Audible Book Review: Defining Diana by Hayden Trenholm

This is an intriguing sci fi, gene-based, mystery.

Defining Diana
By: Hayden Trenholm
Narrated by: Art Carlson
Series: Steele Chronicles, Book 1

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins
Unabridged
Release date: 10-14-11
Language: English
Publisher: Iambik Audio Inc
Genre: Cyberpunk, Mystery, Police Procedure, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
"Found naked and alone in a locked room. The beautiful woman was in perfect health - except she was dead... It's 2043 and much has changed: nuclear war, biotechnology and all-powerful corporations have ruled the world....
Now science is taking DNA manipulation to new, unrestricted levels. Superintendent Frank Steele is an old-fashioned cop. He commands a small, elite police unit that is handed all of the bizarre and baffling cases no one else can solve. He knows the money, the murders, missing persons and gruesome body shops are all connected. He knows it starts with the girl....
©2008 Hayden Trenholm (P)2011 Iambik Audio Inc

Review:
Frank Steele is an old-fashioned, alcoholic cop who struggles somewhat in a technically enhanced world in 2043 where biotech cyborgs and humans are as likely to face off as to work together. Frank commands an elite Calgary police team, the Special Detection Unit (SDU). The SDU is assigned to solve cases that baffle everyone else. The team consists of his second, a strong female detective who is distracted by the recent betrayal and abandonment of her husband, a young detective who has chosen to become part biotech and a brash detective who is brutal and psychotic outside of the team. There is also a forensic specialist who has been assigned to them for this latest bizarre case.

The case involves the body of a beautiful young woman who is found dead, naked in a room locked from within. There is no apparent wound or cause of death, nor any means to identify the woman. The team must figure out who she is and how and why she died. Additional murders and missing people provide clues to political involvement and connections with gruesome body shops where the bio techs are either implanting or extracting parts…or both.

The team presses into the investigation but it seems the killer is always one step ahead as though he or she is getting tipped off from a mole within the SDU. This sets the team members eyeing each other with suspicion. If Frank can figure out how all of the pieces connect to the dead woman he is sure he can figure out the rest of the mystery. But just as the team is getting closer to the truth, Frank’s superior disbands the SDU and pulls everyone off the case. Obviously they were stepping on toes and Frank isn’t exactly one to walk away.

This is a wonderfully intriguing mystery told in first person from the primary detective's perspective. There is some language and some gruesome violence that fits a gritty police procedure noir story. The team characters are extremely flawed and purposefully stereotyped. The mystery is well plotted and I like the combination of the crime procedure and cyberpunk elements. I recommend this to those who enjoy noir mystery fiction.

Audio Notes: Art Carlson provided an interesting narration. He doesn’t really provide multiple voice accents but his ‘reading’ seemed to fit the noir style of the story. I suggest anyone interested in the story listen to the sample to determine how they feel about the narration. I found it appropriate and not detracting from the story.

This Sci Fi Mystery is from my TBR shelf; added in 9/2012. This qualifies for my Mount TBR and Audio Challenges.

I realized as I was listening to this that something was familiar. I listened to book 2 in the Steele Chronicles series in 2012.
Steel Whispers by Hayden Trenholm

Audio Book Review: Steel Whispers by Hayden Trenholm

I found this to be suspenseful with social issues and an underlying force that is grievous.

Steel Whispers
by Hayden Trenholm
Narrator:     Mark F. Smith
Publisher:     Bundoran Press
Proof-listener:     Elizabeth Medeiros
Length:     11:26:55
File Size:     ~ 656 MB
Genre: Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Description:
Steel Whispers is Book 2 of the Steele Chronicles.

Four dead Borg and counting. Serial killer, gang violence or civil war? While the Special Detection Unit hunts for answers, a terrified family searchs for their Disappeared daughter, and war between society's elites takes an even nastier turn. Borg and genetic technology is evolving exponentially and Frank Steele finds himself up against unfathomable enemies.

Franks needs to find the key that ties it all together. He's sworn to protect every citizen. It's his duty as a cop. But now it's gotten personal and Frank has to face the ultimate test - investigating the death of his own son.

Review:
This suspense mystery is set in Calgary in 2044 as society struggles from nuclear war and bio-technical changes. Advanced technology has resulted in a new ‘race’ known as “Borg.” Borg are those who have taken on artificial enchantments to the body - eyes, arms and other parts.  Some see this as appropriate and legitimate, like other life extending measures.  But others see these modifications as an abomination of natural creation.

Now there appears to be a serial killer targeting Borgs. Some might cheer this but police  Superintendent Frank Steele views it as a crime to be solved, no matter who the victims are or who the killer is. Even when the crime hits close to home as his own son is the latest victim.

The special task force discusses the possible perpetrators. It could be Borg on Borg violence, which is unexpected since the Borg tend to work harmoniously as connected units. Perhaps it is the ‘Clean Boys’, a purist supremacist group associated with The New United Party who are known for attacking Borgs.

Frank Steele is a hardened cop. He accidentally killed his own partner then lost himself in the bottle. By the time he pulled out of the dive he had lost his family and now the only life he knows is as a cop.  Frank looks to one of his good friends for help in the Borg murders.  Buzz Wannamaker was the city’s first Borg Detective and although he has retired from the force he is still active in a private detective agency.

Frank, Buzz and other associates meet with unusual leaders who could be involved or have information that will help the investigations. While they investigate the Borg killings part of the team investigates sabotage of water sources by possible Russian enemies. There are unclear alliances in the office as different officers report to Frank’s boss or share information with each other but not with Frank.

The story was a little difficult to follow as there were so many characters and it wasn’t always clear whose side they were on. But this became acceptable as it created twisted lines in the investigations that underscored the hidden problem.  There are larger forces at play in a political game that may result in a stalemated battle with criminals going free for political reasons.

Frank Steele’s stoic personality grew on me and I really liked Buzz’s Borg character. I enjoyed the racial complexities involved with the Borg society and of course the Borg characters with enhanced abilities made for intense, if brutal, action.

The story is told by Frank in first person. When I first started listening I felt that the narration was dry and unemotional. It took several chapters to get into the flow of the story at which point I determined that the dryness may have been fully intentional to convey the unemotional nature of Steele’s personality. The story, and characters, are complex and resulted in a very suspenseful story.  If you like complex mysteries with intense action you should try this audio. I will definitely be getting the first book to read or listen to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Opening lines:

I deal with death everyday. That’s my job. I’ve learned not to let it touch me. You can’t function as a cop if you do.

Wry humor - an associate addresses Frank Steele:

“Let’s be Frank.”

A statement I really liked:

But words are like bullets.  Once fired, they can’t be put back in the gun.

Thank you to Iambik for providing the audioBook download through Audiobook Jukebox

I will add this to my New Author, ARC and Audio Challenge lists.