Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Bloodline

Subtitle: A Tom Thorne Novel

Author: Mark Billingham

Narrator: Paul Thornley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-14-11

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 53 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A killer is on the loose. The victims: children whose mothers can't protect them.

The past is coming back to haunt the people of London: a murderer is targeting the children of victims of Raymond Garvey, an infamous serial killer from London's past. When Murder Squad veteran Detective Tom Thorne, who solves the London Police Department's most difficult cases, is called into what seems like, for once, an ordinary domestic murder, he thinks he's caught a break. A woman has been murdered by someone she knows. A positive pregnancy test is found on the floor beside her. Thorne plans to question the husband, arrest him, and return home to deal with his own deteriorating personal life.

But when a mysterious sliver of bloodstained X-ray that was found clutched in the victim's fist is replicated at other crime scenes around the city, Thorne realizes that this is not a simple case. As the bits of X-ray begin to come together to form a picture, it becomes clear that the killer knows his prey all too well and is moving through a list that was started long ago.

As Thorne attempts to protect those still alive, nothing and nobody are what they seem - not when Thorne is dealing with one of the most twisted killers he has ever hunted.

Members Reviews:

Ambling it's way to a plot

Like reading the unabridged version of Moby Dick. Seemed to drag on and on before a plot emerged.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Private London

Author: James Patterson

Narrator: Rupert Degas

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-09-11

Publisher: Random House AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Dan Carter is the head of the London office of Private, the worlds largest and most technologically advanced detective agency. Jack Morgan, Privates owner and CEO, put his faith in Carter, and has entrusted him with some of Privates most important cases.

None more important than Hannah Shapiro. The daughter of one of Privates wealthiest and most valuable clients, Hannah and her mother were kidnapped when she was thirteen years old. Hannah survived; her mother didnt. Hannah is now in London studying at one of the most prestigious universities in England, and it is Carters job to protect her. But disaster strikes as Hannah is kidnapped for the second time in her young life.

Carter has all of Privates extensive global resources at his disposal to use in the investigation of this kidnapping. But as time progresses and no word is received from the kidnappers, fears for Hannahs safety mount. Recently there has been a string of unsolved murders involving young women. Carter is praying that Hannah is not another link in this particular chain.

Members Reviews:

Fantastic Story

Story was GREAT! Narrator BRILLIANT! Short chapters but very easy to get stuck into it

Twistc& Turns

I'm not sure if it was down to the narrator but it was a damn good story

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Double Prey

Subtitle: Posadas County Mysteries #7

Author: Steven F. Havill

Narrator: Beth Richmond

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-17-10

Publisher: Books in Motion

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 59 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

A rattlesnake fang pegged in a teenager's eye is just the beginning of a spring day for Posadas Undersheriff Estelle Guzman. The injured lad's older brother goes missing, and is found dead in an arroyo, apparently killed by his cartwheeling ATV. But most puzzling is what the dead boy found moments before he was killed... an astonishing discovery that takes deputies back to a five year-old killing. Estelle and the now retired Bill Gastner find themselves looking for a murderer altogether too close to home.

Members Reviews:

wrong narrator

The book is set in the southwest. The protagonist is bilingual. The narrator cannot pronounce simple spanish words. This one is headed back . . .

Great story--narrator not so much

I really like the Gastner/Posadas mysteries by Steven F. Havill. The earlier audio books narrated by Rusty Nelson are great. The narrator spoiled this one for me--too sing-song, and Gastner's voice sounds like a quavery old lady. The book is great, but I had to stop listening and get the book in print form to finish. I know this narrator has read several of the earlier books, and I can't put a finger on what annoyed me so much this time. Too bad; good story.

Havill does it again!

What did you love best about Double Prey?

This holds you interest right to the end.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Estelle

What about Beth Richmonds performance did you like?

She is able to make each person sound different.

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

I did find chuckles all thru out.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Koala of Death

Subtitle: A Gunn Zoo Mystery

Author: Betty Webb

Narrator: Hillary Huber

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-01-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 32 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When zookeeper Theodora Teddy Bentley fishes the body of Koala Kate out of Gunn Landing Harbor, she discovers that her fellow zookeeper didnt drown; she was strangled. The clues to Koala Kates killer implicate other animal keepers at the Gunn Zoo, including Outback Bill, marsupial keeper and Kates Aussie ex-boyfriend; and Robin Chase, the big cat keeper whos got it in for Teddy. Also displaying suspicious behavior are a shady animal psychic and even Caro, Teddys much-married, ex-beauty queen mother.

Meanwhile, to pay for repairs on the motor on her beloved houseboat, Teddy agrees to appear on a weekly live television broadcast featuring misbehaving animals. Between a cuddly koala, a panicky wallaby, and a killer zeroing in on her, all hell is about to break loose....

Critic Reviews:

From mucking out the cages to carrying a lemur with a loose sphincter onto a TV set, Teddys adventures will appeal to fans of animal-themed cozies. (Library Journal)

Teddys second case showcases an engaging array of quirky characters, human and animal. (Kirkus Reviews)

Playful. Webb warmly evokes the unconventional worlds of zoo and marina. Readers don't even have to be animal lovers to enjoy watching, say, a pushy television host get her comeuppance from a mischievous lemur. (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

I wish Audible had more of this series

This is a good series. I stumbled on to it late but I'm glad I did. The story presents a realistic plot with likable characters. The zoo setting is unique and gives the average reader insight to the workings of a zoo, as well as the animals who live there. The narrator does a good job of bringing the characters alive and giving them personality. I also like the development of Teddy and Joe's relationship. The author does a good job of showing their personal life without making it a central focus of the story. This is a very good book. If you have time to listen to it, you should give it a try.

Another Winner!

I love this series! Wonderful characters and entertaining story lines. I've already downloaded the next one - Llama of Death - and it's on my MP3 player! The narrator is completely enjoyable to listen to and makes the story. I highly recommend you give this series a listen.

Still enjoying this series

Betty Webb and Hillary Huber team up to have another great Gunn Zoo book. This series is a very enjoyable cozy/mystery with twists and turns, and lots of clean fun. I highly recommend this book.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Grim Reapers Dance

Subtitle: The Grim Reaper Mysteries, Book 2

Author: Judy Clemens

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 46 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When Casey Maldonado and Death hitch a desperate ride away from one disaster, they throw themselves right into the middle of another one. The semi in which they are traveling crashes, and before the Grim Reaper takes Evan the Trucker away, Evan whispers to Casey about a stash hidden in the truck that she should keep away from "them".

Them turns out to be a band of men who want that package no matter what it takes, and they believe Casey knows whereand whatit is. Alone and injured, Casey escapes from the hospital under the noses of her pursuers and hides out in the Kansas cornfields. The valuable stash turns out to be photos, truck manifests, and other information pointing Casey toward something big and complicateda conspiracy? Smuggling? Blackmail? She cant be sure.

Uncertain how to proceed, Casey is led by Death to a group of teenagers looking for something other than dust and crops to fill their daysand their nights. Using their limited resources, she finds her way into a maze of greed and desperation and into the clutches of people who dont care who gets hurt as long as they get what they want.

Casey, determined that no one else should die because of the desires of one group of criminals, finds herself defending not only herself, but also the teenagers, a few other kind locals, and perhaps even the trucking industry itself.

Members Reviews:

I can't wait for the next one

This is a great book. I read that there will only be three in the series. While I will be sad to see the end, I will be happy to know how it ends. I bought it when I was half way through the first book. This is a great series. The next book can't get here fast enough.

Different

I Like these books, interesting stories glad I read them. would read her books again.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Red Hook

Subtitle: An Artie Cohen Mystery

Author: Reggie Nadelson

Narrator: Elijah Alexander

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-04-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Artie Cohen has just married Maxine Crabbe, and is about to take a honeymoon, when the death of his friend, Sid McKay, pulls him back. Uncovering secrets he had never known Sid was keeping, as the Republican National Convention of 2004 dominates the city, Artie frantically scours its unknown fringes, from Red Hook to Hunts Point to the old High Line, uncovering a web of lies and deceit, and in the process revealing the twisted ways in which information can be corrupted and turned into propaganda.

Through her great skills as a storyteller, Reggie Nadelson weaves a thrilling tale of deception, while bringing her flawed but deeply human protagonist to ever-greater life.

Critic Reviews:

"The author continues to raise the stakes for her three-dimensional hero and shows every sign of having many more compelling stories to tell." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Just Okay

I was disappointed in this book because Londongrod, a more recent work, is phenomenal page turner. This book I found to be just 'okay'.

Disappointing!

I'm not sorry that I read it, but it turned out to be all talk and no action. So much for me and Artie Cohen!

If you love early LeCarre, Paretsky, Furst, and Cruz Smith - you will love Nadelson

Artie Cohen is a worthy addition to the pantheon of cynical and brilliant urban detectives both in love with and in rebellion and rejection against his city. For Artie it is New York: not the glitter, but the grime, the ethnic Russian enclaves, the crime worlds and the worlds of working artists and writers. Nadelson suffuses this book with the gripping sense of dread matched only by Arkady Renko's Russia or Smiley's Berlin at their darkest. The diffused sense of distrust: who is a friend? who is a murderer? is someone - worst of all - both? is electrifying and effective. Balanced against this drama is the pull of a new marriage, new family, a hope of normalcy and faith in a wounded city. We admire Artie, we fear for him, we hope he makes healthy choices - and most of all: we immediately order the rest of his saga!

Intriguing

Good story with twists and turns not sure what else to say other than its a pretty good book and would read another book by this author.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Nothing Else Matters

Subtitle: Sam Casey Series, Book 2

Author: S. D. Tooley

Narrator: Beth Richmond

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-02-10

Publisher: Books in Motion

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Hes known by the code name, Sparrow. Authorities can only identify him by the tattoo on the back of his hand. Sparrow is a gun for hire and his next target is Reverend Everett Smith. His orders are to kill the Reverend on the River Queen Casino. But just before he pulls the trigger, someone beats him to it. The Reverend is carrying $50,000 in counterfeit money. Sparrow soon realizes the fee he was paid is counterfeit. Sparrow is one man you dont want to cross.

Detective Sergeant Samantha Casey is back after her debut in When the Dead Speak. Suspended from the force after her last case, Sam is having a difficult time adjusting to unemployment. But there are more unsettling changes in her life than unemployment. The owners of the River Queen Casino hire Sam to clear them of any involvement in the Reverends death. And who should be working the case for the Chasen Heights Police Department but Jake Mitchell, the one person she holds responsible for her suspension.

Members Reviews:

Good mystery, romance in progress, better than the first book

Nothing Else Matters is the second installment in the Sam Casey mysteries. Much like I commented on the first book, these are really good mysteries, but pretty weak in the romance department. The book picks up literally after the events of the first and is not a standalone novel. If you didn't read the first one, you'll miss a good chunk of what's going on here and who all the characters are. That said, this review will refer to events from the first book.

Being in a near catatonic state after the events of the last book, Seargent Sam Casey, suspended from the police force for suspicion of murder, is recovering in a mental rehab facility. She's also pregnant and dismayed to find that she's somehow married to Jake even though there were no witnesses to the ceremony and Sam was tricked into signing documents while recuperating in a mental facility. When she checks herself out of the clinic early, she finds that her mother is traveling to deal with reservation politics leaving her to live alone with Jake. The problem is, she's not speaking to Jake. She feels betrayed by his secrets from the first book and believes he's supporting a corrupt police captain which doesn't look good since he's been recently promoted. As she struggles with her hormones and what to do with her time, she gets an offer through her attorney to privately investigate a homocide on a river boat casino. After being blown off by Jake, the primary to the official police investigation, she accepts the private case and finds herself two steps ahead of Jake who completely undervalued Sam's special abilities to see visions and interpret moments of death. Eventually the case becomes pretty gruesome and Sam eventually ends up working with the police to solve not just a murder, but a counterfeit ring and a complicated government experiment.

I can't say that there was a tremendous amount of character development here since there are still a whole slew of unlikable characters, but I loved that the kick butt Sam Casey from the first couple of chapters of the first book came back and triumphed in her own way here. With the added crazy pregnancy hormones, I found myself laughing out loud during moments of insane beanie baby shopping and uncontrollable weaping.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Copp for Hire

Subtitle: Copp Series, Book 1

Author: Don Pendleton

Narrator: Gene Engene

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-31-09

Publisher: Books in Motion

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Don Pendleton is the creator of the enormously popular The Executioner series, featuring Mack Bolan. Now he has created the Joe Copp series, which develops against the backdrop of violence and corruption in Los Angeles. Joe Copp is an ex-cop, tough, smart, but caring and compassionate. In Copp for Hire, Joe is hired by a stripper to investigate a stalker, but before he can even begin the investigation, the woman is killed by a hit-and-run driver, who has now turned his sight on Joe.

Critic Reviews:

"Pendleton, author of the long-running paperback Executioner series, shows in his first hardcover that hardboiled writing can be insightful as well as action-packed." (Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

1980's Hard-Boiled fiction definately fun to read!

Many years ago I was a fan of Don Pendleton's Executioner series which you could check out at my local library found in the spinnable paperback racks. I was never aware of the Joe Copp series until recently and I am not at all disappointed.

The classic Pendleton description of the action is flawlessly written as only a true storyteller can do. I have immediately gotten the rest of this series downloaded and cannot wait to read them all!

Read this story !

Exciting ! Mysterious and scary context. Graphic tale and a little old style detective. Kept me reading the story all night . Suggest for Mickey Spillane style readers.

easy reading

I know I like a book when I look to see what other books was written by the author which I did in the case

A Different type From His Normal

Joe Copp, ex-cop, now P.I., is asked by a frightened young woman, a stripper by profession, for help with a stalker type. A cop that follows her everywhere. He agrees to meet her at her club later that evening for a look see.

Five minutes after she leaves he hears a car accelerating, a crunch, and finds the broken body of he young woman lying in the street.

The opening salvo that finds Copp visiting the club to find what's going on. A few bouncers out of the way and a gay bartender gets him an address. Another body, the roommate of the first girl, tortured before death. Everywhere Joe goes, bodies get left behind. Not his doing, but people he's questioned.

A stripper, another, a bartender, a cop. Joe has an idea who, but no proof. Two attempts are made on his life.

The trail eventually leads him to Hawaii and a sadistic pervert. And Joe Copp's unique way of dealing with his problem.

Enjoyed this one by the creator of Mack Bolan, The Executioner.

Three Stars

A simple story. A bit male dominated in themes. However, can still be entertaining.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Merry Wives of Maggody

Subtitle: An Arly Hanks Mystery

Author: Joan Hess

Narrator: C. J. Critt

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-31-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Maggody, Arkansas (pop. 755) is regarded by most as a two-bit hick town, filled with one-bit hicks. But Mrs. Jim Bob Buchanon seeks to change that with her latest scheme - a charity golf tournament! This presents a bit of a challenge, since no one in Maggody plays golf, and there is no course. But when the prize for the first hole-in-one is announced - a top of the line bass boat - nearly everyone in town quickly develops a profound interest in the sport.

Sheriff Arly Hanks, who has better things to worry about, just wishes it would all go away. When Tommy Ridner beats the odds and sinks a hole-in-one to win the boat on the first day of the tournament, it looks like it's all over...until the next morning, when he's found dead, his head caved in by a golf club. Now, according to the rules, the prize is once again up for grabs. Arly Hanks is faced with a complicated investigation - and darned near everyone in town is a suspect.

Members Reviews:

Merry Wives and Merry Murder

Would you consider the audio edition of The Merry Wives of Maggody to be better than the print version?

I liked both

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

It was full of twists and turns that kept me guessing, but the plot was also consistent with foreshadowing and clues supplied all along, so that it did not result in one of those irritating

Have you listened to any of C. J. Critts other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is one of her best performances.

Any additional comments?

It is definately worth the time to listen

Amusing as always!

Joan Hess' Maggody books are sequential, they need to be noted as such. As always, a hysterical read!

Can't wait for the next one!

I LIKE CJ Critt, really

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

no I would not recommend this book. The voices are too hard to follow and the story is dragging I don't even want to finish the book. I like CJ Critt. I've listened to other series and her voices are perfect, so I don't know if it's the characters here or the story... BUT I don't want to hear more

Good to visit Maggody Again

I'ver read every Maggody book, but this is the 1st one I've listened to. Love the story but was not happy with Mrs Jim Bob and Estelle's 'voices.' Could have had more fun with the pastors voice as well. The rest of the narration was fine. The story was once again the kind you couldn't put down (or pause, I guess). Definitely worth every cent!

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Baker Street Letters

Subtitle: A Mystery

Author: Michael Robertson

Narrator: Simon Vance

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-23-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 92 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

When Reggie leases space in an office building on London's Baker Street, he finds that the paperwork comes with an odd stipulation: his firm must receive and respond with a standard reply to letters sent to Sherlock Holmes, who had occupied the same famous address.

When Nigel, newly suspended from practicing law and relegated to clerk duties, becomes intrigued by one of the "Dear Sherlock" notes, he disappears quite suddenly, leaving a dead body in his wake, and Reggie must hop the next flight to Los Angeles to uncover the truth. Hot on his heels is his sometime lover, Laura, a quick-witted stage actress who's captured the hearts of both brothers.

Critic Reviews:

"Great characters, a complex plot, and the wonderful feeling that people still believe in Sherlock Holmes round out this debut treat." (

Library Journal)"Engaging....Readers will want to spend more time with the appealing Heath and company." (

Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Great concept ...

I enjoyed this book, but only to a point. Simon Vance was pretty good - which I expected. After listening the the whole book, I have to wonder if the author would have benefited by writing a few more drafts. I want to know why all of the really interesting stuff seemed to happen "off-stage". The listener had to hear about it second & third hand. I may have missed it, but I still don't get how the bad guys knew where to look for the "letters". Also, the main character was dissappointing. I kept expecting things to fall together & get really interesting at the end, but the end just fizzled. I want to know how the main character got to be a success in his carreer, and yet remain pretty clueless so much of the time. And if that was the moral... well, like I said - great concept & great narrator.

As far from Holmes as you can imagine

I didn't buy or listen to the book under the impression that it was a Sherlock Holmes-book, I've read the synopsis.

But how this book would have benefited from a holmsian touch. This is not a detective story - it's a story about a rich lawyer who just follows one clue, which leads to another clue and so on, and so on. After finishing the book I was amazed that the main character went through the entire ordeal without making a single major deduction. He goes to a place, talks to people who direct him to another place/person and so it goes.

So, if you like me was hoping for some classically inspired detective work, around the foggy streets of London - buy something else.

If you're after a book that could pass for the script for a B tv-movie set in California - this is for you.

first draft?

This has so many plot holes that it's "drafty." The author seemed to give up revising completely in the last third (cell phone ringing after a plunge in a resevoir, etc.). Even Simon Vance couldn't save the listen (and he mispronounced some words I think). I might still download the next installment because the framework has promise as a good light mystery series - and it's cheap.

AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!

Okay, my fault. I read the reviews but obviously didn't pay attention.

This book has an incredibly intriguing premise, BUT it is incredibly disjointed. It's missing a lot of action or explanation at most points.

The main character is a jerk in London and compassionate in LA.