D. Austin

Listen for the story, definitely not the male narrator!

Reviewed: 06-07-23

Pretty good story that caught me at the end with a plot twist. The author uses the very interesting & thought-provoking observation that social media can turn a rumor or misinformation into perceived reality to drive the story. The main characters, 4 thriller writers, are by and large, rather self-absorbed and unlikeable, but the story drags you into their paranoid world as each believes one or more of the others might have done it.
The main problem with this audiobook is the male narrator. The women are good, if not outstanding, but he is AWFUL. It’s clear he did not prepare and is just reading in a monotone better suited to technical manuals. A couple places you could hear when he got to the end of a line, then realized that it was not the end of the sentence. He also attempted, very unsuccessfully, French and Italian accents that were prone to wander all over Europe. At one point Vita, who is supposed to be Italian, I think, sounded like she might be German. And, unfortunately, he narrated both of the male writers. It was so torturous that I considered giving up , but the story was interesting enough that I stuck it out. And was rewarded with a fairly clever twist ending.
Overall: pretty good mystery, okay female narrators, dreadful narrator.
Depending on your tolerance, an okay listen.

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A Change in Narrator Drags This One Down

Reviewed: 01-09-22

The story itself is as interesting, if complex, as its predecessor, but they've changed narrators which does the story no service. Bahni Turpin is a great narrator for the Andrea Vernon stories, but she stumbles badly in Hell's Library. She has a too modern speaking style that takes the story out of the multi-century locations and characters. A muse that talks like a whiny valley girl? Ditto a hero who seems to have stepped out of a nightclub rather than period bodice ripper? Add to that her very shaky grasp on accents (Walter's cockney accent changes with every appearance and her pacing makes him sound mentally slow, Bjorn the Bard sounds vaguely German and possibly Irish instead of even remotely Nordic). I'm not sure why they changed narrators, but it was a mistake that it doesn't appear they corrected as Ms Turpin is the narrator of the third book as well.

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This narrator...Just kill me!

Reviewed: 03-30-21

The story is okay...I think. I'm having a horrible time getting past the narrator. There's no soft-pedaling this: this narrator is terrible. He reads with no inflection, and pauses at what appear to be end of the line of text rather than punctuation points. Picture William Shatner at his worst. (Stone couldn't see. His eyes were sore. and swollen. but THAT wasn't the only. reason.) Considering this is supposed to be a Rambo-esque character/adventure, this narrator is remarkably ill-suited and has actually detracted from the story.
Update now that I've finished it: You also need to seriously suspend disbelief. Over the course of the 3 days of this story, Stone is repeatedly beaten, kicked, shot, stabbed, blown up, And yet, he manages to defeat any and all comers.

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1 person found this helpful

Supernatural Detective Story? Not so much.

Reviewed: 07-29-19

I picked this because I love a good detective story with a supernatural element. This is not either of those things. Just start with the narration... flat, flat, flat. Then, unless I've forgotten how the police are supposed to operate, I'm fairly sure that drinking, dancing and, basically, feeling up a person of interest not considered good procedure. The main female character (a bartender) is pregnant by (and thought she was going to marry) the guy who died like the night before but flirts with the detective (she doesn't know he's a detective - so not trying to distract him). The main male character (the detective) is horny and ignores the fact that she is a POI in favor of admiring her full pink lips and pressing her body against his. In fact, the majority of their inner reflections revolve around their looks, the other's looks and/or what they image doing to each other. OMG! If there was a ghost, I gave up well before it made an appearance. Don't waste your time.

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Weird as all get out, but strangely compelling

Reviewed: 02-25-19

I'll be honest with you, this is a weird series. But I can't stop listening to them.
In a nutshell, Rockton is a secret town in the Yukon. The reason it's secret? Because it's a place people go to hide from their pasts. In theory, the Council only allows white collar criminals or victims of abuse to buy their way into a 3 year escape plan, but it's becoming increasingly apparent that money talks and some less savory, and decidedly more violent, types have managed to get integrated into the town. Add to that the two other groups living in the area (the First Settlers and the Hostiles) are hardly welcoming neighbors, and you've got a pile of dynamite with a lit fuse.
The world that Kelley Armstrong has built is fascinating. Since Kasey is a newcomer, we get the "rules" as she learns them, but not bludgeoned over the head with too much information. Since you can't really know the motivations or backstory of any of the characters beyond Kasey, Armstrong has given us a reliable narrator. She is exactly who she appears to be (no Doctor Sheppard from "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" here); you find out early on what makes her so suitable to be drafted as the Homicide Detective for this weird little town.

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Mystery or Romance, You Decide

Reviewed: 08-16-18

I bought this because I love supernatural/fantasy and mysteries. And this book does have both...to a certain extent. But what it does have in abundance is your basic heaving breast, panting, teasing Harlequin romance. NOT what I expected or particularly care for - especially when it overshadows EVERYTHING else. Murders on the circus grounds....oooh, he has eight-pack abs, I can't concentrate! Sneaking through the woods tracking a monster...maybe he'll kiss me! Seriously, this book could be about half as long if the author cut out the drooling and juvenile interpersonal games. Poet, the narrator, is 27 years old and was homeless for at least 2 years after the deaths of her parents. She has been with the circus for about 10 years and is the manager. AND she's a ass-kicking mind-reader/mind-controller. But she behaves as if she is 16. Please! We get it, Kade's dreaaammmmyyyyy. He has dimples! Oooohhhhh! But he's also pretty much a chauvinist who shoves his way into situations, in which he has no experience, to "protect" Poet. He questions every decision she makes or direction she gives. Dude, she told you she's a monster hunter and has been for years. You think she needs you to protect her?
Besides the basic story issues, the voice that the narrator has decided to use for Kade, who is supposed to be a 6 year Marine veteran, sounds like a whiny teenage boy, and one from SoCal at that. Bill and Ted sounded more mature. In fact, many of the characters sounded like they belonged in a YA novel.
Finally, and this is a pet peeve from an English major, at least twice, the author used the word "nonplussed" incorrectly. It means "surprised and/or confused." But apparently, someone, somewhere has started using it as "unperturbed," and this author is perpetuating that incorrect usage. That her editors did not correct this is inconceivable.
I'm on the fence about continuing the series. I like the setting, I like the idea, I don't like the Harlequin romance feel

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5 people found this helpful

Expected Stephanie Plum, Got Christian Grey

Reviewed: 06-12-18

I love a sassy heroine as much as the next gal. And that Charley Davidson is a PI who is ALSO a Grim Reaper seemed like a sure thing. Add to that Lorelei King, who also reads the Stephanie Plum series...well, I was sold. And then I started listening.
It started off promisingly enough. Sassy dialogue, engaging premise. Great, so far. Then the Ghostly Lover entered the story and the wheels fell off the wagon. All of a sudden, Charley can't think of anything else. Every meeting has her thoughts being distracted by this nighttime visitor to the point I began to wonder if we were ever going to get back to the mystery. And when it turns out it was someone she met ONCE for about a half an hour when she was 15, but she is now saying that she searched for him for the last 10 years? Seriously? You're a PI and you "searched" for him, but couldn't even find out his name? Bottom line, you didn't. You didn't even think about him until he started "showing" up and giving you a nightly thrill. But now he's the love of your life? Glaring believability issue. Then, when she finds out who he is and that he murdered someone? She doesn't believe he would have done such a thing. She met him ONCE, but, apparently, because he gives her great orgasms, he's completely innocent and must be saved. And, fair warning, I hate, hate, hate anything that smacks of stalker-ish behavior being accepted by the heroine. "Oh, but he loves me and is only trying to protect me" is no excuse. When I hear the words "he forced his hand between my legs" or "his hand around my throat while he tried to regain control of his body." - Yep, I'm done.
The Eve Dallas and Stephanie Plum books have plenty of sex, but I have never felt that either character became brainless as a result. I won't be continuing this series.

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A Promising Start to the Series

Reviewed: 05-14-18

I won't go into a lot of plot details, because, frankly, you can read the synopsis.
The Good: Nikki and her team are an interesting mixed group. They reminded me of the Department Q team from Jussi Adler Olsen's books - damaged, but darn good cops. And just enough of their backstories left unexplained to flesh out future stories. Henrietta Meire's narration is pretty stellar. Some commenters were put off by her accents, but her Lincolnshire accent is brilliant! The story was really interesting and the solution made perfect sense (not pulled out of a hat).
The Bad: Joy Ellis really needed an editor who noticed how many times her detectives "chewed on her lip," "bit his lip" or "gnawed on her lip" I quit counting after 7 times in about 12 chapters. There's also a tad too much repetition of Nikki's daughter's situation. I know it's a major factor for Nikki's character, but we get it. Nikki's transformation, in less than a week from "Old Nick" to borderline saint, is pretty unbelievable. While it does make her more likable & easier to root for, it's pretty dramatic and unearned. Narrator Henrietta's one failing was the character of Cat. The vocal tone she used was really annoying and seemed incompatible for Cat's character. It made her seem baby-ish rather than hard-nosed former Sex Crimes cop.
Overall, a good listen. I've already purchased Shadows on the Fens.

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Not sure if this is a mystery or a Harlequin romance

Reviewed: 09-30-17

I was very surprised to discover this was part of a long running series, because this author doesn't seem terribly evolved. Everything is described to death. Does she need to tell us that the tiles were ordered at Home Depot in Massachusetts and directed to be shipped to Maine? We get it, they're out-of-staters.
Then there is this semi-subplot of Sophia and her romantic issues. It went on so long at the beginning of the book that I thought I had inadvertantly bought a Harlequin romance. While I enjoy books where the characters have a life and color outside the mystery, almost half the storyline goes into great detail about it. Granted a character from her past does come in later, but it's more of the romance subplot not the mystery.
And, finally, god save me from narrators who a) don't pre-read the text and b) attempt downeast accents based on Murder She Wrote. This narrator has clearly not pre-read the text. It's like she reaches the end of a line and that's where she pauses instead of the natural pauses of commas and phrases. It makes it seems like the narrator is a non-native speaker. And, this is from a native Mainer, please, do not attempt our accent. It's painful when it's done poorly and erratically. This narrator reads her New York and Connecticut characters without accent, but attempts Mainer. It would have been better to have all the characters accentless, rather than make the Mainers seem stupid.
Overall, this was a meh.

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Loved Ready Player One or Snowcrash? Skip This!

Reviewed: 09-14-17

Full disclosure: I have not finished (slogged through) the entire book yet, but I think I can give a pretty heartfelt review at this point.
The concept of the book seemed interesting: The idea that you can BECOME a part of a MMPORPG for real and forever, leaving your corporeal body behind. But it rapidly became obvious that this author has some issues.
This is like some uber-gaming nerd's wet dream. Every woman is lithesome and willing. Max levels up with amazing rapidity. Every other player is awed by him or jealous or immediately his bestie. Only he could possibly have thought of this non-traditional character designation.
Getting back to the women, they are alternately: weepy, grateful when he picks them a flower, require rescuing, sex crazed and/or "such a girl/child." I've yet to hear him run across a warrior woman - and I'm not holding my breath.
Listening to Max detail how he grinds through leveling up is interesting at first, but becomes tedious rapidly. And the number of times he has spectacular luck in battle is beyond believable. For example, he happens upon a battle between another player and red bear. In the course of things, somehow the other player gets killed, JUST BEFORE the bear dies, meaning lowly Max gets credit for the bear kill, gets all the dropped treasures. One of them is a Soul Stone which he incarnates as a zombie and, voila!, has a ridiculously-leveled bear to do all his fighting and therefore his levelling. Max then sits on his butt while the bear does all the work (I even bored myself writing that explanation).
I have never played Everquest, but my sources say the game in this story is remarkably similar.
Additionally, I understand this is a Russian author, but there are some weird word usages - possibly translation errors, but weird.
I'd say, give this a pass. I won't be wasting time on the sequels.

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17 people found this helpful