phone in front of his Sergeant or telling one of his chief suspects about his issues with his ex-wife are unlikely and don't add to the story. The resolution of the ex-wife issue is perfunctory.

Also when one of the suspects was being questioned about accepting money under the table I kept waiting for someone to threaten the suspect with tax consequences, but it never happened.

I knew in a short period of time whodunnit. I also guessed fairly quickly why it was done. And the domestic issues of the characters weren't interesting enough to keep me absorbed as the rest of the story unrolled.

I was surprised at Sir Hugo having trouble finding partners who enjoyed his rather mild sexual fetishes. In fact, except for the bits revealed about his background here and there, I wondered what all the fuss was about. (Now the MI6 spy discovered naked zipped and padlocked in a North Face duffle bag in his bathtub had an interesting fetish--provided the London Metropolitan Police are correct, that he did it to himself.)

In short not a horrid book, but not to my taste either.

Sigh... Sigh...

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Title: The Third Bullet

Subtitle: Bob Lee Swagger, Book 8

Author: Stephen Hunter

Narrator: Buck Schirner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-15-13

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 404 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Its not even a clue. Its a whisper, a trace, a ghost echo, drifting down through the decades via chance connections so fragile that they would disintegrate in the puff of a breath. But its enough to get legendary former Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger interested in the events of November 22, 1963, and the third bullet that so decisively ended the life of John F. Kennedy and set the stage for one of the most enduring controversies of our time.

Swagger begins his slow night stalk through a much-traveled landscape. But hes asking questions that few have asked before: Why did the third bullet explode? Why did Lee Harvey Oswald, about to become the most hunted man on Earth, risk it all by returning to his rooming house to secure a pistol he easily could have brought with him? How could a conspiracy that went unpenetrated for 50 years have been thrown together in the two and a half days between the announcement of the presidents route and the assassination itself?

As Bob investigates, another voice enters the narrative: knowing, ironic, almost familiar, that of a gifted, Yale-educated veteran of the CIA Plans Division. Hugh Meachum has secrets and the means and the will to keep them buried. When weighed against his own legacy, Swaggers life is an insignificant expense - but to blunt the threat, hell first have to ambush the sniper.

As each man hunts the other across todays globe and through the thickets of history, The Third Bullet builds to an explosive climax that will finally prove what Bob Lee Swagger has always known: Its never too late for justice.

Members Reviews:

Not what reader is anticipating

I am a little old lady and love Stephen Hunter and Bob Lee, but we have a problem now. Bob Lee is 66 years old: too old to do what he does best, so the story takes another path. I liked this book as a stand alone story, but it is not about our Bob Lee. Unfortunately the author has tied his books to a timeline and we have gotten to the last stages of Bob Lee's life. I would like to see the author go back and give us more adventures in years past. I did not care for the narrator. He did a decent job, but his voice does not fit my mental scenario that I created when reading all of Mr. Hunter's books through the years. I know Bob Lee is from a humble background, but he is a master, an artist in his field. He is the best. Narrator should be reading Mickey Spillane - needs to be more like Gary Cooper - smoother.

Really Good.... not Great

I've read every one of Hunter's Swagger stories (both Bob Lee & Earl). That Hunter is keeping BobLee in real time and aging is sad but, heck, I'm aging too which I often lament. I found this book more about Hugh Meachum than Bob Lee. Bob Lee was secondary to Meachum narrating his memoirs of Nov 1963. I enjoyed Meachum's Yale "snoot" perspective and the narrator's voice for Meachum.

Hey Stephen.... howsabout another story on Earl cleaning up Arkansas in the 50s.

FWIW: my favorite Bob Lee story is Point Of Impact with Behold A Pale Horse as #2.

On Par to be One Of His Best Works

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

At first glance, I was less than intrigued. Another JFK story? Having been a fan of Mr. Hunter for many years, I decided I'd give it a shot, pun intended. The opening of the book made me question whether this was indeed a Hunter novel or not.

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Title: Legacies

Subtitle: A Repairman Jack Novel, Book 2

Author: F. Paul Wilson

Narrator: Christopher Price

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-17-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 425 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Repairman Jack isnt your average appliance repairman - he fixes situations for people, often risking his own life. Jack has no last name, no social security number, works only for cash, and has no qualms when it comes to seeing that the job gets done.

Dr. Alicia Clayton, a pediatrician who treats children with AIDS, is full of secrets, and she has just inherited a house that holds another. Haunted by painful memories, Alicia wants the house destroyed - but somehow everyone she enlists to help ends up violently killed. The house holds a powerful secret, and Alicias charmless brother Thomas seems willing to do anything to get his hands on that secret himself.

But not if Repairman Jack can find it first!

Critic Reviews:

Jack is righteous! Andrew VachssThe Tomb is one of the best all-out adventure stories Ive read in years. (Stephen King)

Repairman Jack [is] a Byronic hero fans have begged to see again for more than a decade. Legacies is a righteous follow-up....The book is a lot of fun, and Wilson has promised that Jack will be back soon. (Rocky Mountain News)

F. Paul Wilson is a hot writer, and his hottest, and my favorite creation, is Repairman Jack. No one does this kind of weird meets crime better than Wilson. Gripping, fascinating, one of a kind. Thats F. Paul Wilson and Repairman Jack. (Joe R. Lansdale)

Members Reviews:

Prefer the narrator of the early years....

The narrator makes the story more interesting, too bad it not the same narrator as the early years stories of Jack The Repairman!

An Unwanted -- but Much Coveted -- Legacy

"Legacies" falls almost -- but, fortunately, not quite -- into the Psychological Thriller genre. Unlike its predecessor in the Repairman Jack series -- "The Tomb" -- "Legacies" does not contain any supernatural components; but, rather, unfolds a compelling mystery. Spoiler-haters should, perhaps, stop reading here; but I honestly don't think that you will regret learning the kernel of this story ahead-of-time, since "Legacies" will still remain a gripping audiobook. Like any novel concerning a discovery that would have changed the world -- had it really been discovered -- author F.P. Wilson has to figure out a way to "un-discover" the scientific breakthrough at the heart of "Legacies" -- in this case, an inexhaustible source of clean energy -- before the book ends. I looked forward to seeing how Wilson would manage this "un-discovery" at the end of "Legacies," and he did not disappoint me. (No, I won't spoil the surprise much: You will just have to listen to the audiobook to learn why we do not now have this much-needed discovery!) I liked the way that Wilson -- ever so slowly -- introduces us to the bad guys -- Saudi princeling Kemel Muhallal (remember that "Legacies" was published back in 1998, well before 9/11); his mercenary muscle-man, Sam Baker; the enigmatic Japanese agent, Yoshio (who turns out to be not such a very bad guy, after all); and co-protagonist Alicia's detested half-brother, Thomas -- whose nefarious motives we must learn at the same pace at which Repairman Jack laboriously uncovers them. "Legacies" keeps us on the edge of our seats all the way through the audiobook, wondering why Alicia does not want her father's legacy, and why seemingly everyone else does.

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Title: Cold City

Subtitle: A Repairman Jack Novel

Author: F. Paul Wilson

Narrator: Alexander Cendese

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-27-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1015 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

If you've never read a Repairman Jack novel, this is the place to begin.

It's 1990. A twenty-one-year-old named Jack has dropped out of college, leaving his old life behind to build a new one in New York City. Manhattan's rough edges are jagged enough to shred any unwary newcomer, but perhaps not one who is determined to stay off the grid, at any cost, in the busiest metropolis on earth. And to do so, he'll have to take jobs of a less than legal nature.

An interstate smuggling operation seems to fit the bill perfectly. But Jack's initial foray into the trafficking of illicit goods carries greater risk than he bargained for, putting him afoul of a preteen slavery ring, a group of jihadists, and a pair of vigilante brothers. As if those problems weren't enough, Jack is hunted by some machete-wielding maniacs, and his bartender Julio is harassed by the mob. How these things are linked, and what they have to do with the murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane in Manhattan's East Side Marriott, is a mystery Jack cannot let go of.

Cold City is the first of three new novels revealing the early years of one of the most popular characters in contemporary fiction: a self-styled "fix-it" man who is no stranger to the macabre or the bizarre, hired by victimized people who have nowhere else to turn. This is where he begins the metamorphosis from a naïve New Jersey refugee into the urban mercenary known as Repairman Jack.

Members Reviews:

ME AND JULIO DOWN BY THE SCHOOL YARD

NEVER TRUST A MAN WHO WON'T HAVE A BEER WITH YOU

I very much enjoyed this book. The miles went by very quickly as I listened. It is not great literature, the story ain't that complicated and there are not a whole lot of twists or turns. It was the characters that made this book. Every character in this book is that, a character, not your everyday Tom, Dick and Harry. Often they make you laugh. This was written in 2012, but it takes place in 1990 and has men with mullets, bag phones, etc.

THE EARLY BIRD GETS BREAKFAST, BUT IT'S A ROUGH DAY FOR THE WORM

This is about how the other half lives, no not that half, the underground half, the off the grid half. Some may have trouble with what these people do for a living. These are criminals, but they are criminals with morals. There are certain things they won't do and they police there own. I don't agree with how they live and I would never live such a life, but it was fun watching them do it. Fun is the best way to describe this book. So, put your BEER GOGGLES on and have fun.

I don't think I have ever heard this narrator before, but he was great. Alexander Cendese, I must remember that name.

Fun, as long you don't think too much

This a prequel and a good place to start for the series -- but understand that the series is all about the dark hero looking out for the powerless. The writing is technically good and the story moves along, but don't look for feasibility in the plot line, or plausibility in almost any aspect of the series. This book attempts to tell the early story of hour Repairman Jack (a sort of poor man's Jack Reacher) got started helping people, and maybe some of where his skills come from -- but really, it doesn't set up a plausible background for what the character is later in the series.

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Title: Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death

Subtitle: Agatha Raisin, Book 1

Author: M. C. Beaton

Narrator: Penelope Keith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-15-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1575 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

After years of bullying and cajoling others as a high-flying public relations boss, Agatha Raisins early retirement to the picture-postcard village of Carsley in the Cotswolds is a dream come true. And how better to begin making herself a local leading light than by entering the village quiche-making competition? Unburdened by old-fashioned ideas of fair play, the ruthless Agatha decides to ensure she wins by buying her entry from a London delicatessen. Alas, Agathas perfect product is soon exposed - as not only store-bought but poisoned. The contest judge succumbs after eating it, and with him go Agathas reputation and her chances of rural bliss - unless she can expose the poisoner....

Members Reviews:

Warning! This series is addictive!

Any additional comments?

Last night I finished the first Agatha Raisin audiobook. This morning in the car on my way to work I thought, "I will start the second book!" And then, panic!! I realized that I had not downloaded another Agatha Raisin book.

These books are dangerous to the consumer! They are good for audible.com but for us listeners they present a dilemma. You see, I bought the first Agatha Raisin novel outside of my regular monthly credits. Today, I know that I will buy several more before I get any more credits for the month. At first, I thought that I might not like the stories. But then I was drawn in by the variety of interesting characters, the beautiful descriptions of the old English countryside, and the intriguing situations in which Agatha Raisin found herself involved.

Many times during the book I laughed out loud. Many times I was so worried about how in the world Agatha Raisin would get out of the difficult situation she had gotten into. Some of Agatha's difficult situations were the kind that you and I would struggle with, for example embarrassment, regret at having been prideful front of other people, or things like that. Some of the situations were ones with which few of us would ever find ourselves having to deal. Some of them were horrifying. Others were zany. In addition to the oddball characters in the book, there were also several very comforting characters who I was always happy to have come on scene.

If you have read and enjoyed other books by MC Beaton and, also, if you have enjoyed books like the Number One Ladies Detective Agency, the Stephanie Plum mysteries by Janet Evanovich, and the Poor Relations series, and even the free Whodunnit books available on Audible, I believe you will enjoy Agatha Raisin.

I recently listened to the audible.com Dave Barry book Insane City. Insane City is kind of "way out there" with some of the characters and situations and the language. But if you enjoyed that one, and don't mind something a little more tame, I think you would also enjoy Agatha Raisin.

This morning, as I dictate this review into my iPhone, my only regret is that instead of doing this review I could have been listening to the second Agatha Raisin book had I only thought last night to buy and download it. Next time I will plan better!

P.S. These books seem to be best read in order.

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Title: Fatal Voyage

Author: Kathy Reichs

Narrator: Kate Harper

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-15-12

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 378 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Temperance Brennan hears the news on her car radio. An Air TransSouth flight has gone down in the mountains of western North Carolina, taking with it 88 passengers and crew.

An a forensic anthropologist and a member of the regional DMORT team, Tempe rushes to the scene to assist in body recovery and identification. She finds a field of carnage: torsos in trees, limbs strewn among bursting suitcases, and smoldering debris. Many of the dead are members of a university soccer team. Is Tempe's daughter, Katy, among them?

Frantic with worry, Tempe joins colleagues from the FBI, the NTSB, and other agencies to search for explanations. Was the plane brought down by a bomb or simple mechanical failure? And what about the prisoner on the plane who was being extradited to Canada? Did someone want him silenced forever? And why are certain people eager to stop Tempe's investigation? Is she learning too much? Coming too close?

With help from Montreal detective Andrew Ryan - and from a very special dog named Boyd - Tempe uncovers a shocking, multilayered tale of deceit and depravity.

Written with the riveting authenticity that only world-class forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs can provide, Fatal Voyage pairs witty, elegant prose with pulse-pounding storytelling in a tour de force worthy of crime writing's new superstar.

Critic Reviews:

"[Dr. Temperance Brennan is] ...the lab lady most likely to dethrone Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta." (USA Today)

"The plot moves with electric force." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Annoying narrator with a good story

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Kathy Reichs is best when she describes the science but her general writing can be cliched and trite. Too many hyperbolic similes and exaggerated descriptions "loud enough to be heard in Buenos Aires". Really? Brennan is a scientist and such a description is just stupic.

Would you ever listen to anything by Kathy Reichs again?

yes

Would you be willing to try another one of Kate Harpers performances?

NO! At many points she screeches and whines making me dislike the characters.

Did not care for reader.

Reader was not very good. Story was fare. Hope she doesn't read more books. Thanks

Not the best

This book wasn't as exciting as the others in the series. I did not care for the narrators rendition of the voices either. It felt child-like and simple.

Good, but a bit tedious in places

What made the experience of listening to Fatal Voyage the most enjoyable?

It was a good and complex plot, characters well-developed and believable. but sometimes (just a few) I felt my eyes glazing over, trying to get through explanations of the scientific evidence. But that's just me. I'm pretty sure those were parts my husband really enjoyed. So obviously, that goes to personal taste.

It's actually a pretty good book. Found myself looking forward to the next listen. The narrator had a great challenge, because it was a large set of characters. She was much better with the womens' voices than with the mens'.

I'd recommend the series. But this one book could be difficult for some people to listen to due to the sensitive nature of much of the story having to do with a plane crash, one that had been carrying a lot of kids on board.

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Title: Fearless in High Heels

Author: Gemma Halliday

Narrator: Caroline Shaffer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-31-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 138 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Morning sickness sucks. Which is why fashion designer turned amateur sleuth Maddie Springer has spent the last six weeks being a couch potato and Moonlight vampire movie devotee. But when Maddie's best friends finally convince her to venture out, Maddie stumbles on a dead body of a girl who has been bitten on the neck, and life suddenly imitates art in the most deadliest of ways. Now Maddie is smack in the middle of a murder investigation involving a deadly dance club and a coven of Hollywood "vampires".

Not to mention navigating the world of baby showers, diaper genies, and Lamaze classes with her LAPD Homicide detective husband who would rather his pregnant wife not continue popping up in his murder investigation. Between the hormones, the homicides, and a flurry of fangs, Maddie and her gang work to track down the deadly truth ... before the killer bites again!

Members Reviews:

Entertaining in High Heels!!

So much fun to read! I laughed my way through the mysteries. I read all of them. How can you not enjoy a girl who uses her Macy's card to try to jimmy a lock (but the card breaks so the police know she was there)..... when she should have used her Neiman's card instead since it was already maxed out. (Poor girl! She found out her father used the same shade of lip gloss that she used!)

Another fun mystery!

situational-humor, verbal-humor, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths, murder-investigation, audiobook

The readers win again with another fun murder mystery by Gemma Halliday! Maddie and her favorite cop are married and expecting, but that doesn't stop her from getting involved in murder investigations, much to husband's dismay. Lots of humor and the perfect book to escape into.

Caroline Shaffer does wonderfully at differentiating the different characters (and they certainly are! ).

LOL in the antics of fearless and shoes

What made the experience of listening to Fearless in High Heels the most enjoyable?

The hijinks of these characters continue. Start at the beginning of the series and you won't get lost in their capers and escapades of fun and danger. You listen and find yourself wanting to say Don't do it!!! But who listens...not the characters which make it even more fun to stay in tune.

What other book might you compare Fearless in High Heels to and why?

If you like Stephanie Plumm, Kelsee Melhone, Hannah Swensen, and Bubbles Bablanski you will enjoy these books too

Which character as performed by Caroline Shaffer was your favorite?

Caroline does a great job and I appreciate her ability to make each voice unique.

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

Yes

Any additional comments?

Do start at the beginning - there are references to past episodes and when listened/read in order it does make the best sense. Enjoy I think you will enjoy the listen...

Fearless??

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Yeah, maybe make it original? Really, not that bad. But after listening to the series one after another, they do get predictable, and a bit boring

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

No special reaction

Did Caroline Shaffer do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Ok, I guess. Heard better

Could you see Fearless in High Heels being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

no, not at all