If Angels Fall
By: Rick Mofina
Narrated by: Christian Rummel
Series: Tom Reed and Walt Sydowski, Book 1
Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
Release date: 12-22-15
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Crime Fiction, Suspense
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.
Publisher's Summary
Tom Reed is a crime reporter with The San Francisco Star whose superb journalistic skills earned him a Pulitzer nomination. But years later Reed's life is coming apart. His editor wants him fired. His wife has left him to wrestle with his demons. Alone, Reed is tormented by the fear he may have caused the suicide of an innocent man suspected of murdering a two-year-old girl.
Reed's friend on the case is legendary San Francisco homicide inspector Walt Sydowski, who has one of California's highest clearance rates. He is also a lonely widower haunted by the fact he cannot solve the girl's heartbreaking death. Both men grapple with the past while they race the clock to learn the truth behind several new abductions that have anguished the Bay Area in this acclaimed thriller set in the late 1990s.
©2000, 2013 Rick Mofina (P)2015 Audible, Inc.
Review:
Tom Reed’s was once a star crime reporter. But a year or so ago his aggressive approach resulted in a potential child killer committing suicide. This event tumbled his career and sent him to the bottle causing the further deterioration of his marriage and his work. Now Tom is trying to report on a new round of child kidnappings.
Meanwhile the head detective on the case is homicide inspector Walt Sydowski who struggles with the fact that he wasn’t able to save the child a year before. The current case isn’t a homicide yet but the authorities recognize he may have some additional insight from his previous investigations. Sydowski and Reed were friends before Reed crossed the line. Now they are a bit standoffish. When Reed has additional information and suspicions, he is reluctant to take them to Sydowski.
The reader/listener is also offered a few of the gritty villain. There is a good progression from his traumatic event, through his continued pain, to his twisted plan. It is creepy and had me routing for Sydowski and Reed.
After a slower start, the story proceeds with good pacing and building tension. I enjoyed the police procedures and the twist in events that brings the story rushing to a suspenseful conclusion. I will be glad to read more by Mr. Mofina and I recommend this to fans of intense crime thrillers.
Audio Notes: Christian Rummel is the voice of another series that I love (D.J. Molles sci fi). I had a few moments of surprise hearing his voice in a different genre. Then I was pleased to hear his distinct voices for the characters and the spot-on emotional input for the story.
Source: July 2023 started as Audible Plus (finished at $1.99). This qualifies for 2023Audiobook goal.
