Listen to New Releases Audiobooks in Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

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: French Pressed

Subtitle: A Coffeehouse Mystery, Book 6

Author: Cleo Coyle

Narrator: Rebecca Gibel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 405 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Clares daughter, Joy, is immersing herself in the foodie culture with an internship at Solange, one of New Yorks hottest French restaurants - and shes getting pretty intimate with the older, married Chef Tommy Keitel as well. Clares not buzzed about the relationship, but what twenty-something takes romantic advice from her mother? Resolved to keep a closer eye on Joy, Clare makes a deal to micro-roast and French press exclusive coffee blends for Tommy, a man she wouldnt mind seeing roasted and pressed.

Then the competitive kitchen turns cutthroat, and Joys a suspect. To clear her daughter of the crime, Clare knows she must catch the real killereven if it lands her in the hottest water of her life.

Members Reviews:

Murder in coffee house and restsurants!!

The sixth Village Coffeehouse mystery has Clare delving into the world of high class restaurants in Manhatten. She's been engrossed in running the Village Blend Coffeehouse but, Joy, her "20 something" daughter's relationship with an executive chef thirty years her senior, sends Clare out to check on this relationship. Clare's able to use her marketing skills of paring particular excellent coffees with exquisite deserts to talk with the chef. But soon there after one of his line cooks is found dead---then the executive chef himself is murdered. When Joy becomes the chief suspect, Clare goes on the search for the real killer.

Clare's relationship with her sexy detective friend is also warming up. He knows about Clare's skill in finding previous murderers, so he has her volunteer herself as bait for the killers. Perhaps this is the only way to save her daughter, so Clare is up for this trickery.

This series is always top notch excitement mixed with lots of thrilling information about coffee, and in this book, inside information about the restaurant business. Romantic relationships cause a bit of confusion between the characters, but some of these pairings are heating up nicely. This series never fails to be enjoyable!

Outstanding performance, best book in the series

I have read/listened to every other book in this series. Weirdly, I avoided this one. Why? Because it focused on Claire's daughter, Joy, who always came across to me as the most selfish, whiny, know-it-all brat without a lick of common sense. Shame on me for judging so harshly and waiting so long to read the best book in the coffeehouse series. Okay, yeah, Joy still didn't have a lick of sense. If she'd just go home at a respectable hour instead of gallivanting across Manhattan in the middle of the night, she wouldn't have found herself in so much trouble.

That said, her ordeal was nevertheless heartbreaking. Maybe it's because I'm a mom, but the thought of that young girl sitting in Rikers Island for days due to nothing but her own naivety was unbearable. I was cheering on Claire who busted through a bunch of cops in her quest to protect her child, and when she drove all over the city interrogating suspects, putting herself at risk just to find out the truth.

Lately, all of Cleo Coyle's coffeehouse mysteries start out with an annoying internal monologue of "the killer." It's gotten to where we have to suffer through these killer scenes throughout the whole book, which to me ruins the flow of the story. I don't want to know what the killer is thinking.

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 Green Ripper

Subtitle: A Travis McGee Novel, Book 18

Author: John D. MacDonald

Narrator: Robert Petkoff

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-08-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 176 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Beautiful girls always grace the Florida beaches; strolling, sailing, relaxing at the many parties on Travis McGee's houseboat, The Busted Flush. McGee was too smart - and had been around too long - for many of them to touch his heart. Now, however, there was Gretel. She had discovered the key to McGee - to all of him - and now he had something to hope for. Then, terribly, unexpectedly, she was dead. From a mysterious illness, or so they said. But McGee knew the truth; that Gretel had been murdered. And now he was out for blood.

Members Reviews:

Vengeance Road

Gretchen is dead; so the love of McGee's life has just been killed, again. The only lead he has as to who the killers might be is a story Gretchen told him the night before her death. She related the story of how she and her ex-husband had gone to search for his sister. Outside the town of Ukiah, in rural Northern California they found her in a cult. So with this information McGee steps out of his life and goes hunting; he 's determined that someone will pay.

As it turns out he accidentally stumbles upon the violent side of a left-wing revolutionary group. The cult is planning on an incipient beginning of the revolution and are in training to fire the first shot; so to speak. McGee takes on a new identity as he plots his revenge. I'll stop there so as not to spoil the ending. This is one of my least favorite Travis McGee novels; it is quite different from the other books in the series. Still though the worst of the McGee books is excellent. As always when it comes to the writings of John D. MacDonald, I recommend it.

Love Travis McGee

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

Yes, because it is part of the evolution of Travis and hi associated characters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Green Ripper?

Destroying the terrorist cell.

Have you listened to any of Robert Petkoffs other performances before? How does this one compare?

Good

Don't make Travis mad!

This one pulls out all the stops. You've never seen Travis like this, but you always knew he had it in him. This one kind of picks up where the previous one, The Empty Copper Sea left off, so make sure you have read that one first. This one really changes things for Travis. There are only three more novels left, and it looks like Travis is moving into the modern age of terrorism we all live with today. Savor this one, only three more to go.

Too much insight, not enough action

The narrator is great.

In order to not give any "spoilers" I'll just say that what happened in the hospital, definitely needed to happen.

The rest of novel was pretty much a snore: 1) McGee snuck in somewhere and was held there til he could get out

2) McGee did far too much introspection.

3) Meyer wasn't part of book

The very last chapters had some action and were better

I hope McGee returns to his more typical self, has other people's problems to solve, not his own, and 3) Meyer is part of the story.

John D at the full tide of his skill

I am a huge fan of the Man. I have read and listened to all of the T. McGee many times since the 1970's. I n my opinion this "Green Ripper" is the best of the series.

This is minimalist Mc Gee.

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 Betrayal of Trust

Subtitle: A Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler Mystery, Book 6

Author: Susan Hill

Narrator: Steven Pacey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-28-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 245 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Simon Serrailler is faced with that most complicated of investigations - a cold case. Freak weather and flash floods have hit southern England. The small cathedral town of Lafferton is underwater, and a landslip on the moor has closed the roads. As the rain slowly drains away, a shallow grave - and a skeleton - is exposed; 20 years have passed, and the remains of missing teenager Joanne Lowther have finally been uncovered.

Joanne, an only child, had been on her way home from a friend's house that night. She was the daughter of a prominent local businessman, and her mother had killed herself two years after she disappeared, unable to cope.

Cold cases are always tough, and in this latest mystery in the acclaimed series from Susan Hill, Simon Serrailler is forced to confront his most grisly, dangerous, and complex case yet.

Members Reviews:

Love the series; this one not my favorite

While this book does move along the underlying story of the major characters, and it does solve the central crime, it leaves so many open story lines that it is not quite as satisfying as most of the books in the series. Still, I do enjoy this series. The characters feel like old friends. Hill's stories always move along at a good pace, and this one raises some interesting questions. All in all, I enjoyed the book but it is not the star of the series.

Just love Susan Hill

Amazingly gifted story writer. Each one of the books in this series were so enjoyable and Steven Pacey should win an award for his narration. Hoping for another in this series.

Not A Typical "Procedural"

This is a captivating story and a good mystery. Much time is spent on the stories of the non-recurring characters. I liked that very much. Their stories caught my interest and kept me listening. I wondered how they would all mesh together. The story of the Serrailler family is also continued and I enjoy that aspect of these books as well. The mystery is good. I wasn't able to guess the solution ahead of time.

This series deals less with the actual police work and more with the stories of the people. I like that aspect of the series very much. However, if you prefer stories that stay strictly within the bounds of a specific crime and it's solution, these books may not appeal to you.

Steven Pacey's narration is excellent.

Unsatisfying enfing

Would you try another book from Susan Hill and/or Steven Pacey?

Yes. Love Steven Pacey, loving the Serrailler family drama's.

What could Susan Hill have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

It was an interesting story, a little anti-climatic.

Have you listened to any of Steven Paceys other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I think I will have to search for something I like. Love him...

Did The Betrayal of Trust inspire you to do anything?

No.

This series has it all....

Most of the professional reviews of the Simon Serrailler books -- of which this is number six -- talk about 'crime fiction'. In this book, the blurbs note that Detective. Serrailler is trying to solve the mystery of two young girls who disappeared. That's true of course -- that's one story line, and a fine one it is.

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: Believing the Lie

Subtitle: An Inspector Lynley Novel

Author: Elizabeth George

Narrator: Davina Porter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 23 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-13-12

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 613 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

After writing 16 Inspector Lynley novels, New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth George has millions of fans waiting for the next one. As USA Today put it, "It's tough to resist George's storytelling, once hooked." With Believing the Lie, she's poised to hook countless more.

Inspector Thomas Lynley is mystified when he's sent undercover to investigate the death of Ian Cresswell at the request of the man's uncle, the wealthy and influential Bernard Fairclough. The death has been ruled an accidental drowning, and nothing on the surface indicates otherwise. But when Lynley enlists the help of his friends Simon and Deborah St. James, the trio's digging soon reveals that the Fairclough clan is awash in secrets, lies, and motives.

Deborah's investigation of the prime suspect - Bernard's prodigal son Nicholas, a recovering drug addict - leads her to Nicholas's wife, a woman with whom she feels a kinship, a woman as fiercely protective as she is beautiful. Lynley and Simon delve for information from the rest of the family, including the victim's bitter ex-wife and the man he left her for, and Bernard himself. As the investigation escalates, the Fairclough family's veneer cracks, with deception and self-delusion threatening to destroy everyone from the Fairclough patriarch to Tim, the troubled son Ian left behind.

Members Reviews:

Not Elizabeth George's best...

I really wanted to love this book. All of my favourite characters were back - Lynley, Simon, Deborah, Barbara - and there were many twists and turns, plots and counter-plots - usually something that I enjoy. But there were too many stories within the story, making the writing seem a little forced. Many of the characters were simply unlikeable, including, at some points, the grieving Lynley. Deborah St. James was particularly unsympathetic in this book - dishonest and foolish - something I was somewhat sad to see. People aren't perfect but I prefer even flawed heroes/heroines to remain noble. There were some story lines that had real "heart" (like the one involving Freddy and Minette); others that were torn from the headlines with, I felt, the desire to shock but which only felt empty to me. I remain a fan of Ms George and sincerely hope that she will pick up the plot points delivered in the very last paragraph of Believing the Lie in her next book. I care about what happens next....

Bizarre turn from an established storyteller.

Would you try another book from Elizabeth George and/or Davina Porter?

I would only buy an earlier work of Elizabeth George - I'm afraid this indicates a downhill trajectory.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I'm looking for another mystery.

What does Davina Porter bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

The narration matched the characters quite nicely, either strong or simpering. It made the entertwined stories easier to follow.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

Any additional comments?

I was quite disappointed and afraid this shows the author is losing touch with reality. The original premise doesn't make sense, and sends the main characters to a place improbably full of people with every kind of sexual secret.

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: Generation Loss

Author: Elizabeth Hand

Narrator: Carol Monda

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-13-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 75 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Cass Neary made her name in the 70s as a photographer embedded in the burgeoning punk movement in New York City. Her pictures of the musicians and the hangers-on, the infamous, the damned, and the dead, earned her a brief moment of fame. Thirty years later she is adrift, on her way down, and almost out when an old acquaintance sends her on a mercy gig to interview a famously reclusive photographer who lives on an island in Maine. When she arrives Down East, Cass stumbles across a decades-old mystery that is still claiming victims, and she finds one final shot at redemption.

Patricia Highsmith meets Patti Smith in this mesmerizing literary thriller.

Members Reviews:

Patricia Highsmith meets Patti Smith

What made the experience of listening to Generation Loss the most enjoyable?

It was very dark.

What did you like best about this story?

It was unexpectedly atmospheric.

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

Yes

Any additional comments?

I came by this book quite by chance; while reading a review for Available Dark, the next book in Hand's Cass Neery series, I became intrigued with the first title so I decided to order it from Audible.com. I listened to it over a long weekend and I'm glad that I gave it a chance. (And I really wish that I'd been the first to post a review.)

Cass Neery, a washed up post-survivor of NYC's punk era is an edgy photographer whose book of photographs was a mild sensation, is given a chance to interview a famous photographer who has become a legendary recluse on a Maine island. Once there, she's mystified by posters of people who have gone missing, all without any clue as to why or how.

I'll admit that Cass is unlikable. She's a loser, she's selfish, she's caustic and rude, and seemingly without morals. But there is something about her that is broken and it seems that deep down she knows this to be true. Her armor of disdain, powered by drugs and alcohol, doesn't seem to be working for her as well as it used to.

Generation Loss is dark and edgy, and it's disturbing which makes you want to avert your gaze. Yet at the same it's painful and powerfully atmospheric, and there's something about it that keeps you peering in.

I really liked Generation Loss by Elizabeth Hand and found the narrator to be perfect for this novel and I highly urge you to give it a try. But do stay away if you're looking for the traditional mystery that has likeable characters, where the good guys always win and the bad guys get what they deserve.

Facts: Booklist and Publishers Weekly gave Generation Loss starred reviews; Elizabeth Hand is an awarding winning author of science fiction and contributes to The Washington Post Book World and the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

Edgy and enthralling.

What did you like about this audiobook?

This book features my favourite combination of a great original character in an interesting, beautifully described location. Cass Neery is almost an anti-heroine, you find yourself questioning her motives a lot of the time but she's gutsy and fascinating.

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

It certainly made the state of Maine sound as if it would be a very interesting place to visit. The way the author brought the location to life was integral to my enjoyment of this book.

I also loved the in-depth (to me anyway) analysis of photography.

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: Thirty-Three Teeth

Subtitle: The Dr. Siri Investigations, Book 2

Author: Colin Cotterill

Narrator: Clive Chafer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-29-11

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 418 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Feisty Dr. Siri Paiboun is no respecter of persons or party; at his age he feels he can afford to be independent. In this, the second novel in the series, he travels to Luang Prabang, where he communes with the deposed king who is resigned to his fate: it was predicted long ago. And he attends a conference of shamans called by the Communist Party to deliver an ultimatum to the spirits: obey party orders or get out. But as a series of mutilated corpses arrives in Dr. Siris morgue, and Nurse Dtui is menaced, he must use all his powersforensic and shamanicto discover the creatureanimal or spiritthat has been slaying the innocent.

Critic Reviews:

The quasi-mystical story keeps a perfect balance between the modern mysteries of forensic science and the ancient secrets of the spirit world as the cranky coroner tries to resolve a politically sensitive case involving the deposed king without riling the authorities. (

New York Times Book Review)

Members Reviews:

Healthy Addictive Pleasure

What did you love best about Thirty-Three Teeth?

Thoroughly likable main characters develop individually and interpersonally from one book to the next.

What other book might you compare Thirty-Three Teeth to and why?

It brings to mind the Ladies #1 Detective Agency series in that it provides a warm and vivid introduction to another culture. Both series possess a dry British wit. As the Dr. Siri Investigations explore the spirit world as well, they provide a fascinating intersection of the traditional beliefs with the political realities of the mid-70's.

Which character as performed by Clive Chafer was your favorite?

Initially, I thought Clive Chafer's reading style monotonous. But the more I listen to these, the more I hear the humor and depth in this understated delivery. I find myself listening to each book twice, starting again as soon as I complete one to savor it more fully. And then I immediately download the next!

Any additional comments?

I remember the pleasure with which I discovered Michael Connelly's detective series, but over time the darkness of Bosch's world view and the alienation of the major characters induced me to back off. This series, in contrast, has some evil and genuinely negative characters, but the overall impression is one of great warmth, respect and even joy. In places it's laugh out loud funny. I'm grateful that one reviewer's related that his Laotian wife found the series presented an accurate physical and cultural portrait of her homeland. I was apprehensive that Thirty-Three Teeth might not live up to the freshness and originality of The Coroner's Lunch. Happily, this second book in the series deepened my appreciation of the culture, the characters and the nature of their growing intimacy.

If you go onto the author's web site, you'll see he's quite an accomplished cartoonist, too.

Spirited fun

This is a fun series, enjoyable more for the characters than the mysteries they solve, much as fans of Ms. Christie enjoy Miss Marple and Monsieur Poirrot for their distinctive personalities. True to form, the crimes being investigated in this installment wont have you biting your nails, but the process of getting to the answers is entertaining and full of humor.

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: Stagestruck

Author: Peter Lovesey

Narrator: Simon Prebble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-20-11

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 158 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Pop diva Clarion Calhoun has packed the house with a celebrity appearance in Bath's Theatre Royal production of I Am a Camera. But within moments of her much-anticipated onstage appearance, she's pulled out of character as she screams and claws at her face. When tainted stage makeup is found to have caused the disfiguring burn, fingers point to her makeup artist. Detective Peter Diamond investigates when the makeup artist is found dead, pushed from a catwalk far above the stage. As Diamond digs deeper, he uncovers rivalries among the cast and crew and is forced to confront his own mysterious and deep-seated phobia to find the killer.

Members Reviews:

Excellent Plot With Many Surprises

If you enjoy "golden age" style mysteries, this will be right up your alley. The story has twists and turns. I was completely surprised by the solution. I read many of the Peter Diamond novels when they were first published in the 1990's and enjoyed all of them.

I noticed than some reviewers mentioned problems playing this audio book. I listened to them on a four year old Kindle and experienced no difficulties.

A must listen or read mystery fans

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

Yes, so many characters and a super suprise ending. Peter Lovesey keeps you on edge because you never know which way the plot will turn.

What does Simon Prebble bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Prebble does an excellent job of bringing Peter Diamond to life. Now when I read Peter Diamond mysteries I hear his voice.

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

my basic reaction to the end was OMG!!! I didn't see that coming.

Book is damaged

Starts out fine, then freezes my iPod. Too bad -- it sounds like a good book.

This book is damaged

Audible says it's fine, but it isn't. Downloaded multiple times in different formats. Very frustrating, e.g., " ... just when she Chapter 2 ...

Ending a surprise

You get a stella read by Simon Prebble and a deep look into most of the main players. I really did enjoy this mystery and will read another in this series soon.+

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: Sentenced to Death

Subtitle: A Booktown Mystery

Author: Lorna Barrett

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-07-11

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 170 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

As the owner of Stoneham, New Hampshire's, mystery bookstore Haven't Got a Clue, Tricia Miles can figure out whodunit in the latest best seller long before she gets to the last page. But when her friend is killed in a freak accident, Tricia must use her sleuthing skills to solve a murder mystery that promises to be much more sinister than the books on her shelves.

Members Reviews:

Excellent Read

I have read all of her books, this one is just as good as all the rest. Keeps you guessing until the end whodunit. Would recommend.

Good cozy mystery but...

If I had $1 for every time the book said "Tricia frowned," I could buy this book 3 times over. Otherwise this was my favorite in the series, the characters are much more like able than they have been in previous books. The writing is good & it's an enjoyable cozy mystery!

Great listen

These books are the nail biting or gruesome kind, but good reads.

Not her best, but still entertaining.

I'm really enjoying this series

I'm really enjoying this series, Lorna Barrett has a way of writing cozy mysteries with plenty of twists and turns. Cassandra Campbell brings the characters and story to life. This is a wonderful series, and if you like cozy mysteries, then I recommend this series to you.

Get over yourself, Tricia!!!

Any additional comments?

Tricia Miles is perhaps one of the most irritatingly entitled characters I have ever run across. She seems to be bitter about everything, grateful about nothing in her truly charmed existence. 'Judgemental' should be her middle name. With all that said, I continue to listen to this series because it generally ticks all the boxes for me. Although every time Tricia frowns again, or is sad she's ordered the same salad again, or is disappointed in someone's behavior again, or mentions how SHE was the unloved, unwanted sister, again ... or feels like everyone owes her an explanation for something that's absolutely none of her business ... again ... I have to take a deep breath and just power through the story. Now I just count every time I want to slap her ... then move on to the next book hoping she's going to change her insufferable attitude.

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: Silent Mercy

Author: Linda Fairstein

Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-08-11

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 320 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

In the latest thriller in Linda Fairstein's best-selling series, Alex Cooper dives deep into the byzantine, sinister world of New York City's powerful religious institutions.

It's the middle of the night. Prosecutor Alexandra Cooper is called to Harlem's Mount Neboh Baptist Church, a beautiful house of worship originally built as a synagogue. But the crowd gathered there isn't interested in architecture, or even prayer. They've come for the same reason Alex has: to find out why the body of a young woman has been decapitated, set on fire, and left burning on the church steps.

The only identifiable artifact on the charred remains is the imprint of a Star of David necklace seared into the victim's flesh. Alex wonders if the fire was meant to destroy this woman's body, or to draw attention to it. Her fears are confirmed days later, when a second corpse is found at a cathedral in Little Italy.

The killings look like serial hate crimes, but the apparent differences in the victims' beliefs seem to eliminate a religious motive. Convinced that another young woman is bound to die, Alex mines the depths of Manhattan's many houses of worship to find a connection between the victims - and in the process uncovers a terrible and perilous truth that takes her far beyond the scope of her investigation, and directly into the path of terrible danger.

Members Reviews:

Not up to Fairstein's Usual Flair

I am an avid Linda Fairstein fan and have listened to all her books at least twice. Silent Mercy, which I waited for with much anticipation was a disappointment. The story did not hold my interest and I even listened to several other books before I finally decided to finish it. Even then I found my thoughts drifting and just was never "taken" by the story. In the genre, Alex is such a strong character and usually the stories are compelling but this one just did not hold together. Too bad.

Churches and lepers and murders, oh, my!

The only thing that elevated my overall rating to 3 stars was Barbara Rosenblatt's excellent narration. She is a versatile and convincing vocal actress and her performance was what kept me listening.

Although I have always been happy enough to find an Alex Cooper paperback in the fairly grim airport newsstands where I have purchased them, I found this listen to be a drag, as I couldn't skip over the excess folderol as I can when reading.

And I think the cases are getting more outré. I won't spoil the plot, but it is bloated to say the least, stuffed full of silliness, so that it is much longer than warranted. I am getting tired of Chapman's Jeopardy shtick, Alex's suave and cliched French lover and her constant nattering about her wealth and privilege and wardrobe, and the history lessons which erupt ever more frequently.

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: Parting Breath

Author: Catherine Aird

Narrator: Robin Bailey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-13-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 54 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Detective Inspector C. D. Sloan knew there would be trouble when he was called in to the student sit-in at Calleshire University. The dons were nervous, the students excited - a clash of some kind seemed inevitable. But what did happen was totally unexpected.

First was a most peculiar theft from a dormitory room and then the discovery of a man found clutching at one of the columns of the Tarsus cloister - bleeding slowly to death and able with his parting breath only to utter one enigmatic phrase? To solve the mystery of the cloister murder, Sloans only clues are the dying mans words. But what significance can Twenty-six minutes really have?

Members Reviews:

Terrible, Just could not listen to it

We could not get interested in this book. The readers voice and the story droned on terribly.

Slow starter, hard to follow

Would you try another book from Catherine Aird and/or Robin Bailey?

Yes

What was most disappointing about Catherine Airds story?

This story unfortunately is a long winding path to nowhere. There are too many characters with indistinguishable personalities. Skip this book in the series

Slow and very British

The book starts very slowly. The main event doesn't happen until 1 hour and 20 minutes into a 6 hour book. Also, the language and setting are highly targeted towards a reader/listener familiar with British academia. I found it very difficult to get involved and rather boring. It is probably much more interesting for someone familiar with the setting. I'd get my money back if I thought I could.

Narrator not right for Aird

I love Catherine Airds's cozy mysteries and bone dry wit from when I read them years ago. This narrator is all wrong: no humor, a low Eeyore voice that gets inaudible without raised volume and slow pacing with little change in pitch. Dull not fun and the story's good!'

filled some spare time

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

It was ok as background music. I would not look for sequals

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

Is that it?

What three words best describe Robin Baileys voice?

Smooth poetical posh

Was Parting Breath worth the listening time?

not much

Any additional comments?

Disappointing