The Hardest Thing Audiobook By James Lear cover art

The Hardest Thing

A Dan Stagg Mystery

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The Hardest Thing

By: James Lear
Narrated by: Charles Carr
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About this listen

Killing is easy. Love is...The Hardest Thing

James Lear does Lee Child

Once a major in the U.S. Army, Dan Stagg fell afoul of Don't Ask Don't Tell. In his late 30s, tall, and muscular, Dan is prone to violence, always upholding what he views as justice. He's offered a great deal of money to protect the young male "secretary" of a powerful real estate broker. The vain, shallow - but most of all hot - young man's idea of protection includes sex. Dan quickly realizes something strange is going on: he's being used as a shield for a much more sinister operation and must choose between easy money and sex or the ideals that he embodied in the Army. Why should he do the right thing - particularly when the army betrayed him? The Hardest Thing is a sexy gay mystery as only James Lear can write it: filled with lots of gay sexual encounters, romance, sweat, violence, and conspiracy.

©2013 James Lear (P)2013 Audible, Inc.
Hard-Boiled Literature & Fiction Mystery Fiction Romance
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What listeners say about The Hardest Thing

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

i loved the mystery and intrigue.

it was an exciting listen...I loved all the twists and turns of the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Very well-crafted action/mystery

With just a very few tiny exceptions on niggling details, I really enjoyed this book! Once you get used to the James Lear level of sex in his novels - or chalk that up as part of the amusement - this is a very well done mystery with plenty of twists to the plot line to keep the readers' attention, right up until the end. Actually I was surprised that I was so engrossed in the story that I lost track of time, and, sooner than I would have wanted, it was over!

Part of this too is the narration by Charles Carr, who gives us *the* perfect voice for our scarred and war-worn Col. Dan Stagg. There's just enough variation among the voices of the other characters that it's quite easy to follow who is speaking - even when Stagg is wandering the street, speaking to himself, working out the heavy parts of the story toward the end.

This book was so well done that I'm looking forward to reading more Dan Stagg novels, as I think that Lear is on to something with this guy! I won't even mention my plotting quibbles because they are so small, and not terribly distracting. I can't wait to delve into the next one!

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wow what A ride!

I definitely found my new favourite author! This was funny, hot and I just couldn’t stop listening. I had to finish it in one day. The narrator did a fantastic job. I totally recommend this audiobook.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Well done for erotic gay male sex.

Lots of sex. The main guy is Dan a former marine, he’s tough talking, tough acting. He isn’t particular about whom he has sex with. He takes a new job as a body guard for Stirling. Stirling is more effeminate. Half the story is these two traveling together. There are bad guys, guns, kidnapping, and escape. The plot was not fully developed, but good enough for a setting.

One scene had me laughing. Only in an erotic story would you see something like this. A has been kidnapped. His hands and feet are tied to a bed. The bad guy wants A to give him oral pleasure before he kills A. While A is doing this A is thinking “The harder I could make him, the more I played along with his fantasy, the better my chances of escape.”

At times I was tired of first person, being in Dan’s head sooo much. It’s like being with someone who talks too much. He was such a strong aggressive voice.

Annoying: the cover picture is wrong. Dan shaves his head. Cover guy does not.

The narrator Charles Carr was very good.

Genre: erotic gay male romance

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

More Lear. More Stagg, More Carr. NOW.

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

As an Angelophile I fell in love with Chandler, and read every book cover to cover. I lived where Marlowe worked, I gazed out of the windows he wrote about to the Los Angeles he described, and I loved every romantic moment of his construct that I passed through every day. I was never as taken by his snarky lead as after having read every writing as when Elliott Gould narrated his work.

Now here, with the blatant brotherly eroticism of Dan Stagg I find my literary hero finally figuratively echoing Marlowe's gritty footsteps and he's... hot, raw, and a real man, perverted and idealistic in so far as it goes. He's romantic, edgy, fallible, punctual, charismatic, disgusting, attractive, and magnetic, and Charles Carr's voice makes him REALLY real, and believable.

I will buy every Stagg Novel narrated by Carr from here on out, but not one not narrated by Carr. He gets Lear.

Thank you Mr.s Lear and Carr for a delightful day, and night under the covers just like old radio days. Wow.

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

I haven't gotten to the end yet, and don't want it to end. This is ... awesome.

Have you listened to any of Charles Carr’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. I'm blown away.

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

Yes. The first utterance of Mr. Lear's text by Carr.

Any additional comments?

Mr. Lear and Mr. Carr have something that HAS to endure, or only will in this one piece. It's timelessness is powerful beyond words.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story and performance

I loved the narrator of this and found the story both erotic and also fun and interesting.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

What In The World! LOL. 1/2/2015

Any additional comments?

LOL

I kid you not, this story takes off in physical violence, sex, and more violence and doesn't stop until the end. And I must confess, I enjoyed.

A very entertaining audio! No room for a dull moment, that's for sure!!!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Should be made into a movie

This story is one of the best I have selected. Great thought out characters and a plot that is full of surprises. The narration was great as well.

Someone should make this into a movie.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Characters Galore

Funny, wild, absurd, and good fun. So what if the plots slightly implausible. it is too good to quibble ovrr. The narrator is perfect., and added to the book. maybe better. Bravo

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An Arousing Story of Sex and Intrigue

Would you listen to The Hardest Thing again? Why?

This book was a complete surprise, by being so hard to put down. The story kept me captivated to the very end, always wanting to know what happens next. Give me some time and yes, I will listen to it again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Hardest Thing?

True, the relationship between Dan and Jody was primarily sex (and very good sex I might add), but you want there to be something more. Happiness for both men.

What about Charles Carr’s performance did you like?

Charles Carr's narration was superb! I will go looking for more books read by him! Such a talent in voices that you forget that you are listening to one person. In my opinion, he made the book more interesting.

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

The ending was perhaps predictable, but satisfying. I loved the gruffness of the character of Dan and his sexual appetite, and liked that the story kept you on the edge throughout. I also loved the scene with the blond police officer performing on the webcam. What's the URL to that site? I would love to visit...

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