Get Popular Audiobook Authors in Mysteries & Thrillers, Legal Thrillers

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Title: Cinnamon Roll Murder

Author: Joanne Fluke

Narrator: Suzanne Toren

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-28-12

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 252 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Best-selling author Joanne Flukes Hannah Swensen mysteries have earned her a loyal following. In this 16th delightful installment, the tour bus carrying the Cinnamon Roll Six overturns, sending the band members to the hospital - and the keyboard player to a bizarre and untimely death. Soon Hannah discovers the victims surprising secret - and becomes determined to bring the killer to justice.

Members Reviews:

Excellent installment

This is such a fun book.

I loved listening to this book because:

- it picked up right where the last book left off and answered the cliffhanger ending

- its another good, clean mystery

- the narrator did her usual fantastic job

- instead of reading the reciepes throughout the book they were saved for the end. This made it easier to listen to and follow. I hope the next books follow this trend.

If you enjoyed Joanne Flukes previous books and you want to know what happens with Norman - this book is a must and it does not dissapoint.

Good Story, Not a fan of the Narrator

What made the experience of listening to Cinnamon Roll Murder the most enjoyable?

For me, cozies are a guilty pleasure. I usually buy them to help me get through chores that I do not want to do. This story did not disappoint.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that it picked up where the other book left off. I was glad that they saved the recipies until the end of the book.

Would you be willing to try another one of Suzanne Torens performances?

I would not listen to another on of Suzanne Toren's performances. I do not think that she did a bad job, I just did not like her style at all.

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

I really wanted to listen to long stretches of the book while I was working. The story was entertaining enough to allow me to do that. However, I could only listen to Suzanne for an hour tops.

Good Clean Listening!!

I really like this series. What was nice about this book is they didn't read the recipes throughout the book, they were read at the end, which kept the book flowing along. the books aren't intense, but they are just good and kind of sweet, with the murder mixed in!

leaves me wanting more!

Would you consider the audio edition of Cinnamon Roll Murder to be better than the print version?

I wouldn't know I rarely have time to "sit down" and read these days. I Love audio books they allow me to cook, clean, garden and still be engaging my mind :)

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

well.. kinda, I thought that it was a bit obvious some of the things going on but I was craving a jo fluke book and this one was great.

What about Suzanne Torens performance did you like?

I love her voices, she really keeps me engaged though the whole book.

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

YES!

Any additional comments?

At first I loved that the recipes where at the end instead of at the end of each chapter but then I found I actually missed them. And I wanted to be munching whatever they where talking about while listening but I had to wait till the book was all the way over to get the recipes!

Thoroughly enjoy this series

I'm getting to where I can figure out some of the plot twists, but that does not detract from the enjoyment of the story!

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Title: Raylan

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Elmore Leonard

Narrator: Brian D'Arcy James

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-17-12

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 540 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

With the closing of the Harlan County, Kentucky, coalmines, marijuana has become the biggest cash crop in the state. A hundred pounds of it can gross three-hundred thousand dollars, but thats chump change compared to the quarter million a human body can get you - especially when its sold off piece-by-piece.

So when Dickie and Coover Crowe, dope-dealing brothers known for sampling their own supply, decide to branch out into the body business, its up to U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens to stop them. But by the time Raylan finds out whos making the cuts, hes lying naked in a bathtub, with Layla the cool transplant nurse about to go for his kidneys.

Dark and droll, Raylan is pure Elmore Leonard - a pause-resister filled with sparkling dialogue and sly suspense that are the hallmarks of this modern master.

Members Reviews:

A Justified Fan

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

Backstory Details Explanation

What other book might you compare Raylan to and why?

I don't read this genre much.

Have you listened to any of Brian D'Arcy Jamess other performances before? How does this one compare?

He's good.

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

For those who want to follow a modern day Lawman saga

Any additional comments?

I'm a big fan of the cable TV show "Justified." This book filled in some details that made me better understand the series--sometimes the series cuts scenes and doesn't call sufficient attention to small details and you miss elements of motivation. I enjoyed listening to Raylan for that reason...

Good Leonard is better than great... whoever.

It's fun to see Raylan Givens again and as I'm a big fan of "Justified" it's nice to see him in a familiar context. Namely, Harlan County, Kentucky. In fact, most of the characters in this book come right out of seasons 2 and 3 of the series, but with some significant changes. Characters that died on the show are alive, and sometimes with slightly altered names that fit Elmore Leonard's greater continuity.

That's part of what's fun here: the melding of the two universes, and it works just fine. My problem with the book is that it seems fairly lightweight for Elmore Leonard. He's such an entertaining writer with a mind that shoots sparks out like a catherine wheel, but this one seemed a little... tired, maybe. I don't think he wrote it just to make a buck, but maybe Raylan and Elmore are slowing down a bit.

It's not that the book isn't fun- it is. Lots of fun. But it it's not FREAKY DEAKY fun, or PRONTO fun (the story that introduced Raylan Givens to us). Raylan seems to be a hybrid of the character from the earlier books and the television character, which is fine- I saw Timothy Olyphant as I listened to this book- but I was taken out of the story a couple times while I tried to figure out the continuity differences.

That said, it's always nice to read some good Elmore Leonard characters- and this book has a lot of 'em. Some we kind of know, and some we're introduced to here for the first time. And nobody writes dialogue like Elmore Leonard. And there is some nice growth for Raylan as well and an ending that will make fans of the television show stop and go, "whuh?!!"

The narrator does a nice job with the book too.

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Title: I Am Half-Sick of Shadows

Subtitle: A Flavia de Luce Novel

Author: Alan Bradley

Narrator: Jayne Entwistle

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-01-11

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 966 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Its Christmastime, and the precocious Flavia de Lucean eleven-year-old sleuth with a passion for chemistry and a penchant for crime-solvingis tucked away in her laboratory, whipping up a concoction to ensnare Saint Nick. But she is soon distracted when a film crew arrives at Buckshaw, the de Luces decaying English estate, to shoot a movie starring the famed Phyllis Wyvern. Amid a raging blizzard, the entire village of Bishops Lacey gathers at Buckshaw to watch Wyvern perform, yet nobody is prepared for the evenings shocking conclusion: a body found, past midnight, strangled to death with a length of film. But who among the assembled guests would stage such a chilling scene? As the storm worsens and the list of suspects grows, Flavia must use every ounce of sly wit at her disposal to ferret out a killer hidden in plain sight.

Critic Reviews:

"If ever there was a sleuth whos bold, brilliant, and yes, adorable, its Flavia de Luce. (USA Today)

Members Reviews:

The Character who brought me back to Cozy Mystery

Jayne Entwhistle is the perfect voice for Flavia! These books brought me back to the genre after many years, and what an experience! A series that I immediately had to hear in total, and have given as gifts and recommended so many times. A brilliant setting, interesting characters and charm, not to mention a good mystery make it great. 7 hours goes entirely too fast.

Can't Get Enough of this Series!

We need more! Flavia de Luce has stolen my heart. I have listened to the entire series and cannot wait for the next installment. Jayne Entwistle does an excellent job of narration. Be sure to listen to these in sequence as you will miss some of the more subtle nuances if you don't.

Flavia is still great, but the stories are sliding

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes

What does Jayne Entwistle bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

She's excellent. I really enjoy her voices.

Was I Am Half-Sick of Shadows worth the listening time?

sure

Any additional comments?

the first two Flavia stories were great, but this one just didn't seem to hook me as much. I think it was too much of the same without as much drama. It's a bit of a rerun. He needs Flavia to get into different kinds of trouble.

GREAT narrator.

It just keeps getting better

Jayne Entwistle gives her usual excellent reading in this, the latest Flavia De Luce adventure, it's an ice cold holiday romp as the village of Bishops Lacey and a film company prepare to spend Christmas with De Luces, and with Flavia about, all this company can only lead to murder most foul.

An Exciting Christmas Mystery!

The stories of the detective skills of Flavia de Luce are fun, thrilling, and comical adventures, and they are brought to life perfectly by Jayne Entwistle. I could not imagine a better narrator for Flavia; she voices her gleeful fascination with poisons and murder exactly as I imagined it. This particular Flavia de Luce novel was no exception, and is filled with family love, vengeance, murder (of course), and holiday cheer! I eagerly await the next Flavia novel!

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Title: A Beautiful Blue Death

Subtitle: Charles Lenox Mysteries Series #1

Author: Charles Finch

Narrator: James Langton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-30-11

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 721 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Charles Lenox, Victorian gentleman and armchair explorer, likes nothing more than to relax in his private study with a cup of tea, a roaring fire and a good book. But when his lifelong friend Lady Jane asks for his help, Lenox cannot resist the chance to unravel a mystery. Prudence Smith, one of Jane's former servants, is dead of an apparent suicide. But Lenox suspects something far more sinister: murder, by a rare and deadly poison. The grand house where the girl worked is full of suspects, and though Prue had dabbled with the hearts of more than a few men, Lenox is baffled by the motive for the girl's death. When another body turns up during the London season's most fashionable ball, Lenox must untangle a web of loyalties and animosities. Was it jealousy that killed Prudence Smith? Or was it something else entirely? And can Lenox find the answer before the killer strikes again---this time, disturbingly close to home?

Critic Reviews:

"Vividly capturing the essence of Victorian England, Finch presents us with a unique sleuth who combines the deductive powers of Sherlock Holmes with the people skills of Thomas Pitt. A sparkling achievement." (

Library Journal, Starred Review)

Members Reviews:

I like cozy

Would you consider the audio edition of A Beautiful Blue Death to be better than the print version?

N/A

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

I wouldn't say on the edge of my seat, but I always wanted to see what would happen next.

Which scene was your favorite?

I thinks the budding romance scenes. I enjoy the old fashioned purity where love is slow to be realized and strong emotional urges are held in check.

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

Yes.

Any additional comments?

People say its "cozy" like it's a bad thing. I truly enjoyed this book and I am about ready to download the next one.

Great listen.

Enjoyed it. I originally got a few Lennox mysteries out of order. I am now listening to all of them in order.

Not a thriller, but a Victorian mystery, with Love

If you like old-fashioned detective work a la Holmes, with likable characters and darned good stories, this is a good series.

If you want an exciting thriller, this isn't it. Well-written, well narrated, set in time to when if one wanted to tell a person something, they sent someone with a note or went to see that person, often in a carriage pulled by horse. If you like Holmesian deductive reasoning and intelligent solving of mysteries, go for it.

I've now read two of them. They are cosies, kind of, but very well done ones.

Not very exciting to read.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No, but I completed it. There were so many characters in the book and I had trouble keeping them straight in an audio format.

If youve listened to books by Charles Finch before, how does this one compare?

I do not recall any previous books.

What does James Langton bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

James Langton did a very fine job with this British story. There was no problem with the narration.

Could you see A Beautiful Blue Death being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

May a BBC version for PBS, at best.

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Title: The Dog Who Knew Too Much

Subtitle: A Chet and Bernie Mystery

Author: Spencer Quinn

Narrator: Jim Frangione

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-06-11

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 1115 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The fourth entry in the irresistible New York Times best-selling mystery series featuring canine narrator Chet and his human companion Bernie, "the coolest human/pooch duo this side of Wallace and Gromit" (Kirkus Reviews).

Combining suspense and intrigue with a wonderfully humorous take on the link between man and beast, Spencer Quinn's exceptional mystery series has captured widespread praise since its New York Times best-selling debut, Dog on It. The Dog Who Knew Too Much marks the duo's triumphant return in a tale that's full of surprises.

Bernie is invited to give the keynote speech at the Great Western Private Eye Convention, but it's Chet that the bigshot P.I. in charge has secret plans for. Meanwhile Chet and Bernie are hired to find a kid who has gone missing from a wilderness camp in the high country. The boy's mother thinks the boy's father - her ex - has snatched the boy, but Chet makes a find that sends the case in a new and dangerous direction. As if that weren't enough, matters get complicated at home when a stray puppy that looks suspiciously like Chet shows up. Affairs of the heart collide with a job that's never been tougher, requiring our two intrepid sleuths to depend on each other as never before. The Dog Who Knew Too Much is classic Spencer Quinn, offering page-turning entertainment that's not just for dog-lovers.

Members Reviews:

Same Old Story

I could review this one in depth but it really is the same old story. Chet and Bernie take on a case of a missing kid for a mother. The story of how the kid came to be missing is full of holes; once again it seems that the divorced father of a missing has gotten involved with the wrong people and now owes them money. The bad guys take the child to prove a point and make sure that Papasan cooperates with them. At some point Bernie gets arrested again; Chet gets captured again. Stop me if you've heard this please. In the end Bernie saves the kid and brings him back and apprehends the bad guys. Okay this is obviously the series, and the author isn't planning on stepping outside the comfort zone that they've established so the fans of this series will have to settle for a dog that relates a good story. This one is a solid four and a good time listening experience.

Cute Dog Tail...um...Tale

STORY (humorous mystery) - This was my first venture into the detective world of Chet and Bernie. In this book they're hired to find a boy who disappeared from wilderness camp. The mystery and investigation are good, but what makes this book refreshing is that it's told from Chet's point of view...and Chet is a dog. Hiking adventures and crooked small-town police are woven into the story, but there is lots of what I call Chet's "doggy digressions" in between. He will be talking about what's happening, and then he will go off on a tangent about how he loves bacon or how proud he is of his master, Bernie. Sometimes he will lose his train of thought completely.

There's LOTS AND LOTS of stuff kind of like this: We finally made it to Jackrabbit Junction. I don't know why they call it that because I don't smell any jackrabbits. I chased a rabbit once and it was lots of fun. That was in the case where we were looking for Slippery Sam. He's wearing an orange suit now somewhere upstate.

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Title: The Evil Inside

Author: Heather Graham

Narrator: Luke Daniels

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-30-11

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 351 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

For as long as it has stood overlooking New Englands jagged coastline, Lexington House has been the witness to madness... and murder. But in recent years the inexplicable malice that once tormented so many has lain as silent as its victims. Until now.

A member of the nations foremost paranormal forensic team, Jenna Duffy has made a career out of investigating the inexplicable. Yet nothing could prepare her for the string of slayings once again plaguing Lexington House, or for the chief suspect - a boy barely old enough to drive, much less kill. With the young mans life on the line, Jenna must team up with attorney Samuel Hall to pinpoint who - or what - is taking the lives of those who get too close to the past. But everything they learn brings them closer to the forces of evil stalking this tortured ground.

Members Reviews:

Not my favorite

Read from June 14 to 15, 2012

Read for Fun/Summer Series Read

Overall Rating: 3.50

Story Rating: 3.25

Character Rating: 3.75

Audio Rating (not part of the overall review): 3.50

First thought when finished: Not as good as the others but still entertaining!

What I Loved: The Team once again brought their A Game! By now they are as much family as friends. They truly treat each other with respect and will go out of their way to help each other. I love that with the exception of one couple that the romances have been outside the team. It has really made it possible for the friendships to shine through.

What I liked: Jenna has always been one of my favorite members of the Krewe so it was nice to spend more time with her. Her character has always been the most helpful so it was nice to see her take center stage.

What made me go huh?: It took a long time for me to warm up to Sam though part of that had to do with the narration.

Audio Review: Usually I am a fan of Luke Daniels but he wasn't great in this book. It might have been because I listened to the Iron Druid series first but Sam sort of sounded like Oberon. That isn't great when one is a dog and the other is a love interest. So I would say read this one, I ended up doing just that about half way through.

Final Thought: This was probably the weakest of the 4 books but I still enjoyed it!

Great story

Really liked the story but the female voices from the male reader didn't fit. Sounded more like Mrs. Doubtfire than a young woman.

I love Luke Daniels. Good book

excellent book, wonderful performance by Luke Daniels. I am delighted that there are more books in the series

Entertaining

Interesting and fun to listen to. I'm moving on to the next in the series.

Never Disappointed!

I love the characters in this series and the story line never fails to keep me interested!

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Title: A Share in Death

Author: Deborah Crombie

Narrator: Michael Deehy

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-13-11

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1050 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A week's holiday in a luxurious hotel is just what Scotland Yard's Superintendent Duncan Kincaid needs. But his vacation ends dramatically with the discovery of a dead body in the whirlpool bath. Despite a suspicious lack of cooperation from the local constabulary, Kincaid's keen sense of duty won't allow him to ignore the heinous crime, impelling him to send for his enthusiastic young assistant, Sergeant Gemma James. But the stakes are raised significantly when a second murder occurs, and Kincaid and James find themselves locked in a determined hunt for a fiendish felon looking for fresh blood....

Members Reviews:

series readers, start here

After buying on this sale, I abandoned it as too cliched a detective tale (James/Rendell wannabe), but after starting another Crombie sale acquisition later in the series, I returned to #1 to better understand the Jenna/Duncan backstory - Glad I did! I just finished # 7 - Each gets stronger as a novel, so if you enjoy minimally violent British-set detection with threads of a developing relationship (no explicit sex), you may enjoy this.

I loved Deehey as a narrator, loved Jenny Sterlin when the series adopted her voice (and started incorporating a historical thread in more complex plots), and am really looking forward to the upcoming (early 2013) instalment with Gerard Doyle, once I get to Book 15.

Crombie is still not a Rendell or James, but then, I don't always want to think that much.

PLEASANTLY SURPRISED

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

Yes, it was an interesting story, not so predictable, likable characters, and not twisted gory nightmare material.

Have you listened to any of Michael Deehys other performances before? How does this one compare?

I think this is my first book with this narrator, very pleasant voice.

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

I admit i was really looking forward to getting the in the car and seeing how my friends at the time share were doing!

Any additional comments?

Definitely worth a try, and for me, I'll get more books in this series.

3-1/2 stars

This book was enjoyable in a low-key, slow paced kind of way. The whole time I listened I kept thinking it would make a good BBC series. It was short enough to fit into an hour (maybe hour and a half show) and it reminded me of other British mystery series I have seen on TV. Not that that means it wasn't a good book; it was. It just wasn't very quickly paced. Not exactly a page-turner, at least not for me, but I still found myself enjoying my time listening to it. And I was actually surprised by the turn of events at the end, so kudos to Crombie for that. It's nicely narrated (though not stellar) and Kincaid and James have potential so I may try more in the series at some point.. We'll have to see.

Christie Style Detective Mystery

I bought this first book in the series as a deal for $2 and thought I would give it a try based on all the good reviews. Glad I didn't spend more than that and that the book was short. If you are not a fan of the Agatha Christie style of mysteries, with an ensemble cast of characters and one smart detective and his plucky side kick solving murders, I'd give this a pass. The story was told at a distance--with everyone kept at more than arms length.

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Title: Breaking Silence

Author: Linda Castillo

Narrator: Kathleen McInerney

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-21-11

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 350 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The New York Times best-selling series hailed as gripping (People) and compelling (USA Today) returns with Police Chief Kate Burkholder called to the scene of a horrific tragedy on a peaceful Amish farm.

The Slabaugh family are model Amish farmers, prosperous and hardworking, with four children and a happy extended family. When the parents and an uncle are found dead in their barn, it appears to be a gruesome accident: methane gas asphyxiation caused by a poorly ventilated cesspit. But in the course of a routine autopsy, the coroner discovers that one of the victims suffered a head wound before deathclearly, foul play was involved. But who would want to make orphans of the Slabaughs children? And is this murder somehow related to a recent string of shocking hate crimes against the Amish?

Having grown up Amish, Kate is determined to bring the killer to justice. Because the other series of attacks are designated hate crimes, the state sends in agent John Tomasetti, with whom Kate has a long and complex relationship. Together, they search for the link between the crimesand uncover a dark secret at work beneath the placid surface of this idyllic Amish community.

Chock full of twists and chills, and set against the unusual world of the Amish, this series will delight fans of Chelsea Cain and Thomas Harris (USA Today).

Members Reviews:

disappointing

I was interested by the book's description and looking forward to the setting in an Amish community. However the lengthy descriptions of Chief Burkholder's brooding about her conflicted feelings about the Amish community got in the way of the story line.Hard to imagine her in directing the work of a police department --- even a small one. I think some judicious editing would have helped this book because, basically the story is a good one with some good plot twists.

Good Story

Would you try another book from Linda Castillo and/or Kathleen McInerney?

Good story bad narrating. Her voice when she was doing the male characters gave me the creeps.

What did you like best about this story?

I love Amish stories. Since this was a thriller made it all the better.

Do you think Breaking Silence needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Yes!!!! But get a different narrator.

Always a Winner

Enjoyed this all the way through! With a focus on children, the story is totally adult, and shows how vulnerable both generations are.

Love Love this series.

I will say this is like the 4th time listening to this book. I have the whole series and love every minute of it. Would love to see another LT film.

breaking silence

it was an awesome book! the story was great. kept me guessing till the end

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Title: The Reapers

Subtitle: A Charlie Parker Mystery

Author: John Connolly

Narrator: George Guidall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-13-11

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 187 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Charlie Parker Returns in a tale of settling blood debts - past, present, and future.

As a small boy, Louis witnesses an unspeakable crime that takes the life of a member of his small, Southern community. He grows up, moves on, but is forever changed by the cruel and brutal nature of the act. It lights a fire deep within him that burns white and cold.

Now, years later, the sins of his life are reaching into his present, bringing with them the buried secrets and half-forgotten acts of his past. Someone is hunting him, targeting his home, his businesses, and his partner, Angel. The instrument of revenge is Bliss, a killer of killers, the most feared of assassins. Bliss is a Reaper, a lethal tool to be applied toward the ultimate end, but he is also a man with a personal vendetta. Hardened by their pasts, Louis and Angel decide to strike back. But when they mysteriously disappear, their friends are forced to band together to find them. They are led by private detective Charlie Parker, a killer himself, a Reaper in waiting.

Connolly creates a world where everyone is corrupt, murderers go unpunished, but betrayals are always avenged. The Reapers is sure to terrify and transfix.

Critic Reviews:

"Connolly has crafted one of the most darkly intriguing books this reviewer has encountered in more than three decades of reading crime fiction.... To call this a page-turner is to damn it with faint praise. Veteran crime fans will want to savor every note-perfect word. " (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

I love John Connolly

I love John Connolly's books---and I am especially fond of Louis and Angel. That's why this audio book was a disappointment. The story is great but the narration falls flat. In several places(especially in the second half) it sounds like it was dubbed over by someone trying to sound like Mr. Guidall. The reader has a fine voice but had some trouble staying in voice for Louis (mostly ok though) but never really got a handle on Angel's voice. At times he sounded like Detective Colombo trying to do a Cheech Marin imitation. I liked how he voiced Parker and his Willie Brew and Varno were great.

Hard to get into

This story has been very difficult to get into and keep the timeline straight as it is constantly going to flashbacks requiring the listener to back up and try to reorient. I do find my mind drifting more than usual requiring me, again, to back up and refocus. It is very slow and very difficult to make one even care much about the characters. I have liked other John Connolly stories but this one isn't his best.

Yuck!

I tried twice to listen to this and just couldn't do it. Boring narration, bad story- lots of short statements that make for a choppy distracting listen. I liked Mr. Guidall's narration a lot on the Walt Longmire books, but not this one. Very sorry I wasted money on this one.

could not get into it....

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Nothing I just could not get into the plot or the narration

What could John Connolly have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Get more into the plot sooner

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of George Guidall?

???

What character would you cut from The Reapers?

????

Any additional comments?

Could not get past first hour

Interesting, but not especially gripping

My first John Connelly, probably not my last.

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Title: Rivers of London

Subtitle: PC Peter Grant, Book 1

Author: Ben Aaronovitch

Narrator: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-08-11

Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 268 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit - we do paperwork so real coppers don't have to - and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly valuable, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England. Now I'm a Detective Constable and a trainee wizard, the first apprentice in fifty years, and my world has become somewhat more complicated: nests of vampires in Purley, negotiating a truce between the warring god and goddess of the Thames, and digging up graves in Covent Garden... and there's something festering at the heart of the city I love, a malicious vengeful spirit that takes ordinary Londoners and twists them into grotesque mannequins to act out its drama of violence and despair. The spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it's falling to me to bring order out of chaos - or die trying.

Members Reviews:

Touch of the DWJs

Entertaining, British, DWJish

In tone, no, but many of the concepts in this story reminded me of Diana Wynne Jones. The details are just a touch too bloody for me to give this a five, but that probably says more about me than about the book. I did enjoy the story a lot, and have bought the sequel. I give full marks to the narrator who goes with apparent ease between Peter's accent (which sounds like the Jasmine Allen Estaters from "The Bill" to me), Dr Walid's Scottish and Nightingale's uppercrust Brit. He also makes a lovely job of the other accents Nigerian and whatever Oxley is... Irish? As far as I can tell,* he's pitch perfect. *I'm Australian, so my knowledge of accents isn't 100%.

History, magic, a drop of gore and lots of fun

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Surely everyone waits for the twist in the story and hopes to get that fuzzy warm feeling of satisfaction. I was a slight bit disappointed with the unfolding of that twist but that's only my opinion.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

A little bit of magic, a bit of history, a few drops of gore, a pinch of over-the-top and a few scratches of British humour, all in all I had fun listening to this book.

Do you think Rivers of London needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I've added the follow-up book to my wish-list already.

Any additional comments?

I congratulate Mr Holdbrook-Smith on his excellent performance, it was a pleasure listening to him.