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: Sunset

Subtitle: A John Bekker Mystery, Book 1

Author: Al Lamanda

Narrator: Mark Torres

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-03-14

Publisher: Al Lamanda

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 5 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Modern Detective

Publisher's Summary:

Police Detective John Bekker had it all: a beautiful wife, a five-year old daughter, and a job he loved. Assigned to a special task force investigating organized crime, Bekker got a little too close to mob boss Eddie Crist. As a message to back off, Bekker's home was invaded and his daughter witnessed the brutal murder of her mother. A decade later, Bekker is a drunk, living in a run-down trailer on the beach.

Institutionalized since the age of five, Bekker's daughter hasn't spoken a word since her mother's death. Life appears bleak and hopeless. After a hard night of drinking, Bekker wakes up in an empty room, handcuffed to a bed. He's sick, hung over, and has no idea where he is. A doctor arrives and tells Bekker he will be supervising Bekker's going cold turkey off the booze. Several days of gut-wrenching agony pass during which time Bekker undergoes a complete detox. When it is over, he is weak, but sober, and still has no idea who is behind his newfound sobriety.

He finds out soon enough when he comes face to face with Eddie Crist, now near death from cancer. Crist swears innocence in Bekker's wife's murder and has a final wish - to go to his grave with a clear conscience. In an ironic twist of fate, the man Bekker believed responsible for his wife's death hires him to solve the decade-old murder. The outcome leaves everyone, including the listener, breathless. Nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of 2012.

Critic Reviews:

"The latest from Lamanda is an exciting thriller filled with tough but sympathetic characters who drag you breathlessly along to the final scene." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Readers will hope Lamanda brings Bekker back for an encore." (Publisher's Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Excellent read

Lamanda spins a terrific tale of vengeance and a cold case, with an appealingly damaged protagonist and a cast of clearly and economically drawn characters. A well-written, ex-cop procedural. I have to wonder, though, about the publication (I think Lamanda deserves better). First of all, there is absolutely no mention of the publisher anywhere - front & back covers, spine, inside. Anywhere. In fact, page 1 is just that - the story begins right there, on the first leaf. Secondly, spell-check utterly failed here. After a few pages I started penciling in corrections. Example: p. 74 - "Special Crimes, an umbrella for term for everything else." "manpower reports, maintenance budged, crime stats". p. 28: "She war brutally raped". So much for robot proofreaders! I am looking forward to Lamanda's follow-up (book finishes with hero already accepting another case), with better editing.

Loved this book!

I read this in one day. It's a quick read, great for the beach or a snowy day when you'd like to be at the beach. I liked all the characters, and definitely want to continue my relationship with them. I'm glad to find a new series to love. This was a Kindle special, and I'm very glad it was the first book in the series. With the exception of a few typos (lots of "out" instead of "our"), the editing was ok. It just needs some proofing.