Two Audible Book Reviews for #Fraterfest: Material Witness: A Joe Ledger Bonus Story and Deep, Dark: An Exclusive Short Story by Jonathan Maberry

I enjoyed the military and supernatural elements in this short story.
#Fraterfest #1.
Material Witness: A Joe Ledger Bonus Story
By: Jonathan Maberry
Narrated by: Ray Porter

Series: Joe Ledger, Book 1.2
Length: 1 hr and 16 mins
Release date: 07-14-11
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Military, Paranormal, Suspense
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's summary
Here is another highly entertaining short story featuring Jonathan Maberry’s compelling hero, Joe Ledger.
This short thriller takes Joe Ledger into the mysterious, troubled town of Pine Deep, Pennsylvania, the setting for Maberry’s chilling Pine Deep Trilogy. In Pine Deep, nothing is what it seems.
©2011 Jonathan Maberry (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Joe and his team are trying to retrieve a material witness who is believed to have created the evil bioweapon that the US government is trying to keep under control. Joe meets the unusual, Native American Chief of Police and his deputy who offer to assist, but Joe rejects their help saying he and his team will handle it. When they get to the house where the witness is supposed to be, they realize they have walked into a trap with more than one enemy on the way in. Maybe they should have accepted help.

I enjoyed the action, the mystical elements, and the character interactions. I want to listen to more of this series. I recommend this to fans of the paranormal, military action genre.

Audio Notes: Ray Porter makes it easy to listen to this series. He does a superb job of narration as always.

Source: December 2021 Free from Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

This next Joe Ledger ‘adventure’ deals with genetic mutations and is another strong short story.
#Fraterfest #2.

Deep, Dark: An Exclusive Short Story
By: Jonathan Maberry
Narrated by: Ray Porter

Series: Joe Ledger, Book 1.3
Length: 50 mins
Release date: 07-14-11
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Military, Paranormal, Suspense
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's summary
This chilling short story is the prequel to The Dragon Factory, the second installment in Maberry’s action-packed Joe Ledger novels.
Before Baltimore cop Joe Ledger goes up against two competing groups of geneticists looking to continue the master-race program in The Dragon Factory, he must battle another foe using human test subjects for his sinister plans.
©2009 Jonathan Maberry (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
This story finds Joe and team entering a secret bunker facility which is supposed to be a secure testing lab. What they discover there is gruesome karma as the mutations the doctors have created turn on the staff. Do the mutants still have enough sentience to distinguish foe from friend? Can Joe and friends escape the carnage before an automatic shut down sets off a destruction code?

[Audio Notes: same as above.]

Source: December 2021 Free from Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: The Summer House by James Patterson, Brendan DuBois

I was totally drawn in by this crime/police procedural!

The Summer House
By: James Patterson, Brendan DuBois
Narrated by: Ari Fliakos

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins
Release date: 06-08-20
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Genre: Crime Thriller, Military, Police Procedural, Suspense
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.75; Narration 5.0.

Publisher's summary
When seven murder victims are found in a small town, the homicide investigation shakes a small-town sheriff to her core in James Patterson's tense thriller.
Once a luxurious Southern getaway on a rustic lake, then reduced to a dilapidated crash pad, the Summer House is now the grisly scene of a nighttime mass murder. Eyewitnesses point to four Army Rangers - known as the Night Ninjas - recently returned from Afghanistan.
To ensure that justice is done, the Army sends Major Jeremiah Cook, a veteran and former NYPD cop, to investigate. But the major and his elite team arrive in sweltering Georgia with no idea their grim jobs will be made exponentially more challenging by local law enforcement, who resists the Army's intrusion and stonewall them at every turn.
As Cook and his squad struggle to uncover the truth behind the condemning evidence, the pieces just won't fit - and forces are rallying to make certain damning secrets die alongside the victims in the murder house. With his own people in the cross-hairs, Cook takes a desperate gamble to find answers - even if it means returning to a hell of his own worst nightmares....
©2020 James Patterson and Brendan DuBois (P)2020 Hachette Audio

Review:
A horrendous mass murder occurred in a rundown country house known as the Summer House located in a small town in Georgia. Witnesses direct the local sheriff, Emma Williams, to four Army Rangers who are an elite team known as the Night Ninjas. As soon as Army members are identified, a unique military investigative team is called in to insure justice – to the men and to the community – wherever the facts lead.

Major Jeremiah Cook, a wounded veteran and former NYPD cop, is assigned with his five diverse teammates including a JAG lawyer, an Asian psychologist, a female CID officer, and a Hispanic investigator. Although the facts seem to be packaged and handed to them, the team is quick to see inconsistencies and misdirection. They learn that the four accused were recently returned from Afghanistan after being accused of a similar crime. As the investigation digs deeper and witnesses and evidence begin to disappear, Cook determines he needs to check into the Afghanistan event. He sets off to the place he said he would never return to.

I was immediately drawn to the story and quickly came to like the well-developed investigative team. I was horrified by the corruption that fills the story and the bigotry was obvious too. I feel bad the southerners were stereotyped with these elements, but it fit the story. The story is steady suspense with a few very tense moments.

I do like the direct tone and shorter chapters used by Patterson. I also liked the POV mix with part told from Cook’s first person and the other told third person. The full package makes this a very worthwhile read/listen and reminds me why I used to regularly read Patterson. I plan to get more. I recommend this to fans of good police procedure and crime fiction.

Audio Notes: Ari Fliakos does a wonderful job with the narration. He provides distinct voices and spot on energy. I thought the audio performance enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 12/21/2020 Audible Daily Deal $3.95. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook and my Season goals.

Audible Book Review: If Angesl Fall by Rick Mofina

This crime thriller has good twists.
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.

Audio Book Review: The Fourth Monkey by J.D. Barker

This is an engaging but dark and gritty thriller.
The Fourth Monkey
Written By: J.D. Barker
Narrated By: Edoardo Ballerini and Graham Winton

Duration: 12 hours 30 minutes
Release Date: June 2017
Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller & Horror
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Summary
Se7en meets The Silence of the Lambs in this dark and twisting novel from the author Jeffery Deaver called, 'A talented writer with a delightfully devious mind.' For over five years, the Four Monkey Killer has terrorized the residents of Chicago. When his body is found, the police quickly realize he was on his way to deliver one final message, one which proves he has taken another victim who may still be alive. As the lead investigator on the 4MK task force, Detective Sam Porter knows even in death, the killer is far from finished. When he discovers a personal diary in the jacket pocket of the body, Porter finds himself caught up in the mind of a psychopath, unraveling a twisted history in hopes of finding one last girl, all while struggling with personal demons of his own. With only a handful of clues, the elusive killer's identity remains a mystery. Time is running out and the Four Monkey Killer taunts from beyond the grave in this masterfully written fast-paced thriller.

Review:
Detective Porter has been pursuing the Four Monkey Killer for years. The killer was named after he established a pattern by kidnapping women then taunting the loved ones and authorities with boxed packages of cut off ears, then eyes, then tongues. And each time there is corruption revealed for the wealthy parent of the victim. Porter is frustrated that they have not been able to get to the victims in time to save any of them.

Porter and his team are shocked when they are called to the scene of an apparent suicide because a Four Monkey Killer (4MK) package is found at the scene. Porter also discovers a personal diary providing the history of the psychopathic killer. Porter and team are in a race against time to follow the leads to locate the latest victim. They soon realize that 4MK has left a line of clues as each item found at the death scene leads to another step. As they continue, a major twist occurs in the investigation setting Porter back and intensifying his search. Meanwhile, he is busy reading the horrific childhood experiences, and macabre attitude of the killer, hoping he might find more clues there.

The language is gritty, but the intensity and twists make up for that drawback. As the story proceeds, I had to admire the author’s use of clues and the twists to keep the readers on their toes…and on the edge of their seats. I also liked how the diary readings added so much to the killer’s character. It was unfortunate that some of the police officers are made to look rather lame and petty. I am inclined to think I will continue this series or try another mysteries by J.D. Barker. I recommend this to readers

Audio Notes: Edoardo Ballerini and Graham Winton do a great job of presenting the primary characters. They gave life to both men (and the killer's child self) which added to the story. The narration added to the story for me.

Source: 2/8/2020 Two for One Credit at Audiobooks.com. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Oracle by Andrew Pyper

This is a little raw and perfect for fans of dark thrillers.

Oracle
By: Andrew Pyper
Narrated by: Joshua Jackson

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
Release date: 08-17-21
Publisher: Audible Originals
Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Oracle is a psychological thriller audiobook following Nate Russo, an FBI psychic who helps solve abductions and homicides by touching those close to the missing persons. His unique gift comes with a terrible price: He sees the horrific moments before the victims disappeared. This high-stakes mystery, written by best-selling author Andrew Pyper and performed by Joshua Jackson, combines crime investigations with supernatural elements and killer instincts.
©2021 Andrew Pyper Enterprises, Inc. (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC

Review:
Nate Russo consults with the FBI in a very special way. He is able to touch a loved one of a missing person and see the terror and fear of the victims as they are taken. He and the two agents he works with try to respond quickly in hopes of finding victims before they are dead. It is a source of anger and frustration that they find the bodies but too late. The cost of reading the loved ones and then failing to bring back a survivor comes at a great cost to Nate.

How Nate got this “gift” or curse is a big part of his past. This becomes an element in his struggles as the latest victim draws the team back to his boyhood town. Tensions increase as Nate finds his brother has returned home too and authorities in the town scorn Nate’s skills.

Nate’s background and feelings are well developed as he is the pivotal character in the story. His partners are not as deeply developed but still have distinct features that add to the team. Nate’s skill of seeing the victims last minutes draws the reader in a macabre fascination.

I generally like to read horror and dark stories in October. I pulled this into my reading/listening queue because it showed it would no longer be available after May 14. There is a sequel and I may add it someday for an October read. I recommend this to fans of dark, psychological thrillers.

Audio Notes: Joshua Jackson does an interesting and good job with narration. He delivers the rather creepy vibe quite well. I am glad I had the chance to listen to this.

Source: 8/2/2021 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2023TBR and 2023Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: The Instructor by T.R. Hendricks

I enjoyed the military survival training in this suspenseful story.
The Instructor
By T.R. Hendricks
Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Series: Derek Harrington, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
Release date: 04-11-23
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Military, Suspense, Thriller
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Derek Harrington, retired Marine Force Recon and SERE instructor, is barely scraping by teaching the basics of wilderness survival. His fledgling bushcraft school is on the cusp of going out of business and expenses are piling up fast. His only true mission these days? To get his ailing father into a full care facility and to support his ex-wife and their son.
When one of his students presents him with an opportunity too good to be true―$20,000 to instruct a private group for 30 days in upstate New York―Derek reluctantly takes the job, despite his reservations about the group's insistence on anonymity. But it isn't long before the training takes an unexpected turn―and a new offer is made.
Reaching out to an FBI contact to sound his concerns, Derek soon finds himself in deep cover, deep in the woods, embroiled with a fringe group led by a charismatic leader who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. When what he wants becomes Derek's head, the teacher is pitted against his students as Derek races against time to stop what could very well be the first attack by the domestic terrorist cell.

Review:
Derek is a retired expert teaching the basics of serious wilderness survival. At the end of the most recent class, one man offers him a significant fee to come train his team. Derek goes reluctantly because he has to leave behind his ailing father and his son who expects him to attend his games. Derek has some concerns about the training when he is delivered blind folded to a compound that raises lots of questions. Especially when he is offered another significant sum for extended training.

On a very brief break from the compound training, Derek reaches out to a friend in the FBI. His friend agrees convinces Derek to go back undercover to gain more information. Derek has to do the training and increase the skills of the compound team over the weeks, or it would be suspicious, even though Derek fears that he may be training terrorists. He finds another undercover agent and they try to plan an exit before they are exposed. But things aren’t quite as they seem, and Derek really hasn’t managed to shelter those he should be protecting.

The story has a good bit of Rambo action. It is filled with wilderness training that I did find interesting. The full-on action and suspense are a great element. Unfortunately, there were some obvious flaws as Derek fails to take some protective steps and falls into some obvious traps. Overall, I did enjoy the action and I would try the next book. I recommend this to fans of military action.

Audio Notes: Jay Snyder does a good job with the narration. He provides distinct voices and emotional feelings to fit the text. I appreciate getting to listen to this audiobook.

Source: 2023 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2023NetGalley and 2023Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Werewolf Cop by Andrew Klavan

This is a dark story with a positive ending.

Werewolf Cop
By: Andrew Klavan
Narrated by: Andrew Klavan

Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
Release date: 03-24-15
Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC
Genre: Occult, Police Procedure, Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Zach Adams is one of the best detectives in the country. Nicknamed Cowboy, he serves on a federal task force that has a single mission: to hunt down Dominic Abend, a European gangster.
After a brutal murder gives them a lead, Zach feels like he's finally on Abend's trail. But things get complicated and very, very weird. Zach is beginning to suspect that Abend's evil goes beyond crime - perhaps to the edge of the supernatural.
In a centuries-old forest under a full moon, a beast assaults him, cursing him forever. In the aftermath Zach is transformed into something horrible - something deadly. Now the good cop has innocent blood on his hands. He has killed - and he will kill again - in the form of a beast that can't be controlled or stopped.
©2015 Amalgamated Metaphor (P)2015 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Review:
Zach Adams is on the hunt for a crime beast, Dominic Abend. A clue involving a strange ritualistic blade takes Zach to an obscure professor in Germany. The circumstances of their first meeting are strange, but their second meeting in a forest under a full moon leaves Zach with broken memories, flashes of violence, and an encounter he attributes to a nightmare until he recognizes the truth.

Zach met Abend once before leaving for Europe. Zach was almost overtaken by evil creatures in the dark, somehow controlled by Abend. When Zach returns to America, he begins to realize that Abend has occult powers. Abend has crossed Europe leaving devastation in his wake and now he is in America, not far from Zach’s territory.

While Zach is chasing the criminal, Abend seems to be one step ahead and there is the suspicion of a mole in Zach’s police office, and Zach is left at odds with his partner. Zach may have the only chance to take Abend down, but he may lose his family, if not his very life, in the process.

I like werewolf stories, so I was interested in this. Zach’s character is well developed so the reader feels his pain when he becomes the beast. I was definitely rooting for him to kill the horribly evil villain and resolve his personal issues. I liked the redemptive conclusion. The story read fairly quickly and would make a good October/Horror read if a reader likes to read dark stories near Halloween. I recommend the book to fans of occult and dark stories.

Audio Notes: Andrew Klavan, the author, did a good job with the narration. Not all author narrations are successful, but I thought this one worked really well. I am glad I listened to the audio.

Source: 10/31/2020 Audible Two for One Credit Sale. This qualifies for 2023TBR, 2023Audiobook,and 2023Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Crisis Shot: The Line of Duty, Book 1 by Janice Cantore

I enjoyed this Christian police procedure thriller and will want to get more in the series.
Crisis Shot: The Line of Duty, Book 1
By: Janice Cantore
Narrated by: Alice Anne English

Series: The Line of Duty, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
Release date: 09-05-17
Publisher: Two Words Publishing, LLC
Genre: Clean & Wholesome, Police Procedural, Thriller & Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
Tess O'Rourke dreams of becoming the first female chief of police in Long Beach, California. As commander of the East Division, she is well on her way...until the night she responds to an officer-needs-assistance call and fatally shoots an unarmed teenager. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury, Tess is so hounded by the public that she takes a job in Oregon to escape the bad press.
Winning over the residents of Rogue's Hollow might be more difficult than adjusting to her new role as police chief in the small backwater town - especially when her closest friend, the pastor's wife, goes missing and the woman's cousin is found shot. Tess finds an ally in sheriff's deputy Steve Logan, but as they track down Rogue's Hollow's first murderer, she worries that she's breaking one of her rules and getting too close to him.
©2017 Janice Cantore (P)2017 Two Words Publishing LLC

Review:
Tess O’Rourke became a police officer like her father. She was working hard to become the first female chief of police in Long Beach, California. One night she responds to the call of another officer and finds four teens beating the officer with a baseball bat. Three of the boys flee but one stays and ignores her demands to step away. When he reaches for the fallen officer’s gun, Tess fatally shoots him. A local radio journalist starts a campaign against her, ruining her local career even though she is ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.

Tess sends out many resumes but only gets one likely interview. She is hired as the new Chief of Police in a small Oregon community with mixed reactions by the hiring team and the residents. When her new friend in town, the pastor’s wife, goes missing, and the woman’s cousin is found shot, Tess finds herself under great scrutiny as she conducts her investigation. She is glad to have an ally and friend in sheriff’s deputy Steve Logan, even as she tries to resist their growing attraction.

There were several good twists in this story, and it moved along quickly. There is a good bit of Christian faith sharing which might not suit all readers, but I found uplifting. I plan to seek more titles in this series. I recommend it to readers who would enjoy a Christian Police Procedural thriller.

Audio Notes: Alice Anne English does a good job with the narration. She provides distinct voices and accents for the female and male characters. She also presents the story with fitting emotion. I enjoyed the audio experience.

Source: 1/2021 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Book Review: Chinook (Miranda Chase NTSB #6) by M.L. Buchman

I really like the unique characters and situations in this story.
Chinook (Miranda Chase NTSB #6)
by M.L. Buchman

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08QSPWHL2
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Buchman Bookworks, Inc. (March 23, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 23, 2021
File size ‏ : ‎ 1500 KB
Genre: Political Fiction, Suspense, Technothriller
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

When the fastest and most powerful helicopters in the US Army’s fleet start falling out of the sky, Miranda Chase and her team of NTSB crash investigators are called in.
One crash leads to another and they are fast entangled in a Chinese conspiracy to start a war. Only Miranda’s team can stop the trade war from becoming a real one.

Review:
Miranda Chase is a genius with autism. She navigates life in a unique and detailed fashion. Each member of her team – Mike, Holly, Andi, Jon and Jeremy – has their own unique foibles and skills which allow them all to work together, protecting each other and successfully completing each mission or job. Jeremy had recently had a quick and traumatic romance, watching his one-night love interest crash to her death.

Taz (aka Vicki) was sure she would be sent to military prison, so she faked her death. She has been working extreme jobs, now firefighting, and learning to live on her own for the first time in her life. She is alarmed when Jeremy appears in her world to investigate a Chinook helicopter crash near the latest wildfire. Instead of getting turned in, Taz is surprised that Jeremy and the team allow her to come along with their fast-paced investigation.

While Jeremy and Taz try to figure out where their ‘relationship’ might go, a Chinese leader is manipulating events in the background. This results in another Chinook helicopter crash right in front of the team.

This is the first book I have read in the series which means I was not familiar with the main characters. However, I was able to follow and enjoy the characters as I met them. There is a good mix of intrigue, emotional drama, and action that kept me interested. I have enjoyed other books by this author who does a good job delivering romance as well as suspense. I recommend the author and this series for clear intrigue and action.

Source: March 2021 from Author (through BookFunnel). This qualifies for my 2022TBR and 2022eBook goals.

Audible Book Review: Let Her Be by Lisa Unger

This is a dark, rather depressing, but ultimately intriguing listen.
Let Her Be: Hush Collection
By: Lisa Unger
Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla

Series: Hush Collection
Length: 2 hrs and 15 mins
Release date: 07-30-20
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Genre: Domestic Thriller, Psychological, Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
A writer’s misguided suspicions ruined his life once before. This time he plans to prove he’s right in a New York Times bestselling author’s haunting short story of what happens when seeing is not believing.
Will, an aspiring novelist, can’t stop parsing his ex-girlfriend’s popular social media accounts for clues that her ideal new rural life with the perfect man has a dark side. After all, nobody he knows has actually seen the blissful blogger in the flesh for nearly a year. When Will draws a wary friend into his “investigation,” the real question becomes who’s truly in danger.
Lisa Unger’s Let Her Be is part of Hush, a collection of six stories, ranging from political mysteries to psychological thrillers, in which deception can be a matter of life and death. Each piece can be read or listened to in one truly chilling sitting.
©2020 Lisa Unger. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Review:
The story opens with Will describing his depression and attempted suicide. He was upset by the apparent rejection and abandonment by his ex-girlfriend. Her social media posts would make it seem she is enjoying a simpler lifestyle in seclusion with her new boyfriend. Will is obsessed with her and begins to think that the blog posts are faked. One of his ex’s best friends is trying to help Will work past his obsession and depression. She begins to believe there may be something in his suspicions and she travels with Will to investigate a location they think has appeared in the posts.

The best friend has long had a crush on Will. But her interest in him may put her in danger she doesn’t suspect as the web of deception gets more clouded.

I was a little bit uncomfortable with the negative emotions…but perhaps that is the author’s intent and a sign of successful story telling. I did appreciate the twist revealed in the end. To that point, I recommend this quick listen to fans of dark, phycological stories.

Audio Notes: Chris Andrew Ciulla seemed to provide spot on narration. The tone fit the dark nature of the primary character and the female voices worked as well. I enjoyed the audio presentation.

Source: August 2020 Audible Plus. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

Audible Book Review: Zero Tolerance by Jonathan Maberry

A quick listen and more ‘worse than a zombie’ action in this gritty series.

Zero Tolerance
By: Jonathan Maberry
Narrated by: Ray Porter

Series: Joe Ledger, Book 1.1
Length: 44 mins
Release date: 07-14-11
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Horror, Suspense, Zombie
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
This sequel to Patient Zero brings Joe Ledger back into action.
Zero Tolerance picks up a few weeks after the close of Maberry’s action-thriller Patient Zero. Dropping back into the world of former Baltimore cop Joe Ledger, the Department of Military Sciences, and flesh-eating zombies, fans of the series will finally see the tying up of a few loose ends.
©2010 Jonathan Maberry (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Joe Ledger and his team have to stay ready to fight the new monsters that have been unleashed – flesh-eating and aware zombies. Intelligence has determined that the first encounter and capture was only one of a pair of monsters created to take infect and destroy the ‘infidels’. A report comes in from a team in combat that they have found evidence of more monsters. Ledger and his team are flown onsite to investigate and, more importantly, eliminate the threat.

After finding a buried science lab one of his teams goes silent and Ledge suspects they have found what they are looking for. He leads his remaining team into the trouble and they find more than they quiet expected, especially considering the involvement of military men.

This is another quick story full of action, swearing and violence. I wouldn’t want to listen to a steady stream of this, but it is the nature of the series. I happen to like military action and don’t mind the gory parts. I have to overlook the language as best I can. So far, I have read two novellas in the series and there are more that are free through Audible Plus. I have to decide if I want the first full book which is 14 hours. Different readers will either want to read more or find something that suits them better. I will continue with the novellas for now.

Audio Notes: Ray Porter is an excellent narrator and helps to carry the grit of the story. I am more than happy to enjoy Porter’s narration so that adds to my wanting to listen.

Source: December 2021 free on Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

#FraterfestRat Audible Book Review: Countdown: A Prequel Story to Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry   My Rating 4.25

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: The Chase by Candice Fox

This is a solid crime thriller.

The Chase
by Candice Fox
Narrator: David de Vries, Lisa Negron

12 hours and 38 minutes
Audible.com Release Date March 08, 2022
Publisher Macmillan Audio
Genre: Crime Thriller, Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

The Chase is a modern The Fugitive with characters only number-one New York Times and Globe and Mail best-selling author Candice Fox can write.
“Are you listening, Warden?”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to let them out.”
“Which inmates are we talking about?”
“All of them.”
When 650 of the world’s most violent human beings pour out of the Pronghorn Correctional Facility into the Nevada Desert, the biggest manhunt in US history begins.
For John Kradle, this is his chance to prove his innocence, 26 years after the murder of his wife and child. He just needs to stay one step ahead of the law enforcement officers he knows will be chasing down the escapees.
Death Row Supervisor turned fugitive-hunter Celine Osbourne is single-minded in her mission to catch Kradle. She has very personal reasons for hating him - and she knows exactly where he’s heading....
A Macmillan Audio production from Forge Books

Review:
A threat to civilians has the warden of the Pronghorn Correctional Facility facing a terrible decision. Before she can take action, the facility staff move on their own to open up the cell blocks and release every prisoner into the Nevada Desert.

John Kradle, released from death row, sees this as his last chance to prove that he did not murder his wife and child 26 years ago. He has had plenty of time to plan what he would do if he had the chance to escape. He sets out in a different direction from most of the prisoners. Unfortunately, another brutish prisoner decides to tag along with John, nearly killing him before the man realizes that he needs John’s plan for a chance to escape recapture.

Celine Osbourne is a Death Row Supervisor who prides herself on knowing the crimes and natures of her row of inmates. She has developed a hate-on-hate relationship with many of them over the years. Her past personal trauma has caused her to have truly negative attitude towards Kradle. Celine joins the fiercely determined US Marshall, Trinity, in the chase for the worst of the criminals. Trinity is focused on those she believes could have planned the breakout – most likely the terrorists or the mass murderers. But Celine is focused on getting Kradle and she is sure she knows where he is heading.

Celine finds herself teaming up with a former inmate, Keeps, who was released the day of the breakout. Keeps has the ability to think like a criminal and provide a distinct perspective that helps track the inmates that Trinity and Celine are focusing on. He acknowledges his skills come from his past as a conman, but Celine thinks perhaps she can trust him.

I found the primary characters interesting and was intrigued by the different thought processes that come from the law officer versus the criminal mind perspectives. There is action and violence that is ugly but to be expected from violent prisoners. I did like the several twists that make the story move along well. The story set out with action and continued through to the end. I would like to read more by this author, and I recommend this to those who like a good crime thriller.

Audio Notes: David de Vries and Lisa Negron do a good job narrating the male and female voices. They provide fitting accents and inflection for the several characters. I really enjoyed the audio performance.

Source: Received 11/17/2021 Audiobook through NetGalley. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022NetGalley, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

#FraterfestRat Audible Book Review: Countdown: A Prequel Story to Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

I liked this Prequel and the Joe Ledger character.

Countdown: A Prequel Story to Patient Zero
By: Jonathan Maberry
Narrated by: Ray Porter

Series: Joe Ledger, Book 0.5
Length 19m
Release date: 07-14-11
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Genre: Horror, Suspense, Zombie
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.5.

Publisher's Summary
“I didn’t plan to kill anyone. I wasn’t totally against the idea, either. Sometimes things just fall that way, and either you roll with it or it rolls over you. Letting the bad guys win isn’t how I roll.”
Meet Joe Ledger, Baltimore PD, attached to a Homeland task force … who’s about to get a serious promotion.
©2008 Jonathan Maberry (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Review:
Joe Ledger is a hardcore Baltimore detective who has a reputation for taking bad guys down with his steely nerves and skilled shooting. His is pulled into a task force that steps into a situation to shut down a terrorist operation and stop the release of a unknown deadly bioweapon. While Joe and a close friend on the team are dodging bullets, Joe notices a locked box which turns out to have a man in it. During the melee the man gets loose and stumbles out. The drugged looking man isn’t armed so initially Joe ignores him. But after bouncing off a kick, the man lunges at one of Joe’s teammates like a snarling dog. When the biting man gets in the way of eliminating shooters, Joe takes him out of the way.

Joe’s actions, taking out a multitude of hostiles, catches the attention of Mr. Church, the commander of a black-ops organization, the Department of Military Sciences (DMS). Will Joe be recruited by the DMS?

I have been eyeing this zombie series for a while even though (or maybe because) the first book, Patient Zero, has a rather gruesome-looking cover. I like the ‘super-hero’ nature of Joe’s character, including what appears to be a snarky attitude. I am glad to have had the opportunity to listen to this quick book and will likely try the series. There is limited zombie action in this short audio, but I do recommend this introduction to fans of the zombie genre.

Audio Notes: Ray Porter is a wonderful narrator, and his performance enhances the story for me. He portrays the hardcore nature of the prime character and also delivers the fast paced action. I always enjoy listening to Porter’s deliverance.

Source: September 2020 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2021TBR, 2021Audiobook, and #FraterfestRat goals.

Audible Book Review: The Bone Farm: A Jane Hawk Case File by Dean Koontz

This is a pretty gritty, good thriller.

The Bone Farm: A Jane Hawk Case File
By: Dean Koontz
Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers, James Anderson Foster

Series: Jane Hawk, Book 0.5
Length: 2 hrs and 1 min
Release date: 04-25-18
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Suspense, Thriller
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Content 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
An audio original novella featuring bestselling author Dean Koontz’s compelling new heroine, Jane Hawk. From the case files of the former FBI agent before she became the nation’s most wanted fugitive - The Bone Farm details a desperate man-hunt for a serial killer before he murders again.
Katherine Haskell, a young college co-ed is on her way back to school, but she never makes it there. Instead, she becomes the latest prey of the rapist and murderer dubbed by the tabloids the “Mother Hater.” He is a twisted soul who kidnaps young girls for pleasure then discards them.
Katherine is missing, but she’s not yet dead. FBI agents Jane Hawk and her partner Gary Burkett must descend into the hell of this killer’s mind to solve the case before it is too late. The question is - will they both get out alive?
©2018 Dean Koontz (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Review:
Jane Hawk is an FBI agent hunting down a serial killer who preys on young women. The man is known as the “Mother Hater” and Jane and her partner, Gary, are closing in. But they will find a surprise when they face the true killer.

This is a quick story that introduces Jane as a skilled agent who uses her acumen to avoid being trapped and is able to use her weapon if needed. There are chapters from the view of the killer, so the reader has gritty information that Jane and her partner don’t. How the FBI, particularly Jane, handle the interview and resulting actions is engaging. It has been years since I have read Koontz. This reminds me that he delivers a gripping story but often with dark, gritty elements.

I've been eyeing books in this series, so I am glad to listen to a prequel to get a better feel for the protagonist. I note the blurb refers to Jane as a “former” FBI agent who became the nation’s most wanted fugitive. That is intriguing and makes me want to read more in the series. I recommend this short thriller to fans of Koontz and fans of dark suspense.

Audio Notes: Elisabeth Rodgers and James Anderson Foster do a fine job with the narration. They captured the foibles of the characters and made the story more enjoyable for me.

Source: August 2021 Audible Plus. This qualifies for 2021Audiobook goal.

Book Review: The Alchemy Thief by R.A. Denny

This is an engaging time travel that leads to a second story.

The Alchemy Thief
by R.A. Denny

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B094BXYC7G
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 16, 2021
File size ‏ : ‎ 3662 KB
Genre: 17th Century History, Morocco History, Suspense, Time Travel
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

When the secrets of the past threaten to destroy the future.
A tale of hope, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of a woman, this sweeping epic spans the Atlantic from New England to Morocco during the Age of Exploration.
2019: A young woman finds a relic engraved with a mysterious symbol off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. Terrorists in Morocco steal a 17th-century book engraved with the same symbol. As the woman struggles to unravel the secrets behind the symbol, her life changes in ways she could never have imagined.
1657: Transported back in time, she meets the alchemist, John Winthrop, Jr. who is plotting to lure the greatest scientific minds to the New World. But the more she learns, the more she fears for the lives of the loved ones she left behind.
In a stunning twist of fate, a modern terrorist has traveled into the past, where he has become a Barbary Corsair. He has plans of his own. And he will stop at nothing to succeed.

Review:
Experience “Peri” is a young college student from Massachusetts who snuck away with a friend to visit Morocco. She and her friend met a young boy who guided them into a museum where she saw an old 17th-century manuscript before a true guard threw them out. After returning home she is befriended by a handsome young man who seems interested in the bodkin she wears in her hair. She found the antique piece, with its unique symbol, off the beach one day.

In Morocco the book is stolen by a young Arab boy, Ayoub, and his mother, both of whom are willing to sacrifice in order to take out the infidels. Ayoub escapes and discovers a strange needle inside the cover of the book which he pockets before delivering the book as instructed. The men he delivers the book to toss him into the water and suddenly Ayoub is caught up in a ball of light. When he awakes he is a long way from home. He becomes a cabin boy on a pirate ship which isn’t much different from the streets where he grew up accustomed to being surrounded by brutality and killing. Ayoub has knowledge of technology in the future but that may not help him survive in 1647.

Meanwhile, Peri, has found a job as a Puritan guide for a facility at Plymouth Bay. One morning a strange storm blows up and Peri is caught into a ball of light. She drops into the water and is rescued by men in period clothing. As shocking as it is, she finds herself rescued by an American Indian and delivered to a Puritan community in 1657.

Peri enjoys her friendships with the young Puritan women, including one who is her great, great something grandmother. She also makes friends with two young men from the local Wampanoag tribe who have converted to Christians. Peri is able to discuss books and science with one of these men, her rescuer, Daniel. Peri learns that she might find a way home through the alchemist work of John Winthrop, Jr. and is thrilled to go with Daniel when he is offered the opportunity to study with Winthrop.

As the plot develops, the connections between the two time “travelers” becomes clearer. The past and current day connections begin to be clear also. But the question remains whether Peri can stop a terrorist attack either by returning to the future or changing events in the past.

Initially the story is a bit confusing, but it didn’t take too long before the threads began to weave together. The author has clearly done a wonderful job of researching the history of the time, the people and unique details. Denny does a great job of mixing facts with an interesting fiction that has elements of science, suspense, and a touch of romance. Although I found the story engaging and it has an ending, it is not concluded but moves into a sequel. I have mixed feelings about that. I do recommend this to readers who enjoy time travel elements, and 17th Century settings. Just be forewarned that the story continues.

Source: Author review request. This qualifies for 2021 Author Review goal.

Book Review: Low Tide (The Forgotten Coast Florida Suspense Series Book 1) by Dawn Lee McKenna

This is a real to life mystery with a strong female protagonist.
Low Tide (The Forgotten Coast Florida Suspense Series Book 1)
by Dawn Lee McKenna

ASIN : B00Z2BXCXE
Publisher : The Sweet Tea Press (June 5, 2015)
Publication date : June 5, 2015
Print length : 191 pages
Genre: Mystery, Small Town, Suspense, Thriller
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0.

In Apalachicola, Florida, sinister things are afoot, as sinister things tend to be.
Lt. Maggie Redmond is called to a crime scene on St. George Island, where she is met with the body of Gregory Boudreaux. The medical examiner calls it a suicide, but no one knows that Maggie has a horrible connection to the dead man.
When Gregory’s uncle, Bennett Boudreaux, the richest and scariest man in town, takes a sudden interest in Maggie, people start to wonder, Maggie included. Maggie knows he may suspect her of killing his nephew, but she finds herself slowly drawn to the man.
As Maggie fights to help a young girl escape the clutches of a volatile drug dealer who’d love to see Maggie dead, she also struggles to hide her dark link to a dead man, and her burgeoning relationship with her boss, Sheriff Wyatt Hamilton.
Unfortunately, secrets have a way of revealing themselves at low tide.

Review:
Maggie is a police Lieutenant called to the scene of a dead man on St. George Island. The dead man, who appears to have committed suicide, is Gregory Boudreaux, a local man related to a rich and powerful man in town. Maggie has known the deceased since school days, but no one knows the truth of their past association. One of the first people Maggie interviews is Gregory’s Uncle, Bennet Boudreaux. Bennet is a man in his sixties but still makes an impression, especially with his power and confidence in his ability to control the narrative around him.

Maggie runs into a small time criminal she has arrested in the past. This time she sees him with a wraith of a young girl who is holding an infant while shielding two toddlers. Maggie suspects the girl, Gracie, is being bullied and tells her to call on Maggie if there is trouble.

Meanwhile, Maggie has to juggle her personal life issues while doing her job. She is a single mother since divorcing her husband, due to his bad life choices. Maggie has found it hard to move on from her childhood sweetheart, but she is glad to often find support from her boss, town sheriff, Wyatt. Their relationship seems to be growing closer and they struggle to balance their attraction with their work situation.

Danger comes after Maggie when it appears someone wants her to not look to closely at Boudreaux’s death. She is also stirring up trouble from a different direction when Gracie turns informant and seeks her help.

The writing has a good, easy flow. The story is character driven with a nice mix of intrigue, suspense, danger and a touch of romance. The multiple real to life threads are interwoven with Maggie's involvement. The ending closes part of the threads but leaves one wide open for more police (and personal) adventure.

The setting is the Forgotten Coast of the Florida Panhandle, within a few hours of my hometown. The author shares wonderful local, small town color. I am reading this with others in my local Woman's Club, which is a great group of service intensive ladies. They plan to forge ahead with the next book in the series. I recommend this to fans of easy mystery set in a small beach town.

Source: Free Kindle 2017. This qualifies for 2021TBR and 2021eBook goals.

Audible Book Review: You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz

This is a gripping suspense thriller.
You're Next
By: Gregg Hurwitz
Narrator: Scott Brick

Duration: 14 hrs and 1 min
Release date: 07-05-11
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Crime thriller, Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Mike Wingate had a rough childhood  —  he was abandoned at a playground at four years old and raised in foster care. No one ever came to claim him, and he has only a few, fragmented memories of his parents. Now, as an adult, Mike is finally living the life he had always wanted  —  he’s happily married to Annabel, the woman of his dreams; they have a precocious eight-year-old daughter, Kat; and his construction company is about to finish a “green” housing development that will secure a solid future for them all. Then the unimaginable happens: Something from Mike’s own past, a past he doesn’t even remember, comes back to visit terror upon him and his family. Menacing characters show up and begin threatening Mike, and when he reports them, the police seem more interested in Mike’s murky past than in investigating or protecting his young family. Now, with Mike, his wife, and their daughter suddenly under attack from all sides, Mike must turn to Shep, a truly dangerous man  —  and Mike’s only true friend  —  from their childhood days together in foster care. Together, the two of them will do whatever it takes to protect Mike’s family against the hidden men behind the terrifying warning “You’re Next!”
©2011 Gregg Hurwitz (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Review:
Mike Wingate has had life-long issues from being abandoned by his father at age four and thinking terrible things happened to his mother. He struggled through foster care barely staying out of jail until his teen years when he helped a friend. He learned an important lesson and went on to shape his own future. Now Mike is a family man with a wife and eight-year-old daughter he feels blessed to have. He is a successful entrepreneur who just completed a ‘green’ subdivision. Except he discovered a problem days before he and the governor were to receive a reward before all the news sources. Shortly after his face appears on newspapers around the states, Mike becomes a target. He doesn’t know why, but he is fighting to save himself and his family. When the police authorities focus on him instead of his attacker, Mike calls the only man he can trust- his childhood friend, Shep.

Mike, Shep and his family are on the run from the sadistic killers who seem to have the upper hand. Mike must find a way to change from prey to hunter. He gets help from another friend, Hank, a PI who has been trying for years to locate Mike’s parents. It would help if they could figure out who or why the killers are so intent on taking out Mike…and his family.

The story starts a little slowly but soon gripped me so I was anxious to know that Mike would survive and save his wife and daughter. The author has chapters to reveal the sick brutality of the killers, but it isn’t made clear who hired them as it is just their boss/big man on the phone. I really like the author’s twist of plot that is revealed with the reason for the vendetta. Even then, the superior powers that be pose a huge risk to Mike and his family that keeps the reader/listener on edge until the end.

This is the second book (Orphan X) I have listened to by Hurwitz and it sure won’t be the last. He delivers a thrilling ride that holds my attention. I recommend this book and author to fans of mystery thrillers.

Audio Notes: Scott Brick has a distinct narration skill. I think his voice and energy work really well for this mystery thriller. He carries the characters, male, female, creepy killers and the beleaguered protagonist. The audio added to my engagement with the book and I will look to listen to more by this author and narrator.

Source: Audible 8/31/2017 sale $4.95. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook and 2020Alphabet ("X") goals.

Audible Book Review: The Tracker, Sam Callahan, Book 1, by Chad Zunker

This is good suspense.

The Tracker
Sam Callahan, Book 1
By: Chad Zunker
Narrated by: Noah Berman
Series: Sam Callahan, Book 1
Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
Release date: 02-14-17
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Genre: Political Thriller, Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Trust no one. Sam Callahan learned this lesson from a childhood spent in abusive foster care, on the streets, and locked in juvie. With the past behind him and his future staked on law school, he is moonlighting as a political tracker, paid to hide in crowds and shadow candidates, recording their missteps for use by their opponents. One night, after an anonymous text tip, Sam witnesses a congressional candidate and a mysterious blonde in a motel indiscretion that ends in murder, recording it all on his phone.
Now Sam is a target. Set up to take the fall and pursued by both assassins and the FBI, he is forced to go on the run. Using the street skills forged during his troubled youth - as well as his heightened mental abilities - Sam goes underground until he can uncover who is behind the conspiracy and how far up it goes. A taut thriller with an unforgettable young hero, The Tracker is a heart-stopping debut from an exciting new voice.
Revised edition: This edition of The Tracker includes editorial revisions.
©2017 Chad Zunker (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Review:
Sam Callahan was delivered to a hospital on a freezing night on his first birthday. He spent 15 troubled years in the foster care system suffering various degrees of abuse. He gets caught in a crime as a 15-year-old and spends some months in the juvenile system. Finally, he gets a helping hand which gets him back on the right track. At age 24, Sam is on his way to earning a law degree.

To earn money while in school, Sam works as a political “tracker”, a person who quietly follows a candidate to capture and report all actions. The information is fed each night to the tracker bosses who examine the material for negative kernels. Sam is winding down one night when he gets a text that tells him to go to a particular location at a specific time. Sam doesn’t know who sent the text but he shows up and witnesses his candidate subject with a woman who is not his wife. As he watches and records from the dark, a murder occurs. Sam races to hide in a hotel room contacting his superior to report the information.

When his boss finally arrives, he takes Sam’s phone and sends the video to a website other than the usual reporting site. Before they can determine what to do next the man is shot through the window. Sam is on the run using his hard-won street skills to barely stay ahead of the men trying to kill him. He can trust no one, not even the FBI when they begin to search for him after a third man is found dead!

This is a story that is tense and suspenseful from beginning to end. The author tells the story in first person, with background chapters, explaining Sam’s childhood and youth, in between the intense scenes. These show his struggles, his serious relationship and even his reactions upon finding his birth mother. I found this writing format to work well even though I was often ready to know the next steps that fugitive Sam would take. Fortunately, Sam has some friends to call upon who have skills to help. One is a whiz computer hacker and another is a respected legal professor. The most important person who Sam seeks to help him, is his former girl friend who is a brilliant and determined reporter.

I liked the intensity of the suspense but felt there were some gaps in reality. I couldn’t quite figure out how cash-strapped Sam kept coming up with funds along his journey. Also, it was a stretch that Sam went to certain locations and wasn’t caught there by the assassins or authorities. On the other hand, he had the help of a mysterious interloper and the whole story takes place in less than three days.

I liked Sam as a character trying to make a good life after an awful childhood. The mystery was different and interesting. I expect I will pick up the next two books. I recommend this to readers who enjoy a good murder thriller.

Audio Notes: Noah Berman does a good job with the narration. He gives the characters distinct voices and shares the story with strong energy. The narration help me stay immersed in the story and I recommend the audio version.

Source: 1/14/2018 Audible Daily Deal $1.95. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goals.

Audible Book Review: Open Season by C. J. Box

I enjoyed the mystery and the endangered species aspects of this story.
Open Season
By: C. J. Box
Narrator: David Chandler

Series: Joe Pickett, Book 1
Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
Release date: 02-14-11
Genre: Ecology, Mystery, Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0.

Publisher's Summary
Joe Pickett is the new game warden in Twelve Sleep, Wyoming, a town where nearly everyone hunts and the game warden—especially one like Joe who won't take bribes or look the other way—is far from popular. When he finds a local hunting outfitter dead, splayed out on the woodpile behind his state-owned home, he takes it personally. There had to be a reason that the outfitter, with whom he's had run-ins before, chose his backyard, his woodpile to die in. Even after the "outfitter murders," as they have been dubbed by the local press after the discovery of the two more bodies, are solved, Joe continues to investigate, uneasy with the easy explanation offered by the local police.
As Joe digs deeper into the murders, he soon discovers that the outfitter brought more than death to his backdoor: he brought Joe an endangered species, thought to be extinct, which is now living in his woodpile. But if word of the existence of this endangered species gets out, it will destroy any chance of InterWest, a multi-national natural gas company, building an oil pipeline that would bring the company billions of dollars across Wyoming, through the mountains and forests of Twelve Sleep. The closer Joe comes to the truth behind the outfitter murders, the endangered species and InterWest, the closer he comes to losing everything he holds dear.
©2001 C.J. Box (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Review:
Joe Pickett decided as a young boy that he wanted to be a game warden. It isn’t a glamorous or well paying job, but he gets to be outdoors, protecting the ecosystem. He is a new game warden struggling to make ends meet with his pregnant wife and two young daughters. Joe’s trying to do his job the right way without corruption or bribes.

Joe is surprised when his seven-year-old daughter tells him there is a man behind the woodpile. When Joe investigates, he discovers a dead local outfitter. A neighboring game warden, a local deputy and Joe go into the mountain to find the camp of the dead man’s friends. They discover more dead hunters and a survivor gets shot at the site. The local sheriff’s office is quick to declare the severely wounded survivor as the murderer and to close the case. Joe suspects there is a reason this hunter, with whom he had a prior run-in, chose his home to run to. He continues to push into the background, unknowingly stirring up trouble.

Joe doesn’t realize initially that the outfitter left something else in the woodpile as his daughter discovers the creatures and keeps them as secret pets. But someone else knows and is willing to lie, threaten and even kill to keep the secret. As Joe begins to suspect there is an endangered, maybe even thought extinct, species involved in the murders. Can Joe gather the facts he needs to show the truth before his career is ruined and his family suffers physical harm?

Joe is portrayed as a ‘regular Joe’ who sometimes feels inadequate. He plods along determined to uncover the truth. The story slowly, but steadily builds the suspense and danger to Joe and his family to the point where I was catching my breath. I enjoyed the scenes with Joe’s daughters and the critters. I appreciated the facts regarding the job of a game warden and the regulation details regarding endangered and extinct species. The author also explains the negative impact that the community will experience once an extinct species is disclosed. The dilemma between nature and man is an interesting element of the story. Meanwhile, the villains are disgusting and the corruption disturbing. There is foul language which is too bad. The writing is clearly written from a male viewpoint and it flows easily. I enjoyed the mystery and recommend this to crime suspense fans.

Source: August 23, 2017, Audible Daily Deal $2.95. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020Audiobook goals.

Audio Book Review: Identity Theft by Alana Terry

This is a quick listen with good suspense and nice faith elements.

Identity Theft:
An Alaskan Refuge Christian Suspense Novel
Written by Alana Terry
Narrated by Becky Doughty

Release Date: May 2, 2019
Publisher: Firstfruits Publishing
Run time: 4 hours and 6 minutes
Unabridged Audiobook
Genre: Christian, Romance, Suspense
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

After losing her fiancé in a devastating accident, Lacy tries her best to move on in her small Alaska town. Rugged state trooper Kurtis and his four-year-old daughter help mend her heart — but can their new life together last when Lacy’s past comes back to haunt her? A riveting work of Christian suspense.

Review:
Lacy was a young college student when she witnessed the murder of her fiancé. She moved to a small town and has tried to move on. Lacy has formed a warm relationship with a local state trooper, Kurtis, and his young daughter. But Lacy just isn’t sure if she can take a step forward which would start with telling the secrets of her past to Kurtis. Lacy is thinking of making a move out of town, but Kurtis wants her to stay.

As she is trying to deal with her confusion, Lacy’s past makes a very unexpected appearance. This brings some joy but more confusion and new danger. How can she cope with her feelings and can she escape the dangers that are closing in?

I enjoyed the tone of this quick suspense. Although I like Lacy’s character, I was a little frustrated by her inability to resolve her uncertainties. Kurtis is a lovely resolute, male character. The story moves quickly and I enjoyed the suspense, the faith elements and the twist at the end. The romance is sweet and gentle. I recommend this as a quick read/listen to fans of Christian suspense and romance.

Audio Notes: Becky Doughty does an okay job with the narration. The voice adjustments are slight rather than clearly distinct character voices. The tone fits the story. I enjoyed the audio for the quick entertainment.

Source: 9/10/19 Chirp Audio Deal Purchase for $1.99. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook and 2020Alphabet goals.