David J.

Great short story with below average production quality

Revisado: 08-08-15

This is a great story that is every bit as good as other titles by this author. My only criticism is that the quality of the audio was not at the same level as other audiobooks by the same author. The narration was fine but it sounded like it was recorded with a standard computer mic with a noticeable electronic hum in the background.

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WOW! A great crime story set in the 1940s

Revisado: 02-06-15

I just finished Mark Dawson’s The Black Mile and all I can say is WOW! I wasn’t sure what to expect at first with this book, since it was a different genre from the other books of Dawson’s I had read (the Beatrix Rose series). There are many things I love about this novel.

First – the actual story is compelling. Too often authors are so interested in creating an action packed thriller that they forget that a compelling, believable story is also required. No amount of action takes the place of a good story. Mark Dawson did an awesome job of carefully introducing you to each of the characters, establishing their particular thread of the story, then weaving it all nicely together. Each of the characters’ threads are interesting and I quickly began wondering how all of these characters related to each other. The story moved along at the right pace as the separate parts of the story came together.

Second – the language. The story is set in World War II and Mr. Dawson did an excellent job of using language, word choice, etc. and it made me feel as though I was reading actual news accounts of what was happening in the story. In many cases I found myself enjoying how well written the story was as much as the story itself. I can’t say that about many books I read these days.

Third – The suspense, tension, and twists in the story. For a book set in WWII, I didn’t expect to be at the edge of my seat. Although the pace in the story is reflective of life in the 1940s, I was surprised at how much tension the author was able to create….and what was revealed at the end took my by surprise.

Finally, the narration of the story was great. The narrator’s voice was easy to listen to and I could generally tell the difference between the characters. The only challenge for this narrator was creating convincing female voices. Maybe next time the addition of a second narrator for the female voices would make sense.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Do yourself a favor – Read it!

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Another great ride in the Beatrix Rose series!

Revisado: 01-21-15

After listening to the first book in this series, I was hooked! I have a long commute and listen to audiobooks frequently. Listening to this book, I found myself at work in no time, realizing I had been totally immersed in the story. I don't often looh forward to my commute, but I did during this book, wondering what was going to happen to Beatrix as she worked her "list".

The characters are well developed, believable, and likeable (I really have to have someone to root for in a story). There is a unique aspect to this series as you begin to see the relationship between Rose and her daughter. I feel like there is something special in store for the daughter, I just don't know what yet. The narration is well done as well. Overall a great quality audiobook.

If you haven't read the John Milton series yet, you can stil enjoy this series - it stands on its own. Although - you may want to read the John Milton series first because there are some references to that series in the Beatrix Rose stories.

I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series...

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A great first book in the Beatrix Rose series!

Revisado: 11-19-14

This book is the first book in the Beatrix Rose series which is a character from the author's John Milton series. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to follow the story line If I hadn't read the entire Milton series but the author did a really nice job of providing you with enough of Beatrix's past to allow you to follow the story line. I was immediately drawn into the story and Mark did a great job of developing the characters so that you got a real sense of them as people.

I especially liked the balance that Mark struck between richly describing the scene, using words to equip your imagination to vividly immerse you in the story, and keeping the story moving along at the right pace for a thriller. The quality of the narration was on par with the book. This is especially important to me. The story length was on the shorter end of the range so this made it perfect for my commute to work. I found myself looking forward to the commute to find out what was around the corner for Beatrix. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

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