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Title: The Perfect Spouse

Author: Devlin Church

Narrator: Joe Matic

Format: Unabridged

Length: 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-06-12

Publisher: Gryphon's Lair Productions

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Mrs. Vander was beautiful as the 1930's actress she resembled - only very much alive. Her husband, 50 years her senior, was dead - very dead. Police Detective Stoner, very much aware of the risk of his attraction to her, stays on the case.

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Title: Girl 4

Author: Will Carver

Narrator: Nicki Paull, Richard Aspel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-05-12

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Detective Inspector January David has always put his professional before his private life. But now, as he visits this latest crime scene, his two worlds clash horrifically. Confronted with a ghostly figure suspended ten feet above a theatre stage with blood pouring from her face into a coffin below, it's clear this gruesome execution scene is the work of an elusive serial killer - and the body hanging above is that of the forth known victim.

But Girl 4 is different: she is alive - barely. And January recognises her.

If he wants to save his own neck and prevent the existence of a Girl 5, January must get inside the mind of a serial killer and beat him at his own game.

Members Reviews:

Thought Provoking Read

Okay, I read this one, well audio-booked it, after I read the second one, "The Two." The things I liked about that one, mostly apply to this one where it comes to style and organization.

This book reminds me more of the movie "Momento" than it does a traditional crime story. It's written in First Person, Present Tense and, it's the first book writen interely in that POV-Tense that I have liked, (not counting "The Two" that is.) It starts in the middle rather than at either end, and, since all life is, is a circle it comes back to the middle and goes the other way around as more clues are revealed.

It's also unusual in that, many crimes stories either focus on the hunt, or the villain, this one focuses on the victims. There is a lot of slieght of hand, in an honest way (the difference between a pick pocket or a con and a stage magician. Carver's the stage magician here.) Normally I tend to mistrust slieght of hand and tricks and count against them. That's another thing that's different about this book The scattered out of order scenes and points of view aren't ordered around a chronological pole.

To me they make more sense when I think of them as organized around a thematic pole. In this case relationships. Book two, The Two, has a pseudo-spiritual, psuedo-religous theme that it's organized around. This book is built around relationships. Each victim, for there own reasons, is between relationships or, otherwise, isolated from the relationship they want by cages of convention that do not allow for their vision to come to pass, or by desire for more than is offered.

I don't know how much the author thinks like I do, or rather how accurate my impressions are when compared to his intentions when writing. It's likely this thematic organization concept is purely of my own making and not anything like what the author sees when he reads or thinks of his own book. That said, I still think it's a fair assessment, intended or not, based on my preception or not (I am the reader right?). So, as always, I'll continue as if I am all knowing and the universe really does turn on me and give my thoughts as I precieved the book while listening. (I did buy a kindle copy so I cold go back and check things out at my own pace.)

Though I'm sure somebody somewhere has written a book about the hunt for a serial killer before, like this, this felt fresh and new to me.

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Title: Scotch Mist

Author: Elizabeth Darrell

Narrator: Nick McArdle

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-12

Publisher: Soundings

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

It is the fifth of November. Soldiers and their families gather to celebrate with a fireworks display and a giant bonfire, but delight turns to fear when it explodes to send flaming debris over the spectators. A battalion of Drumdorran Fusiliers has marched in that same afternoon, and when the wife of their Pipe Major dies from her injuries, the Scots vent their anger on resident troops.

While military detectives Max Rydal and Tom Black strive to discover who put explosive material in the bonfire, news of the true cause of the womans death intensifies the internal hostility. When another dangerous incident occurs, they have to find out if these acts of violence are being committed by the Scottish incomers, or by someone who badly wants them gone.

Members Reviews:

One of the better Max Rydal novels

The pieces don't fit together completely in this 7th of the Max Rydal series, but SPOILERS the insane Scottish officer and developments in Max's romance with with the new MO, plus other interesting plot lines, make this one of the best of the series.

Intrigue at an army base

Interesting to see the military police in action. Crime solving amidst all the restrictions of military regulations. Second in the series I hve read and will read more

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Title: The Dead Season

Author: Christobel Kent

Narrator: Saul Reichlin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-12

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 1 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

This year, the heat wave in Florence is fiercer than usual. The city's inhabitants have fled to the cool of the hills of the surrounding countryside. So it is no surprise that a corpse lies unnoticed, bloating in the humid air. Sandro Cellini, former policeman turned private detective, has a case: a man who seems to have vanished into thin air - leaving his pregnant young fiancée alone in the city.

Meanwhile, bank teller Roxana Delfino is also stuck in the city for the season, with nothing to do but worry for her aging mother and puzzle over the disappearance of one her regular clients.

Members Reviews:

Brilliant book

I really enjoyed this book and found it hard to stop listening. At times I really felt like I was in Rome and I couldn't wait to find out what happened.

A pleasant, gentle style of writing

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

Yes. It has a rather slow pace compared to the 'gritty' type of crime novels that I usually listen to. I was initially impatient with the time taken to reveal the plot and with all the everyday aspects of life that interrupt the solving of the crimes but give it time. The story and pace with which the plot unfolds is actually more realistic. The novel is set in Florence in August and you get a real sense of the heat and atmosphere of Florence in August.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dead Season?

The interaction and the relationship between the main character, a private detective and his wife and with his friend and former police colleague. Not a 'one off' event but a gradual understanding of the main character and how likeable he is.

What about Saul Reichlins performance did you like?

A lovely melodic voice and with correct pronunciation of the Italian words that are in the novel.

Any additional comments?

A lovely easy listen that won't keep you awake at night but which has an interesting plot and characters.

Enjoyable story

I enjoyed this book, Well narrated, and the second in this series that I have listened to.

It did tend to be a bit long and drawn out in parts, and I got a bit fed up with the constantly repeated comments on the unbearable hot weather. Overall though I enjoyed the story and didn't 'see' the bad guy until the end, I like the characters - so I cared how they coped and survived.

I wouldn't rush to buy another Christobel Kent too soon, but maybe after a break could read another.

Slow, dull, and tedious!

What would have made The Dead Season better?

Far too slow getting the story off the ground. Got up to chapter 23 and the story is only just really starting. Too much scene setting and constant to-ing and fro-ing between different characters, none of whom are in the least bit interesting. They're all dull people, stuck in a dull city, living dull lives. Sadly, that makes for a very dull book.

Would you ever listen to anything by Christobel Kent again?

Doubtful. In fact, I've got to the half way point of this book and decided not to waste any more time on it as it is tedious in the extreme.

Which character as performed by Saul Reichlin was your favourite?

I can't say that I was particularly enamoured by any of the characters.

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Title: Gnosis

Subtitle: A Jack Dantzler Mystery

Author: Tom Wallace

Narrator: John Podulka

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-15-12

Publisher: That Book Place

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Gnosis: Greek word meaning knowledge.

Murder, mystery and redemption are at the heart of Gnosis.

Detective Jack Dantzler has no clue why he has been summoned to the prison to meet with the Reverend Eli Whitehouse, a man convicted of committing a double murder 29 years ago. He is stunned when Eli claims to be innocent and wants Dantzler to prove it. But Eli only gives Dantzler a single clue: look at the obituaries in the local paper for a specific two-week period. Reluctantly, Dantzler agrees to look into the case. As he does, two more people are brutally murdered. And although Dantzler isn't aware of it, he has become a target for the killer.

Dantzler goes back to Eli and pleads for another clue. All Eli says is, "Think of Jesus's empty tomb."

It will be this whispered utterance that unlocks the mystery and reveals the killer's identity. But this isn't just any ordinary killer. This is a man with a dark and bloody past, a man with connections to the highest levels of organized crime. Dantzler is now on the trail of an ice-cold assassin, fully aware that one slip will mean instant death.

Sometimes having too much knowledge can lead to deadly consequences.

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Title: Summertime Death

Author: Mons Kallentoft

Narrator: Jane Collingwood

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-14-12

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

As the temperature in Sweden reaches a record-breaking 45 degrees, forest fires break out. All those who have failed to escape Linköping for the summer take shelter indoors, shocked and paralysed by the heat. However, when a teenage girl is discovered naked and bleeding in the local park, it is clear that the raging heat is not the only plague affecting the town. Then a second girl is found dead. Alarmed by the fact that the victims are the same age as her daughter, Tove, detective Malin Fors will work round-the-clock to capture the perpetrator. But as every lead comes to nothing, it is as though the oppressive heat is clogging up the wheels of her investigation. And time is not on Malin's side.

Members Reviews:

Drivel

There is little to recommend this drab little tale which suffers the double disadvantage of extremely poor authorship with bad translation.

After a promising debut with Midwinter Sacrifice I was hoping for far more than this. The problem is that the author pads his tale with mind numbing trivia and the risable mental meanderings of his increasinly unattractive female lead, who manifests as an out of context Victorian hysteric with pseudo feminist pretensions.. That the whimpering, but allegedly "Brilliant", Malin has attained such an elevated position in the Swedish police force is hardly credible and the authors delusional portrayal of women does them no favours. Then there is the simpering chorus of the murdered young girls rattling away in the background like a swarm of prematurely senile wasps adding yet another meaningless dimension to this plastic confection.In addition there are worrying glimpses of very real sexism & racism in this shallow tome.

Summertime Death is a fine example of, in Kallentofts own words,"the rapturous elevation of the mediocre and the uninteresting"

The writing is truly abysmal and the author should be prosecuted for crimes against the simile.

Scandanavian Crime Fiction has some stunning works, such as the books of Jo Nesbo & Henning Mankell - this execrable rambling is not among their number.

Given the appaling material the female reader fits very well

Slow starter, but worthwhile

Having listened to, and enjoyed Midwinter Sacrifice, the first book featuring Malin Fors, I was keen to listen to this, especially since it had a different narrator.

The story's pacing is slow at first , and only really picks up towards the very end, but the use of voices, including those of the murder victims, kept me interested. The weather and seasons are notable as characters in these books, and as a heatwave raged around me in real life, it was easy to imagine the one in the book. Perhaps the slow pace was a reflection on the heat in Linköping, adding to the feeling of sluggishness felt by the characters themselves.

I was pleased to find Malin's inner thoughts more believable than in the last book, and I was much happier with the narration in Summertime Death, too because it wasn't as monotonous, thus breathing more life into the various characters; and this despite some being dead. Pleasingly, I was unable to discern the perpetrator in this book which counterbalanced the lack of astonishment at the identity of the last abductee.

I would recommend this audio book, especially if the listener has enjoyed Midwinter Sacrifice.

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Title: Beach Road

Author: James Patterson, Peter De Jonge

Narrator: Jeff Harding

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-08-12

Publisher: Headline Digital

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A hot, explosive thriller from James Patterson. Welcome to 'Beach Road', the expensive, exclusive and explosive summer home to billionaires and Hollywood celebrities. Tom Dunleavy has a one-man law firm in East Hampton - his clients are the people he grew up with, the people who make a living serving the rich. When an old friend, Dante Halleyville, is arrested for a triple murder near a movie star's mansion, Tom agrees to represent him, and recruits super lawyer, and ex-girlfriend, Kate Costello to help fight the case. As Tom wonders if he can ever get Kate to forgive him for his past sins, the case takes on astonishing dimensions, revealing a world of illegal pleasures, revenge, and fear amongst the super-rich...Tom Dunleavy has a one-man law firm in East Hampton - his clients are the people he grew up with, the people who make a living serving the rich.

Members Reviews:

I didn't see that coming!

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

I haven't read the print version but have read others by this author. I much prefer audiobooks. You can take them anywhere. The readers really get you in to the characters.,

What was one of the most memorable moments of Beach Road?

Finding out " who done it". I had to go back and listen to that chapter again. Couldn't believe the twists and turns.

Which character as performed by Jeff Harding was your favourite?

Can't remember their names.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was shocked but not emotional whilst listening to this book.

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Title: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Author: John McFetridge

Narrator: William Dufris

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-06-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Sharon MacDonald has a problem. Its not being under house arrest. Its not the Iranian guy who just fell from the 25th floor of her apartment building. Its not even the police surveillance thats preventing her from getting to her marijuana grow rooms. Sharons problem is a stranger named Ray: Hes too good looking, and his business proposal sounds too good to be true.

Detective Gord Bergeron has problems, too. Theres his new, hard-to-read partner, Detective Armstrong; a missing ten-year-old girl; an unidentified torso dumped in an alley; and what looks like corruption deep within the police force.In a city where the drug, immigration, and sex industries are all inextricably intertwined, its only a matter of time until Sharons and Gords paths cross and all hell breaks loose in this pitch-perfect second installment of John McFetridges rollicking noir series.

Editorial Reviews:

The action in John McFetridges Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere doesnt stall for a second. Paced expertly by the casually cool and masculine delivery from veteran performer William Dufris, this audiobook cements the early career claims of McFetridge being a young Toronto version of Elmore Leonard. Focusing on the lives of the troubled Sharon MacDonald and Detective Gord Bergeron, McFetridge has crafted a thrilling adventure full of unexpected twists and a heart-pounding climax. This witty thriller is bound to keep your hand frozen atop the pause button until its chilling end.

Members Reviews:

"There's gonna be a takeover."

A shocking opening sets the stage for a fast-paced noir thriller that marries powerful drug cartels with international biker gangs enjoying unfettered opportunity in Toronto, where supply and demand drive an insatiable market. In McFetridge's thriller, the characters are colorful, the city teeming with thugs, drugs and a sophisticated market that has long since transcended independent biker gangs and an infusion of mob money, more sophisticated and creative as the times require. From the first chapter, when an Iranian plunges to his death from twenty-five stories, landing gracelessly on the windshield of an SUV parked in an alley, the surprised occupants' business transaction abruptly curtailed, cops quickly swarming over the scene, it is clear this city is in the throes of free enterprise gone wild. Watching the action from her apartment in the building, ex-stripper, self-employed weed entrepreneur Sharon Macdonald worries that her top floor grow rooms may be compromised by the enterprising detectives. She's right.

Although it takes a while before the dead man is identified, the detectives have not only spotted Sharon's enterprise, but are carefully monitoring increased suspicious activity by the cartel. It's in the air: something is going down. Recently returned to work after bereavement leave, Gord Bergeron is adapting to a new partner, the sharp-dressing, handsome Armstrong, the detectives called from the scene to aid in a search for a missing girl, later puzzling over their next call, a torso found in an alley; the partners rendezvous with their fellow officers, discussing the uneasiness in the streets and how much corruption may have tainted the department. With so much money available, temptation is unavoidable. Indeed, the cops are right, a move is in the works, but even Sharon, with her inside connections, cannot guess the extent of the coming changes.

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Title: Murder in Humboldt

Subtitle: A Carson Reno Mystery

Author: Gerald W. Darnell

Narrator: Jerry Johnson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-03-12

Publisher: Gerald W. Darnell

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

The year is 1962 and this small west Tennessee town has been turned upside down by a labor strike at its main manufacturing plant. It seems that, as result of the strike, some very serious underworld crime problems have surfaced in Humboldt. A small-town sheriff and small-town chief of police have their hands full dealing with the strike - when the worst happens. One of the principal figures surrounding the labor problems is murdered.

Carson Reno is very familiar with Humboldt - after all, he grew up and went to high school there. But Carson has a successful private investigation business in Memphis and no desire or reason to get involved. However, circumstances pull him into the turmoil and a situation that grows more dangerous every day. By trying to not become involved, he becomes deeply involved - and ultimately the prime suspect for the murder in Humboldt.

Members Reviews:

In The Tradition Of Sam Spade

This was definitely an enjoyable read. As I read this novel, I was virtually transported back in time to the past. I have read few books that make you feel like some magic vacuum cleaner has just sucked you up and spit you out in the 1960âs. I am not talking about The Beatlesâ 1960âs; Iâm referring to the Perry Mason and Gunsmoke side. There is a great deal of narration or telling in the beginning, but this is a device used extensively in the genre of harboiled detective stories that were so popular from the 1930âs through the 1950âs. Raymond Chandlerâs Phillip Marlowe and Dashiell Hammettâs Sam Spade novels are are examples of this.

First, let me tell you what I liked about the book. I loved Carson Renoâs voice; in my mind I could hear the rough, irreverent, masculine voice painting a picture of the character; maybe Humphrey Bogart would have played him? I loved the way that the author creates vivid pictures of small characters such as Mason and his ducks, the secretary, the carhop. I loved the way he creates vivid pictures of the cars, the restaurants, the bars, the hotels. I loved the little pictures he sticks in between sections that illustrate something in the chapter. I like the pace at which the story moves; it takes place in just ten days. Actually, the author divides the story into days, not chapters. I like the main character with his simplicity and ability to connect with everything and nothing.

What I didnât like: the terrible formatting; title letters so large, they do not fit in the page; the list of characters so reminiscent of a high school play; the countless problems with punctuation. This is one book that could have used a good editor.

I also thought that the mystery was too simple, but I could argue that it was believable; real-life crimes are seldom as complicated as we are led to believe. Do I recommend the book? Yes. Those readers who love stepping back in time and immersing themselves in the nostalgia of old-fashioned detective stories, will love it. Will the editing flaws keep you from enjoying it? I donât think so. In fact, I enjoyed it so well, I intend to read the authorâs other books.

I really enjoyed the way Darnell handled the period structure of the ...

I really enjoyed the way Darnell handled the period structure of the story.

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Title: Dead in the Dog

Author: Bernard Knight

Narrator: Gordon Griffin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-01-12

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A fifties murder mystery set in Malaya from author of the popular Crowner John books. Arriving in Singapore, newly-qualified pathologist Tom Howden soon discovers that his new home is a hotbed of scandal and intrigue. When an English planter is attacked one night, the finger of suspicion points at local bandits. It soon becomes clear, however, that the situation is far more complicated - and deadly - than it first appeared. Tom Howden's newly-acquired forensic skills are about to be put to the ultimate test.

Members Reviews:

Murder in the malay emergency

What did you like most about Dead in the Dog?

As usual Bernard Knight writes an authentic tale, about a young pathologist in Malaya during the emergency in the 1950s. Although told at a gentle pace you get a real feel for the lives lived in the last years of British involvement.I got the feeling much of the experience was autobiographical?

Well narrated.

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

A novel set in a forgotten time

Have you listened to any of Gordon Griffins other performances? How does this one compare?

I like his other narrations of Bernard Knights books, preferrring the other narrations as there were a few slips in this one.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No just easy listening and a good story

Murder in 1950's Malaya

The depiction of ex-pat life in Malaya in 1950's was more interesting and memorable than the murder mystery plot at the heart of this novel - I really enjoyed being immersed in the rubber planter's lifestyle, the Communist Terrorist activity and the British Army occupation of the time, and the relationships with the locals. It is a glimpse into another world of the past. My enjoyment was marred by the narrator who seemed not to have pre-read the book and frequently misconstrued the sentences, wrongly accenting words and phrases in a very annoying way - rather surprising as he is otherwise a very talented narrator and does the various regional accents of the characters really well, bringing the story to life. Unfortunately he seemed to struggle to make sense of complex sentences!