Get Popular Audiobook Authors in Mysteries & Thrillers, Legal Thrillers

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Title: Crunch Time

Author: Diane Mott Davidson

Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-05-11

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 512 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Caterer and sleuth extraordinaire Goldy Schulz returns in another tasty and suspenseful adventure from New York Times best-selling author Diane Mott Davidson

Colorado caterer Goldy Schulz cooks up bigtrouble as she tries to help her longtime friend and fellow chef Yolanda Garcia. When the rental house shared by Yolanda and her irrepressible aunt Ferdinanda is destroyed by arson, the pair move in with cop-turned-PI Ernest McLeod. But then Ernest is shot dead and his house is set on fire, nearly killing Goldy, Yolanda, Ferdinanda, and nine beagle puppies that Ernest had recently rescued from a puppymill.

Concerned for her friends, Goldy invites them to stay with her while the sheriffs department investigates. Yet even Goldys house isnt safe, and after a failed break-in by an unknown intruder a cop is sent to keep an eye on things.Then a second body is found.

Swapping her chefs hat for a sleuthing cap, the intrepid Goldy steps up the investigation. But shes got to move fast. Its crunch time to close in on a killer, before he can close in on her.

Filled with danger as well as laughs, wonderful food, and scrumptious recipes, Crunch Time is a delicious indulgence sure to satisfy all of Goldys fans.

Members Reviews:

Not so good

I have listen to or read all of author's books and I have decided that I'll only read the next one. the narrator made Goldie too whiny, too shrill and that was unpleasant to listen to. All the female characters sounded the same so was hard to distinguish one from another. The story plot was good and I enjoyed the story but not the narration. I have liked this narrator before but might not listen to her again.

This is a fun story to listen to

Although I have read all of Diane Mott Davidson's books, this is the first one that I have listened to. This is a bit different from her other novels, but I liked the focus on Goldy's relationship with Tom.

This was a fun book. I bought it to help me get through my spring cleaning, and it was perfect. There were spots that made me laugh out loud while I was fighting dust bunnies and reorganizing closets. The plot had enough twists that it kept my interest over my 2 day cleaning frenzy.

More like slightly soggy time

I normally love Davidson's cozy mystery series, but this volume has left me with a sour taste. Goldy barely cooked in this story, and the best parts of her story such as Julian and Arch were hardly mentioned. I hope Davidson's next attempt serves up more excitement or I fear this will be my last purchase of her work.

LOVED IT!!!

I'm a huge fan of Diane Mott Davidson's books. Crunch Time is really good! I love the fact that they focused more on Goldie and Tom. Arch and Julian is getting older so not so much on them but that didnt bother me much because the story line was so well done. I cant wait until the next one!!!!

I really loved Crunch Time...

Best yet!

My daughter, Mimi, and I are great fans of Diane Mott Davidson's books. We listen to one each road trip.

Crunch Time is the best one yet.

We thought the first one we heard so long ago was crazy but we became addicted.

This one is a little different with less Arch and very little Julian. They are growing up and changes are happening.

I really enjoyed Crunch Time.

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Title: Lost in a Good Book

Subtitle: A Thursday Next Novel

Author: Jasper Fforde

Narrator: Emily Gray

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-08-11

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 748 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Intrepid literary detective Thursday Next is back in the second installment of Jasper Fforde's one-of-a-kind series. The inventive, exuberant, and totally original literary fun that began with The Eyre Affair continues with Jasper Ffordes magnificent second adventure starring the resourceful, fearless literary sleuth Thursday Next.

When Landen, the love of her life, is eradicated by the corrupt multinational Goliath Corporation, Thursday must moonlight as a Prose Resource Operative of Jurisfictionthe police force inside books. She is apprenticed to the man-hating Miss Havisham from Dickenss Great Expectations, who grudgingly shows Thursday the ropes. And she gains just enough skill to get herself in a real mess entering the pages of Poes "The Raven".

What she really wants is to get Landen back. But this latest mission is not without further complications.

Along with jumping into the works of Kafka and Austen, and even Beatrix Potters The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies, Thursday finds herself the target of a series of potentially lethal coincidences, the authenticator of a newly discovered play by the Bard himself, and the only one who can prevent an unidentifiable pink sludge from engulfing all life on Earth.

Members Reviews:

It takes a little while to get lost...

I had a bit of a hard time with the narrative transition. I listened to 'The Eyre Affair' and 'Lost in a Good Book' back to back, I enjoy running to audio books, and had a hard time switching from listening to narrators Susan Duerdan to Emily Gray. Gray tends to make the male characters sound slow and stupid, including Landen and she seems to have a hard time changing characters using the same voices for characters in conversation as well. However, once I was able to move past the quirks of getting used to a new narrator I thoroughly enjoyed the second installment in the 'Thursday Next' series.

Great narration

Emily Gray is a wonderful narrator I enjoyed her very much! I do believe you have to be a bibliophile to enjoy these books because if you dont know the characters from the books it may not make sense but I love all the literary references sometimes Im not sure who someone is but it makes you want to do research and pick up another book and that is never a bad thing!I did enjoy this one and there are laugh out loud moments.

But I am really curious why the next book in this series the Well of Lost Plots is not available when all the rest of the series is.

Stick with it the second half it better

The Eyre Affair was enjoyable and I was very excited for this book. It was a bit hard to get into and I think part of the reason was I was disappointed Susan Duerden didn't read it. Emily Gray did well with female voices and the dramatization but her male voices were really disappointing. Landon especially was bad, he sounded like he had a really bad cold and was monotone, slower spoken, and overall just bad. The narration did get better as the book goes on and you get used to it

The second half is great fun and reminded me why I liked The Eyre Affair so much. Thursday is now famous and doesn't like it. She is being censored and being pulled into SpecOps politics. This is the first half and is a bit slow but the second half pulls in her father, the possibility of the end of the world, Goliath, and jumping in and out of books.

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Title: Moonlight Mile

Author: Dennis Lehane

Narrator: Jonathan Davis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-02-10

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 493 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Acclaimed New York Times best-selling author Dennis Lehane delivers an explosive tale of integrity and vengeance - heralding the long-awaited return of private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro.

Amanda McCready was four years old when she vanished from a Boston neighborhood 12 years ago. Kenzie and Gennaro risked everything to find the young girl - only to orchestrate her return to a neglectful mother and a broken home.

Now Amanda is 16 - and gone again. Haunted by their consciences, Kenzie and Gennaro revisit the case that troubled them the most. Their search leads them into a world of identity thieves, methamphetamine dealers, a mentally unstable crime boss and his equally demented wife, a priceless, thousand-year-old cross, and a happily homicidal Russian gangster. It's a world in which motives and allegiances constantly shift and mistakes are fatal.

In their desperate fight to confront the past and find Amanda McCready, Kenzie and Gennaro will be forced to question if it's possible to do the wrong thing and still be right or to do the right thing and still be wrong. As they face an evil that goes beyond broken families and broken dreams, they discover that the sins of yesterday don't always stay buried, and the crimes of today could end their lives.

Members Reviews:

A brilliant book. His best by far.

If you could sum up Moonlight Mile in three words, what would they be?

That's (a) goofy question.

This is about the eighth book I have read by Mr. Lehane, with (I believe) Jonathan Davis narrating all of them, although maybe not. In any case, this book is a powerful demonstration of all of the gifts of both of these men. I will also note that this book is half the length of his standard book, and I think it's no coincidence that it's the best of the lot. The plot covers a lot of distance, but it never gets out of control, even when we are treated to the monstrous Russian gangsters who do truly unspeakable things. Prepare yourself for that. The gore is a little over the top, but I will grant him license (as if he cares about whom I grant what) because both the stories and the characters are all brilliantly written. In addition, Mr. Lehane maintains his extraordinary descriptive ability when it comes to almost all aspects of his beloved Boston. And Mr. Davis is likewise fantastic at reproducing the many Boston accents and sub-dialects, the sounds of the streets, and even of the suburbs, although this last is the least of his concerns. I won't give you the plot, as it is much too complicated, too multi-faceted to describe in such a small space; plus, you deserve to have the pleasure of discovering it yourself. I do wonder about several things, which gives you something of an idea of how these books and their characters have come alive for me. In Moonlight Mile Patrick and Angie have a four-year-old daughter, Gabriella. They are married. And I think it is not spoiling it to reveal that at the end of the book Patrick decides to leave his profession. You have to wonder if Mr. Lehane will develop some other characters, or what. I'll be glad to see. The Drop is also a great book, and it does not belong to the Kenzie-Gennaro series.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I think it is not unfair, this being fiction and all, to merge Patrick and Angie together into one character, which in some great marriages comes very close to that.

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Title: The Janus Stone

Author: Elly Griffiths

Narrator: Jane McDowell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-01-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 761 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Forensic archaeologist Ruth Galloway is called in to investigate when builders, demolishing a large old house in Norwich to make way for a housing development, uncover the bones of a child beneath a doorway - minus the skull. Is it some ritual sacrifice or just plain straightforward murder? DCI Harry Nelson would like to find out - and fast.

Members Reviews:

Return to Salt Marsh & Mysterious Archeology

I just love the way Griffiths brought the characters back from book one in the series as old friends. They are people that have been changed by their experiences together in the previous book. Often I find in a series that the main characters are too static as personalities. Not so with this author. Even better, this book continues to develop these interesting, flawed but fascinating people without missing a beat. This installment picks up just months after book one finished. Probably best to start with book one if you are new to the series. The books do build on one another and it is assumed that the reader already knows much detail that is not reviewed. A good thing-- as I dislike a great deal of recap in a series.

The mystery and backstory were as well thought out, engaging and as spooky as they were in book one. It was also funny in spots! I really enjoyed this listen and loved how the whole tale played out. Creepiness, brooding wild sea coast, archeology and history all perfectly intertwine to make a really enjoyable listen. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Really good and recommended if you enjoy a good mystery.

My favorite of the series.

I've listened to all of this series but not in order. Now I await each new episode.

It's easy listening, there's always a mystery, Ruth Galloway is a very independent woman, and there are complicated interactions in a rural setting.

The narration is well done.

Interesting Development

Although it was obvious from very early on in the book who the "culprit" was in this book, it was extremely interesting to see how the author brought it to the attention of the characters in the book. She developed it exceptionally well, fitting the responses and thoughts of her characters around it. It is very well written and a joy to read or listen to! I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery.

I'm a big fan

Where does The Janus Stone rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Well written, story is excellent, characters realistic. Hoping for many more in the series

plot and character entrancing

What made the experience of listening to The Janus Stone the most enjoyable?

the plot and locale kept my interest. Loved Ruth's character as she came across as real though somewhat flawed. Her relationships are complicated but she always manages to stay true to herself. She continually struggles with the values and ideologies of Catholicism, and "born again Christian" as these enter her relationships with family and friends. I feel like I'm learning something about science but never bored with detail.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Janus Stone?

So many memorable moements, learning about the sex of her baby, sharing it with Nelson, and the final boat scenes.

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Title: Chapter & Hearse

Author: Lorna Barrett

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-03-10

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 161 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Mystery bookstore owner Tricia Miles has been spending more time solving whodunits than reading them. Now a nearby gas explosion has injured Tricia's sister's boyfriend, Bob Kelly, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, and killed the owner of the town's history bookstore. Tricia's never been a fan of Bob, but when she reads that he's being tight-lipped about the "accident", it's time to take action.

Members Reviews:

Hope it gets better

I like this series. It's my first attempt at mystery novels and I have to say I'm pleased with Lorna Barrett's little world of book sellers. Most of the characters are unloveable, which I thought worked well since any one of them could be the killer. It also makes it a fast read, because you don't have a lot of emotional interaction with favorite/least favorite characters.

This particular book in the series was my least favorite. The biggest reason is because the murder was none of Tricia's business. In the first three books, she set out to clear her own name or to determine who was responsible for a murder that directly affected her. In this case, she didn't even know the victim. And suddenly, she's in everyone's face, asking nosy questions. The story also dragged on forever, going nowhere for a long time. The characters were constantly whining about their financial problems, and Tricia was running around trying to fix their problems. Then she suddenly narrates that she was "filthy rich." Really? How convenient. How did this realistically bland character turn into such a Mary Sue? It wasn't appealing at all. The Ginny character made me cringe. She was the biggest financial whiner in the world. Something should tell you that if you work for a bookstore at just above minimum wage (the "minimum wage" thing was broadcast throughout the whole book), you shouldn't even think about a mortgage. Ginny did redeem herself in the end, so I hated her less then.

The fact that I can feel so strongly about these things tells me that Lorna Barrett really is a good writer. She did address some of the issues, like having other characters tell Tricia the same things I was thinking. The reason I'm pointing them out is because I hope that the next book improves the series. We need something different, like a mystery that does not involve murder. Or maybe more than one murder at a time. I do think it's worth reading the series and I do look forward to the next one.

The main character is very unlikeable

The main character Tricia, is SO hard to like. No matter what nice things she does, she's still at the very core snooty & self righteous. She has many faults of her own which she expects everyone to forgive but if anyone else Makes a mistake she makes them grovel. If she needs a favor for her investigation she expects it be given, but then is quite rude when they are no longer necessary. She turns her nose up at any food that's unhealthy & makes it a point to put down people who dares to eat anything with fat (gasp). And the most unlikeable moment for Tricia was in the beginning of the book when she complained about how unfair her life was because her cop boyfriend dumped her to go care for his ex who was ill with a serious illness.

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Title: Whisperers

Subtitle: A Charlie Parker Mystery

Author: John Connolly

Narrator: Holter Graham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-15-10

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 291 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

"'Oh, little one,' he whispered, as he gently stroked her cheek, the first time he had touched her in 15 years. What have they done to you? What have they done to us all?"

In his latest dark and chilling Charlie Parker thriller, New York Times best-selling author John Connolly takes us to the border between Maine and Canada. It is there, in the vast and porous Great North Woods, that a dangerous smuggling operation is taking place, run by a group of disenchanted former soldiers, newly returned from Iraq. Illicit goods - drugs, cash, weapons, even people - are changing hands. And something else has changed hands. Something ancient and powerful and evil.

The authorities suspect something is amiss, but what they can't know is that it is infinitely stranger and more terrifying than anyone can imagine. Anyone, that is, except private detective Charlie Parker, who has his own intimate knowledge of the darkness in men's hearts. As the smugglers begin to die, one after another, in apparent suicides, Parker is called in to stop the bloodletting. The soldiers actions and the objects they have smuggled have attracted the attention of the reclusive Herod, a man with a taste for the strange. And where Herod goes, so too does the shadowy figure that he calls the Captain. To defeat them, Parker must form an uneasy alliance with a man he fears more than any other - the killer known as the Collector.

Critic Reviews:

"Connolly displays a real knack for fusing the detective and horror genres, providing a rational chain of evidence and deduction for the plot while simultaneously creating a real atmosphere of numinous dread that reminds us that mystery can refer to more than a mundane tale of crime and human justice." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Thank you!

First of all, I would like to send a heart felt "Thank you!" to anyone who participated in the decision to produce this in unabridged format. That made me very happy! I also cannot say enough good words about Holter Graham. His capture of the mid Maine accent is very nearly perfect, and the other Maine accents he uses are very good as well. Having myself had family here in Bethel for many generations, and being someone who laments the loss of our cultural heritage in our "lingo", I sincerely appreciate his nuanced performance. I hope to see more of his work! Now to the story - Mr. Connolly has created another book I will read again and again, as I do the others in the Parker series. I was grateful to find some of the action set in Western Maine, and I hope he used the large archives of the Bethel Historical Society for research. Thank you to all for this enjoyable "read"! I am already looking for the next in the series. *nudge, nudge*

Awesome!

Love love love John Connolly's books. This was a great performance by Holter Graham. He's far better suited to this series than the other actor who reads them. His Louis and Angel are great (although he calls Louis "Lewis" not "Louie" and I am enough of a fan to be bothered by that) and his voice is great for Parker. I'd love to hear him read more of the series!

Iraqi Artifacts Come to Maine

The father of a veteran wants Charlie to look into the cause of his son's suicide. Trafficking in stone Iraqi artifacts is only a part of the problem for Charlie to handle.

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Title: Act Normal

Subtitle: A Stan Turner Mystery

Author: William Manchee

Narrator: William Timnick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-25-10

Publisher: Top Publications, Ltd.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Legal Thrillers

Publisher's Summary:

Stan Turner is asked by the CIA to defend a woman accused of killing her alien husband and three children. What the CIA doesn't tell Stan is that the woman's husband isn't from Mexico but from another planet.

Critic Reviews:

"Readers who like to mix their legal thrillers with a bit of science fiction will enjoy Manchee's (Cactus Island) latest Stan Turner Mystery, in which the Dallas attorney, grief stricken by the abduction of his son by the aliens, is asked by the aliens to defend a woman accused of killing her husband and children." (Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

Worst read book

As I listened to this far fetched alien-legal thriller, I was constantly reminded that the reader read too slowly. He actually read as though he had a learning disability. Every syllable was pronounced, and made me concentrate more on him than the story. The story is very weak, in which every loophole and unbelievable exception is made up to explain his story line. Very disappointed, I had to finish the book just so I wouldn't have felt cheated, but I wanted to trash it.

Unique mystery-sci fi is a fascinating read.

Dallas attorney Stan Turner has a long history of doing special jobs for the CIA. Unfortunately, he has also accepted their help from time to time. Now the CIA insists he help them prevent the discovery of a top secret project involving aliens and to insure his cooperation and silence they have his son kidnapped and exiled to the alien world. But this isn't Stan's only problem. One of his oldest clients is the victim of embezzlement and his partner, Paula Waters, is arrested on a trip outside the country. A very complex story but one difficult to put down.

I also enjoyed William Timnick's reading of the novel and am looking forward to hearing more from him.

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Title: Stalking the Angel

Subtitle: An Elvis Cole - Joe Pike Novel, Book 2

Author: Robert Crais

Narrator: David Stuart

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-16-10

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 58 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Hired by a hotel magnate to locate a priceless Japanese manuscript, L.A. private eye Elvis Cole encounters the notorious Yakuza, the Japanese mob, and is drawn into a game of sexual obsession, amorality, and evil.

Critic Reviews:

"Stalking the Angel is a righteous California book: intelligent, perceptive, hard, clean." (James Elroy)

"Elvis Cole provides more fun for the reader than any L.A. private eye to come along in years." (Joseph Wambaugh)

"Stuart brings the quirky Cole to life quickly, combining his strengths (tenacity, incorruptibility, frequent flashes of humor) with his oddities (his love of the Disney artifacts that litter his office) to make a credible whole person. Other characters emerge with equal vocal skill: the enigmatic Joe Pike, Cole's muscular sidekick; a glowering Los Angeles property developer, his alcohol-impaired wife and their fragile adolescent daughter, who winds up being kidnapped by Japanese gangsters. Cole, hired to find a rare Japanese manuscript, discovers that the teenager's fate is very important to him personally forging a bond between the detective and children in peril that has become a hallmark of the series. For those who have been fans of Elvis since book one, The Monkey's Raincoat, it's good to have his early adventures around to listen to. For more recent Crais converts, this could prove an eye-opening revelation of how Cole got to be who he is." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Elvis Cole just gets better

I liked book one, and I really liked book two. Elvis is a real guy, he's not the toughest, biggest or baddest guy around, but the PI you'd really want to hire if you needed one. The realism, the emotion the conflict all have sense of realism. The characters act is a manner the seems probable but not predictable. The narration by David Stuart makes it. RIght up there with John Sandford and Richard Ferrone. I can't wait for book 3

disapointing

My 1st book Robert Crais book I listened too. It had 4 stars but it was disappointing for me. Just took too long to get started and when it did nothing very exciting happened. 'Joe Pike's role was pretty small. To be fair I will try another Crais book.

Entertaining yet nothing exceptional

It passed some time but I am far from thinking it would be repeatable. I like the unexpected and this was too predictable.

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Title: Black Cherry Blues

Author: James Lee Burke

Narrator: Will Patton

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-02-10

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 80 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Haunted by the memory of his wife's murder and his father's untimely death, ex-New Orleans cop Dave Robicheaux spends his days in a fish-and-tackle business. But when an old friend makes a surprise appearance, Robicheaux finds himself thrust back into the violent world of Mafia goons and wily federal agents. From the Louisiana bayou to Montana's tribal lands, Robicheaux is running from the bottle, a homicide rap, a professional killer and the demons of his past.

Rich with fascinating characters and dramatic plot twists, the audio debut of James Lee Burke and his Cajun detective Dave Robicheaux recalls the best of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe -- tough, complex and thoroughly entertaining.

Members Reviews:

Abridged Version Leaves Gaps, But Worth Listening

I suggest reading the book, then listening to this version. The book is amazing, but the abridged audio version leaves out too many of the strands of the intricate web of the story. That said, The interpretation by Will Patton brings the characters to life in way that your imagination alone, no matter how fertile, cannot. Any opportunity to listen to Will Patton reading the works of James Lee Burke is a rare gift. It is that simple. Enjoy.

Great book but shouldn't have been abridged...

First off, I absolutely love the Dave Robicheaux novels and Will Patton is a phenomenal narrator! However, there is absolutely no reason for this book to have been abridged. It was way too short and cut out so much important content. It's not like the unabridged versions are really even that long. I just don't get it. Anyway, I've listened to the unabridged version narrated by Mark Hammer and it's very good, but he doesn't bring the character to life like Will Patton. With that being said, I would listen to Mark Hammer any day if it meant I didn't miss out on 2/3rds of a great book. To me, an abridged book feels like watching a "made for tv" movie. You get the meat and potatoes, but miss out on the appetizers, drinks, extra sides, and dessert. Don't sell yourself short by skipping out on the unabridged version.

Intensely engaging

could not stop listening Will is a phenomenal reader highly recommend. eagerly looking forward to the next one

Gripping me again

This a continuation of the Dave Robicheaux journey. Again it kept me wanting more. A great detective story

great book number 2

I enjoy the pace of this book. There are times when the characters became mixed up because the names are difficult to follow. I would suggest keeping a notepad so that all of the criminals and the good guys stay straight in your head!

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Title: Charm City

Subtitle: Tess Monaghan, Book 2

Author: Laura Lippman

Narrator: Deborah Hazlett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-01-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 510 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

PI Tess Monaghan knows and loves every inch of her native Baltimore. It's a quirky city where baseball reigns, but lately homicide seems to be the second most popular sport. Business tycoon Wink Wynkowski is trying to change all that by bringing pro basketball to town--until a devastating expose appears in the Baltimore Beacon Light. The newspaper's editors thought they'd killed the piece. Instead, the piece killed Wink, who's found dead in his garage. Tess is hired to find the unknown hacker who planted the lethal story.

Members Reviews:

On of my favorites

Probably my favorite Tess Monaghan audio book so far. (My favorite print book is Sugar House). This book has Tess looking into a news paper story about a new basketball team that wasn't supposed to be printed but was. She also tries to figure out why her Uncle Spike was beaten into a coma over a dog. Both plots are juggled well. My only complaint is that one of the big suprises wasn't very suprising. It was well-paced with a very natural tone. By that I mean not artificially glib and not too grim and gory. A well balanced mystery all around.

Better than expected, Better than Book 1

I read the first Tess Monaghan mystery a while ago and was in no rush to read the next. My main problem with Tess was just not feeling any connection to her. In book one she spends most of her time working out and rowing, which didn't interest me. In this installment she actually doesn't do any rowing, and only a little working out. She seems to have traded that hobby for the hobby of eating junk food. I read a lot of cozy mysteries, and Tess is not a cozy character. She likes to drink bourbon, smoke pot, and she is having an uncommitted relationship with a guy who is obviously in love with her. I felt sorry for the guy. The Tess character starts out being very much like a stereotypical male character and I was expecting to stop the series after this one. However, I have to say, that as the book goes on we see another side of Tess and I liked her much better. As the mystery developed I thought it was going in a very predictable way and was starting to feel disappointed and then an unexpected twist changed things. All in all, it was actually a pretty good book and I expect I will continue on to the next one.

Disappointing; didn't finish it

I really wanted to like this book, with its Baltimore setting and newspaper theme, but it is, simply, dull. The performance is fine; there just isn't enough story to make a reader care what happens.

Easy Listening

I like the narrator, the stories are involved without being complex. A nice easy, entertaining listen.

Learn pronunciation, then record!

I like the Tess Monaghan series, but the performance irritated me. There were so many words mispronounced, especially French. To make matters worse, mispronunciation because of having only read them, not heard them, is a key characteristic of the newspaper computer geek. Her performance of the characters was fine other than that.