
Big City, Bad Blood
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Narrated by:
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Joe Barrett
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By:
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Sean Chercover
A simple bodyguard job for a Hollywood locations manager uncovers a rat's nest of sexual blackmail, murder, and high-level political corruption...and Ray Dudgeon is caught in a war between the FBI, the Chicago police, and the mob. With the line between good and bad blurring, Ray doesn't know who he can trust - or if he can even trust himself.
©2007 Sean Chercover (P)2009 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...




















Editorial reviews
Corrupt cops. Menacing mobsters. Shady politicians. Sleazy Hollywood moguls. And as the bodies pile up, one detective manages to stay alive and stay one step ahead of them all: private investigator Ray Dudgeon, a former crusading newspaper reporter transformed into a tough-nosed gumshoe. And except for slight, entertaining detours to Washington, D.C., and a Los Angeles where Raymond Chandler would feel right at home, most of the action in Big City, Bad Blood unfolds on the gritty streets of Chicago.
But you only really get the true flavor of the Windy City when you listen to Joe Barrett perform Sean Chercover’s gripping novel. Barrett has one of those world-weary, seen-it-all Chicago voices that adds to the mystery’s drama. That probably explains why Barrett has been hired to do brilliant readings of other well-known books, including Saul Bellow’s bizarre masterpiece Henderson the Rain King and John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany. Barrett has an authoritative, deep voice that gives credibility to every word he reads. We trust Ray Dudgeon because we believe everything Barrett says. And luckily for Ray Dudgeon, most of the other characters trust and believe him, too.
Dudgeon’s dogged pursuit of the truth and his samurai-like code of honor help keep him alive as he tries to unravel why someone wants to kill Bob Loniski, a Hollywood locations manager assigned for Continental Pictures’ production of Final Revenge in Chicago. At first, the mystery seems simple enough. But anyone who loves detective fiction or movies knows there will be many twists and turns as Dudgeon follows the trail leading him to the answers for his questions.
And like many great novelists, Chercover gets all the little details just right. Some of his descriptions are so spot-on, you could easily mistake the book for being a well-written social critique of American society. But this is no dry academic thesis paper. Chercover fills Big City, Bad Blood with dozens of fascinating minor characters that could be the stars of their own books: the handful of good cops and not-so-bad Mafia men Dudgeon gets a lot of his tips from, the Hollywood starlet Dudgeon befriends, a fast-talking cab driver and a gravedigger everyone needs in their corner. But like a good detective or newspaper reporter, Chercover keeps his focus relentlessly on the main plot line. That’s what ultimately gives this hard-boiled thriller its power and keeps you riveted as you listen to Barrett tell this entertaining, expertly crafted tale. —Ken Ross
Critic reviews
- Gumshoe Award, Best First Novel, 2008
- Shamus Award, Best First P.I. Novel, 2008
"The author's considerable storytelling and characterization gifts compare favorably with those of Loren D. Estleman and other established masters of the crime genre." (Publishers Weekly)
What did you love best about Big City, Bad Blood?
I love the character developement, the title character is great with all his strengths and weaknessesWhat did you like best about this story?
It was funHave you listened to any of Joe Barrett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have not but will look for him in the futurePlease write another novel soon!!
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A decent little detective/noire/mafia book. Some violence, some suspense, perhaps a bit too much politicizing, but oh well, you can't have everything. Oh, and there is way too much description of room decor - I don't really care who manufactured someone's couch or what the stairs are tiled with.
Ray Dudgeon is an interesting character. You like him and want him to make out okay, even though you suspect he won't in the long run.
Story has a bit of mob history and some anti-government sentiment, and a basic premise that the world is corrupt. If you like that sort of stuff and don't mind a resolution that is just slightly short of miraculous, you'll like this book. It is enjoyable and quick.
The narrator does a good job.
Decent but not great.
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Enjoyable & very up to date
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What did you love best about Big City, Bad Blood?
This is the second book I've listened to by Sean Chercover and he has a great pace, real-to-life characters, and a flawed protagonist. The sarcasm is a hoot and the situations that Ray Dudgeon gets himself into make for great storytelling.Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?
The plot was realistic - a PI gets himself into the middle of a mob war in Chicago. There is plenty of local flavor that keeps you in the city, while the characters float in and out with their own distinct personalities adding to the plot.What about Joe Barrett’s performance did you like?
Barrett was an excellent voice for Dudgeon He has a world-weary sarcasm that comes out well on the audiobook. He also captures the other character's voices well so that you can easily track whose involved in the conversation (Chicago cops; uptight feds; Italian Business Men; street pimps; British nurses and Japanese forgers)Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, it was hard to break away from the story and get on with the day. However, it always made going for a drive that much more enjoyableAny additional comments?
I look forward to more Dudgeon audiobooksDon't get out of the car!
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The plot hums along at a most satisfactory pace. The narrator is superb. My one nit is his mispronunciation of the street name Armitage!
This award-winning novel is a must for all Chicagoans, and for devotees of crime fiction everywhere.
I wonder why Audible hasn't given it more visibility.
Quintessentially Chicago
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Where does Big City, Bad Blood rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Ya!Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?
Ya!Which scene was your favorite?
Ya!Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Ya!Any additional comments?
This is a great detective story told in the first person like the old Bogey films. Ray Dudgeon is an old school private eye and sticks with his case. Tough gritty action and a character I liked made this a favorite for me. Five stars and worth a credit.Film Noir
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But there are a lot of good elements here too, starting with the narrator. The tone he sets -- a little tough, a little jaded, but never over the top -- is just perfect. He also does a good Chicago accent, and does a great job on several others to boot. The plot and the pacing are also pretty good, if not especially original, and as a transplanted Chicagoan, I loved all of the Chicago references (although I also cringed on the mispronouncing of Armitage -- shouldn't there have been SOMEONE from Chicago to check pronunciation?).
I probably won't read another book from this author because I did find his weaknesses a little too much to want to sit through again, but I'm not displeased I got this one -- it was a good listen.
A nice trip back to Chi
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Joe Barrett is an excellent narrator for this gritty P.I. He made the story pop to life. The torture scene, only one, was vividly alive.
Ray Dungeon is a P.I. In the Sam Spade Style
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Big City
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The narrator was terrific except for one thing....his British accent is godawful. The "girlfriend" is supposed to be British but every time her character spoke she sounded exactly like the Geico gecko and I'd start laughing. But she was never a humorous character so the laughing spoiled the mood. And to me it sounded more like a really bad Aussie accent than
British as well. But his other characters were great so I had to try to overlook the absurdity of her accent. But truly.....all I could see was that silly gecko in the commercials.
Decent story
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