The Second Girl

He's a good detective...with a bad habit.

Frank Marr knows crime in Washington, DC. A decorated former police detective, he retired early and now ekes a living as a private eye for a defense attorney. Frank Marr may be the best investigator the city has ever known, but the city doesn't know his dirty secret.

A long-functioning drug addict, Frank has devoted his considerable skills to hiding his usage from others. But after accidentally discovering a kidnapped teenage girl in the home of an Adams Morgan drug gang, Frank becomes a hero and is thrust into the spotlight. He reluctantly agrees to investigate the disappearance of another girl--possibly connected to the first--and the heightened scrutiny may bring his own secrets to light, too.

Christopher Ryan Grant narrated Frank and the other characters exceptionally well.  Frank is a unique character in that you are on and off the fence about liking him. His position as a former cop turned PI gives him a bit of latitude in his investigative choices.  The case he agrees to take puts him at risk with many which adds to the intensity of the novel.  A fast paced story with a few twists that left me looking forward to what Frank Marr gets himself into next.  

*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

Cold Barrel Zero (audio)

A CODE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. A BLACK OPS TEAM THAT WENT TOO FAR.

John Hayes is a Special Operations legend who went rogue on a deep-cover mission and betrayed his own soldiers. Disgraced and on the run, he returns to the United States to get back to his wife and daughter and take revenge on his accusers with a series of devastating attacks.

Only one man can stop him: Thomas Byrne. He once fought alongside Hayes as a combat medic, but he gave up the gun. Now a surgeon, he moves from town to town, trying to forget his past, until he is called upon by a high-ranking government official to help capture the man he once called a friend.

Hayes and Byrne were once as close as brothers, but with the fate of the nation hanging in the balance and nothing as it seems, both men must decide whom to trust--and whom to betray. In a final, explosive battle for justice, they face off along a rifle's cold barrel.

This was a non-stop action, suspense filled novel that keeps you guessing. Both Hayes and Byrne are great characters. It took a bit to get all the characters situated in my mind with the multiple POVs as I listened to the book.  I made a note of them and had to refer to it to remind myself of which group they belonged to. There were quite a few great twists and I loved that I was kept guessing!  My errands ran longer than normal so I had time to listen. Peter Coleman does a good job narrating. I hope that these characters make a return appearance. 

Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy

Private Paris (audio)

Paris is burning—and only Private's Jack Morgan can put out the fire.

When Jack Morgan stops by Private's Paris office, he envisions a quick hello during an otherwise relaxing trip filled with fine food and sightseeing. But Jack is quickly pressed into duty after a call from his client Sherman Wilkerson, asking Jack to track down his young granddaughter who is on the run from a brutal drug dealer.

Before Jack can locate her, several members of France's cultural elite are found dead—murdered in stunning, symbolic fashion. The only link between the crimes is a mysterious graffiti tag. As religious and ethnic tensions simmer in the City of Lights, only Jack and his Private team can connect the dots before the smoldering powder keg explodes.

The name James Patterson is synonymous with a great story and a fast read, or in this case a fast listen. I "read with my ears" Patterson's latest Private book, and it did not disappoint. Written with Mark Sullivan, this is the latest installment in the Private series which has the same core characters but each book takes place in a different location. Though they are part of a series, each stands on it's own and have very little reference to the other books in the series so you won't be lost starting here and there aren't any spoilers if you missed on of the other books. There are three readers (Jay Snyder, Dion Graham and Joan Brassard) that lent their voices to this audio and they were fabulous to listen to. The story came to life through their accents and made the story even more enjoyable. True to style, the authors weaves multiple story lines together to keep you guessing and entertained with suspense and action. There are not his most suspenseful or twist filled stories but they are worth adding to your list of books to read. I highly recommend the Private series.

Reviewed by Courtney

Time to update the photo, it was taken a year ago.  Cole will be 2 next month!


*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

The Choice (audio)

Travis Parker has everything a man could want: a good job, loyal friends, even a waterfront home in small-town North Carolina. In full pursuit of the good life—boating, swimming, and regular barbecues with his good-natured buddies—he holds the vague conviction that a serious relationship with a woman would only cramp his style. That is, until Gabby Holland moves in next door. Despite his attempts to be neighborly, the appealing redhead seems to have a chip on her shoulder about him…and the presence of her longtime boyfriend doesn’t help. Despite himself, Travis can’t stop trying to ingratiate himself with his new neighbor, and his persistent efforts lead them both to the doorstep of a journey that neither could have foreseen. Spanning the eventful years of young love, marriage and family, The Choice ultimately confronts us with the most heart wrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?

I gave this author another try because the book was narrated by one of my favorite narrators - Holter Graham. Unfortunately even a favorite could not change the way I feel about this author's books. After surrendering my emotions to his characters and then getting them stomped upon, I've been unable to allow it to happen again. I did like Travis, but did not like Abby at all for a variety of reasons. Therefore Travis' decision did not tug at my heartstrings. I will wait for the movie to come to TV.

Thank you to Mitch at Hachette Audio for this review copy.

With Every Breath (audio)

BREATHE DEEP . . . AND JUMP IN

At the ends of the earth, Patagonia is a land where ambition trumps reason and the savage summit of La Aguja lures the most determined climbers. It's also the last spot a "play-it-safe girl" like Auden Woods expects to find herself. But she'll lace up her brand-new hiking boots and do whatever it takes to secure a dream job at an adventure magazine . . . even if it kills her. And it just might. When disaster strikes, her only chance at survival comes in the form of the surliest, sexiest mountaineer ever to come out of Scotland.

After a climbing accident cost him his brother, professional mountaineer Rhys MacAskill is at the end of his rope. Redemption is not in his future. That is, until a terrifying storm blows a budding journalist into his tent and it's up to him to make sure they both survive until morning. Despite the demons weighing on him, Rhys can't resist the temptation of the charming American and one wild night just isn't enough.

Auden and Rhys soon learn there are no shortcuts as they navigate their way between life, death, and atonement, and discover something they never expected-love.

Auden and Rhys were easy to like and get behind. Both of them had conflicts that promised to be intensely worked out and I looked forward to seeing how each resolved them all the while experiencing an attraction to each other. The way Auden settled her conflict with her sister was boring for me and I hope that in future books in this series it will be fleshed out more. Rhys's conflict was settled in a completely different way that I expected. I was a bit let down with the conflict resolutions, but still loved these characters and was satisfied with their story. The story is told in the alternating voices of Auden and Rhys. The narrators, Helen Wick and Paul Fox, did a great job narrating their character's voice. When they voiced the other character it was a bit strange, but not enough to stop me from listening. I will listen to the next book in the series.

*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

The Guilty (audio)

Will Robie is the government's most professional, disciplined, and lethal assassin. He infiltrates the most hostile countries in the world, defeats our enemies' advanced security measures, and eliminates threats before they ever reach our shores. But now, his skills have left him. Sent overseas on a critical assignment, he fails, unable to pull the trigger. Absent his talents, Robie is a man without a mission, and without a purpose.

To recover what he has lost, Robie must confront what he has tried to forget for over twenty years: his own past.

Government assassin Will Robie has failed by missing his target for the first time and wonders if his career is over. He soon discovers that his father, whom he hasn't seen in 20 years, is accused of murder. Will makes the trip to Cantrell, Mississippi in an effort to get over whatever it is that has caused him to fail. Everywhere he goes his welcome is subdued. Everyone remembers him due to his being the star quarterback on a state championship team. His father's guilt seems to be a foregone conclusion to everyone in town. Will is surprised to learn that his father is remarried and has a young son which helps cement Will's determination to help his father's defense whether he wants the help or not. When bodies begin to pile up Will knows he made the right decision even if it means confronting his past and uncovering secrets that could kill. Jessica Reel is sent to Cantrell to help Will figure out who may have framed his father. The reveal was a dark and twisty surprise. When I learned that there was a new male narrator for the series I was a bit concerned as I loved Ron Mclarty's narrations. Welcome Kyf Brewer! He did a fantastic job and in fact I loved the added dimension his voice brings to the character. Orlagh Cassidy did a fantastic job with the female narration as usual.

The Guilty (Will Robie #4) by David Baldacci









This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Cross Justice

The toughest cases are the ones that hit close to home.

When his cousin is accused of a heinous crime, Alex Cross returns to his North Carolina hometown for the first time in over three decades. As he tries to prove his cousin's innocence in a town where everyone seems to be on the take, Cross unearths a family secret that forces him to question everything he's ever known.

Chasing a ghost he believed was long dead, Cross gets pulled into a case that has local cops scratching their heads and needing his help: a grisly string of socialite murders. Now he's hot on the trail of both a brutal killer, and the truth about his own past—and the answers he finds might be fatal.

Alex and his family are taking a trip to get away and recover from being stalked and held captive by psychotic killer. He hopes to help his cousin as they rest and relax. His daughter is also taking advantage of training with elite college track coaches and runners. The evidence against his cousin is so convincing that Alex is wondering if maybe he really did commit the crimes. When Alex learns the truth about his parents and wants to find out what and why. Meanwhile a killing spree is going on in Florida. Alex is drawn to Florida to track down the secret he has been told. When he crosses path the those investigating the socialite killer, he helps them track down and catch the killer. It was a strange interlude, which becomes more significant and powerful as the story concludes. When Alex's daughter Janey has drugs planted on her, he and Bree truly begin investigating and discover all the evidence against his cousin may just be false. The conclusion is satisfying as well as emotional. Another good installment in the Cross series. Narrated by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Jefferson Mays. 

Cross Justice (#23) by James Patterson


*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

Truth or Die (audio)

After a serious professional stumble, attorney Trevor Mann may have finally hit his stride. He's found happiness with his girlfriend Claire Parker, a beautiful, ambitious journalist always on the hunt for a scoop. But when Claire's newest story leads to a violent confrontation, Trevor's newly peaceful life is shattered as he tries to find out why.

Chasing Claire's leads, Trevor unearths evidence of a shocking secret that—if it actually exists—every government and terrorist organization around the world would do anything to possess. Suddenly it's up to Trevor, along with a teenage genius who gives new meaning to the phrase "too smart for his own good," to make sure that secret doesn't fall into the wrong hands. But Trevor is about to discover that good and evil can look a lot alike, and nothing is ever black and white: not even the truth.

Trevor has been disbarred and is teaching.  He is happy with where he is until an unthinkable thing happens.  He discovers Claire's phone and follows the clues to her teenage source.  Owen is skeptical of Trevor, but knows he needs help. They work together to figure things out, both for their own reasons.  It soon becomes clear that this cover up goes way up and they are on the run. They need to find the truth or die!  I really liked Trevor and Owen. Another fast paced, action filled, enjoyable listen narrated by Edoardo Ballerini. 

*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

Alert: A Michael Bennett Story (audio)

"This is not a test"—every New Yorker's worst nightmare is about to become a reality.

New Yorkers aren't easily intimidated, but someone is doing their best to scare them, badly: why? After two inexplicable high-tech attacks, the city that never sleeps is on edge. Detective Michael Bennett, along with his old pal, the FBI's Emily Parker, have to catch the shadowy criminals who claim responsibility—but they're as good at concealing their identities as they are at wreaking havoc.

In the wake of a shocking assassination, Bennett begins to suspect that these mysterious events are just the prelude to the biggest threat of all. Soon he's racing against the clock, and against the most destructive enemy he's faced yet, to save his beloved city--before everyone's worst nightmare becomes a reality.

Michael and Mary Catherine are in Ireland enjoying some time together as she deals with an inheritance. It was great to have them alone and advancing their relationship. Michael reluctantly returns home without her when the sale falls through. Seamus, his grandfather, causes some stress when he disappears, but thankfully is found quickly. Soon after all hell breaks loose and a race is on to figure out who is behind the attacks. Michael and Emily make great partners. The action is intense, fast paced, suspenseful and exciting. I missed Mary Catherine, but loved the fill in nanny Martin, and hope he returns in future books. This may be one of the quickest audio books I've listened to in a long time. Danny Mastrogiorgio and Henry Leyva do a fantastic job with the narration.

List of the books in the series can be found here.



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch at Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Last Words by Michael Koryta

Markus Novak just wants to come home. An investigator for a Florida-based Death Row defense firm, Novak’s life derailed when his wife, Lauren, was killed in the midst of a case the two were working together. Two years later, her murderer is still at large, and Novak’s attempts to learn the truth about her death through less-than-legal means and jailhouse bargaining have put his job on the line. Now he’s been all but banished, sent to Garrison, Indiana to assess a cold case that he’s certain his boss has no intention of taking.

As Novak knows all too well, some crimes never do get solved. But it’s not often that the man who many believe got away with murder is the one calling for the case to be reopened. Ten years ago, a teenaged girl disappeared inside an elaborate cave system beneath rural farmland. Days later, Ridley Barnes emerged carrying Sarah Martin’s lifeless body. Barnes has claimed all along that he has no memory of exactly where — or how — he found Sarah. His memory of whether she was dead or alive at the time is equally foggy. Tired of living under a cloud of suspicion, he says he wants answers — even if they mean he’ll end up in the electric chair.

But what’s he really up to? And Novak knows why he’s so unhappy to be in Garrison – but why are the locals so hostile towards him? The answers lie in the fiendish brain of a dangerous man, the real identity of a mysterious woman, and deep beneath them all, in the network of ancient, stony passages that hold secrets deadlier than he can imagine. Soon Novak is made painfully aware that if he has any chance of returning to the life and career he left behind in Florida, he’ll need to find the truth in Garrison first.

This was my first book by Michael Koryta and I am now a fan! I plan on requesting his previous books to read as he is a master story teller. "Last Words" drew me in from the start and from that point forward I could not get enough! There were so many twists and turns that kept you guessing and on the edge of your seat for resolution until the very end. The characters are well developed and create in the reader a sense of alliance with some and enemies of others. I hope the main character becomes a series of books that Koryta is planning on doing as there are stories left untold! I listened to this book while I was driving to and from work and there were times where I just wanted to keep driving around so I could hear more of the story. This book was absolutely riveting to listen to! Robert Petkoff is hands down one of the BEST readers I have heard. He altered his voice just enough to give each character a distinct quality so you knew without a doubt who was speaking without going too overboard. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an outstanding read with the caution that once they start reading they won't be able to stop.  

Reviewed by Courtney (my daughter)

*Thank you to Hachette Audio and Mitch for this review copy*

The Rumor (audio)

Madeline King and Grace Pancik are best friends and the envy of Nantucket for their perfect marriages, their beautiful kids, their Sunday night double dates with their devoted husbands. But this summer, something's changed, and if there's anything Nantucket likes better than cocktails on the beach at sunset, it's a good rumor.

And rumor has it...

...that Madeline, a novelist, is battling writer's block, with a deadline looming, bills piling up, and blank pages driving her to desperation--and a desperately bad decision;

...that Grace, hard at work to transform her backyard into a garden paradise, has been collaborating a bit more closely that necessary with her ruggedly handsome landscape architect;

...that Grace's husband, successful island real estate developer "Fast Eddie" Pancik, has embarked on quite an unusual side project;

...that the storybook romance between Madeline's son, Brick, and Grace's daughter Allegra is on the rocks, heading for disaster.

As the gossip escalates, and they face the possible loss of the happy lives they've worked so hard to create, Grace and Madeline try mightily to set the record straight--but the truth might be even worse than rumor has it.

This is one of those stories that everyone can relate to as having been a victim of or participating in gossip and its fallout.   The story is told in multiple voices that added dimension and a different take on the "rumors".  I liked Madeline and her family right from the beginning.  Grace need a smack, but I rooting for her husband to get things worked out.   Another great summer read  from this author.  Wonderfully narrated by Kathleen McInerney.

*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

Hope To Die (audio)

Detective Alex Cross is being stalked by a psychotic genius, forced to play the deadliest game of his career. Cross's family—his loving wife Bree, the wise and lively Nana Mama, and his precious children—have been ripped away. Terrified and desperate, Cross must give this mad man what he wants if he has any chance of saving the most important people in his life. The stakes have never been higher: What will Cross sacrifice to save the ones he loves?

The previous book, Cross My Heart, ended with a cliff-hanger that left a very frustrated reader thinking, "no way, will he (the author) do this", but not totally sure. The book picks up right where we were left, wondering what happens to Cross's family. When the bodies begin showing up, it is unbelievably tense as you wait for identification. Alex is asked to do something that goes against everything he believes in, but his family always comes first. The action was non-stop and the narrations of Scott Sower and Michael Boatman have you feeling like you are right there with the torturous feelings of Alex and the creepiness of Mulch/Sunday .  After listening to this 22nd book in the series,  I am wondering how much more can Alex go through regarding his family.  

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Canary (audio)

It's dangerous enough when an ordinary college girl turns confidential informant. Even more dangerous when she's smarter than the killer, kingpins, and cops who control her.

Honors student Sarie Holland is busted by the local police while doing a favor for her boyfriend. Unwilling to betray him but desperate to avoid destroying her future, Sarie has no choice but to become a "CI"--a confidential informant.

Philly narcotics cop Ben Wildey is hungry for a career-making bust. The detective thinks he's found the key in Sarie: her boyfriend scores from a mid-level dealer with alleged ties to the major drug gangs.

Sarie turns out to be the perfect CI: a quick study with a shockingly keen understanding of the criminal mind. But Wildey, desperate for results, pushes too hard and inadvertently sends the nineteen-year-old into a death trap, leaving Sarie hunted by crooked cops and killers alike with nothing to save her--except what she's learned during her harrowing weeks as an informant.

Which is bad news for the police and the underworld. Because when it comes to payback, CI #1373 turns out to be a very quick study...

The story begins with Sarie writing a letter to her mother, actually she is telling what happened in this letter/diary and we find out why as the story progresses.  It does build slowly as Sarie tries to do everything asked of her except for turning in her friend D.  While trying to give Officer Wildey what he wants she gets herself involved in ways she (and Wildey) never expected.  Her younger brother is interested in the secretive ways of his sister which become important later on .  With likeable characters and villains to root against, this is easily one of the best audios I've experienced this year. Casey Holloway narrates Sarie's voice and George Bryant narrates several male voices.  Both do a fabulous job with the suspense, action, humor right to the twist at the end .  Will be looking for other books by this author. 

*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

The Escape (audio)

It’s a prison unlike any other. Military discipline rules. Its security systems are unmatched. None of its prisoners dream of escaping. They know it’s impossible . . . until now.

John Puller’s older brother, Robert, was convicted of treason. His inexplicable escape from prison makes him the most wanted criminal in the country. Some in the government believe that John Puller represents their best chance at capturing Robert alive, and so Puller must bring in his brother to face justice.

But Puller quickly discovers that his brother is pursued by others who don’t want him to survive. Puller is in turn pushed into an uneasy, fraught partnership with another agent, who may have an agenda of her own.

They dig more deeply into the case together, and Puller finds that not only are her allegiances unclear, but there are troubling details about his brother’s conviction . . . and someone out there doesn’t want the truth to ever come to light. As the nationwide manhunt for Robert grows more urgent, Puller’s masterful skills as an investigator and strengths as a fighter may not be enough to save his brother—or himself.

This audio was narrated by the talented Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy.  The action is fast paced taking quite a few twists that kept me guessing.  John is asked to help with the investigation which I found surprising.  I figured he would investigate on his own at the risk of his career, but it still worked. I was suspicious of  Veronica Knox and liked the not knowing if she was helping or going to sabotage John's investigation.  Robert Puller is as interesting as John and I hope they appear together in another book.  This is the third book in the series that stands alone well, but helps to have read the first two.

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Winter Street

Kelley Quinn is the owner of Nantucket's Winter Street Inn and the proud father of four, all of them grown and living in varying states of disarray. Patrick, the eldest, is a hedge fund manager with a guilty conscience. Kevin, a bartender, is secretly sleeping with a French housekeeper named Isabelle. Ava, a school teacher, is finally dating the perfect guy but can't get him to commit. And Bart, the youngest and only child of Kelley's second marriage to Mitzi, has recently shocked everyone by joining the Marines.

As Christmas approaches, Kelley is looking forward to getting the family together for some quality time at the inn. But when he walks in on Mitzi kissing Santa Claus (or the guy who's playing Santa at the inn's annual party), utter chaos descends. With the three older children each reeling in their own dramas and Bart unreachable in Afghanistan, it might be up to Kelley's ex-wife, nightly news anchor Margaret Quinn, to save Christmas at the Winter Street Inn.

Before the mulled cider is gone, the delightfully dysfunctional Quinn family will survive a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling, in this heart-warming novel about coming home for the holidays.

I am a fan of Elin's books, books that take place on Nantucket and dysfunctional family themed books. This one was a bit of a disappointment. It was hard to like the characters,  I thought they were a bit too self-absorbed, but did chuckle a couple of times. The ending is very abrupt and leads me to believe that the author is not finished with these characters. Erin Bennett did a great job narrating! 

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Girl With All The Gifts

Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. Melanie loves school. She tells her favorite teacher all the things she'll do when she grows up. Melanie doesn't know why this makes Miss Justineau look sad.

This story is hard to describe and is best not knowing much about it before reading/listening. It is gripping, amazing with many "that so did not just happen" moments. It is dystopian with suspense, wrapped up in an emotional ending that makes you want to read it all over. Brilliantly narrated by Finty Williams.

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audioand in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Matchmaker (audio)

48-year-old Nantucketer Dabney Kimball Beech has always had a gift for matchmaking. Some call her ability mystical, while others - like her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech, and her daughter, Agnes, who is clearly engaged to the wrong man - call it meddlesome, but there's no arguing with her results: With 42 happy couples to her credit and all of them still together, Dabney has never been wrong about romance.

Never, that is, except in the case of herself and Clendenin Hughes, the green-eyed boy who took her heart with him long ago when he left the island to pursue his dream of becoming a journalist. Now, after spending 27 years on the other side of the world, Clen is back on Nantucket, and Dabney has never felt so confused, or so alive.

But when tragedy threatens her own second chance, Dabney must face the choices she's made and share painful secrets with her family. Determined to make use of her gift before it's too late, she sets out to find perfect matches for those she loves most.

I discovered Elin's novels by reading The Castaways.  After enjoyed it so much I quickly looked for her previous books.  Elin's books are great for summertime -  this book was saved just for that, but with the early birth of my grandson it took me until now to get to this audio. The story is told in the voices of Dabney, Box, Clem, and Agnes along with a few of the couples that Dabney matched.  Nantucket is a character as well. Without spoiling the major plot, this book was different than what I expected.  I liked the secondary characters better along with the matched couples stories.  Erin Bennett did a fantastic job narrating that kept me engaged in the story.  I  hate to say it, about a loved author, but I may have put this book down if I was reading instead of listening. 

Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Published: July 2014
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction
Source: Hachette Audio
Finished: 10/23/14


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch @Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Those Who Wish Me Dead

When 13-year-old Jace Wilson witnesses a brutal murder, he's plunged into a new life, issued a false identity and hidden in a wilderness skills program for troubled teens. The plan is to get Jace off the grid while police find the two killers. The result is the start of a nightmare.

The killers, known as the Blackwell Brothers, are slaughtering anyone who gets in their way in a methodical quest to reach him. Now all that remains between them and the boy are Ethan and Allison Serbin, who run the wilderness survival program; Hannah Faber, who occupies a lonely fire lookout tower; and endless miles of desolate Montana mountains.

The clock is ticking, the mountains are burning, and those who wish Jace Wilson dead are no longer far behind.

An exciting plot driven story that had me looking for excuses to keep listening. The Blackwell brothers were two of the creepiest villains that were just a step behind ramping up the suspense. Jace was a very believable 13 year old who learns quickly the survival skills he will need to keep one step ahead of those who wish him dead. There was a great twist that I did not see coming...then the fire. A great action filled story narrated very well by Robert Petkoff.  Will be looking for more from this author!

Author: Michael Koryta
Published: June 2014
Pages:  400
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Source: Hachette Audio
Finished: 9/14/14



This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Gamble

Nina Sheridan's on a timeout adventure in the Colorado mountains. She needs distance from her clueless fiance, distance to decide whether she wants to spend the rest of her life with a man who doesn't care enough to learn how she takes her coffee.

Arriving in a blinding snowstorm at the A-Frame she rented for two weeks, she comes face to face with the most amazing man she's ever seen.

Minutes later, when he kicks her out of his house, she goes head to head with him.

Beyond angry because she's flown half a world away to start her timeout adventure, not to mention her sinuses hurt, she heads back down the mountain and ends up in a ditch. Unable to extricate herself, she gives up, hopes for rescue and falls asleep in the backseat.

The next morning she wakes up in the amazing man's bed and she's sick as a dog.

Holden Maxwell spends days nursing her back to health and then he spends the next two weeks trying to convince her to take her Colorado adventure further, in other words, make it permanent and take a gamble on him.

Nina has a tough time fighting her attraction to Max, especially when it seems all Max's friends, her mother, step dad and the whole town of Gnaw Bone want them together. Not to mention, both she and Max get embroiled in the murder of Max's ex-friend and the town of Gnaw Bone's most detested resident - a man everyone has motive to kill, especially Max.

Book one in the Colorado Mountain series got off to an interesting start.  I liked Nina at first, but she easily got on my nerves - for a smart woman she had some really dumb conclusions and would run off without talking to Max about them.  It happened one too many times! I did like the supporting characters and cared enough about the story/characters to continue listening.  Emma Taylor did a great job narrating this cast of characters. I did get tired of the profanity, I thought it was overdone.  The chemistry between Nina and Max was great.  Overall it was an okay listen for me.

Author: Kristin Ashley
Published: Dec. 2012 (print) May 2014 (audio)
Pages: 679 (25 hours)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Hachette Audio
Finished: 9/6/14


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch at Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

The Directive

Two brothers. The heist of a lifetime. The stakes: their survival. After escaping from the back rooms of Washington, Mike Ford is now playing for his life against the titans of Wall Street.

Mike’s brother has been trapped in a powerful conspiracy to steal a secret worth billions from a hidden linchpin of the American economy: a real-life, little-known trading desk at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Forced to choose between an honest life and his only sibling, Mike returns to the dark skills of his past in order to accomplish the job himself. Cornered by the dangerous men in high places, he will beat them at their own game or die trying.

After thoroughly enjoying debut novel, The 500, and loving Mike Ford, I was excited to see his return in The Directive. Mike is glad to be alive and planning his wedding to Annie. His brother gets himself in a bit of trouble and asks for Mike's help. Things are not going to be easy, and just when Mike thinks he has it figured out it gets worse. Mike is smart, snarky, and always has a plan b, c, and d! Suspense, fast-paced action, humor make this a great summer book. Jay Snyder did an excellent job narrating. 

Author: Matthew Quirk
Published: May 2014
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Source: Hachette Audio
Finished: 6/30/14


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.