Lifelong Reader

The Night We Lost Him

Revisado: 11-29-24

Love her books. Great mystery. I never figure out the surprise ending. Don’t miss this one.

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Great plot twists. Loved this psychological thriller.

Revisado: 05-22-24

Loved the characters. Everyone needs an Andy and a dog like Smarty Pants. The main character is full of surprises.

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Fabulous speaker

Revisado: 04-29-24

I recently heard Anna Quindlen in speak at the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop in Dayton, Ohio. She was one of my favorite speakers so I picked up this little gem that she narrates herself on Audible. Don’t miss it. Loved her stories and advice. Worth every penny.

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Great novel!

Revisado: 10-02-23

Another great book by Ron Rash. True to live characters and life situations. Small town America at its best and worst. Don’t miss this one. I hope we don’t have the wait another 10 years for the next novel. Worth the wait for sure.

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Best Audio Original Ever!

Revisado: 04-27-20

I loved James Taylor's professional autobiography. I could listen to him talk forever and truly enjoyed watching him on The Voice recently. His music and talent is so inspiring to those of us who grew up in the late 60's and 70's. I love how he talks about a topic and then inserts a song. I loved listening and did not want it to end.

Bravo to James to to Audible. Thank you for an enjoyable hour and a half.

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Disappointing Ending

Revisado: 04-25-20

The Other Woman by Daniel Silva is not a cozy mystery. If you don’t like shootouts, blood and death this may not be the mystery for you. This is a book in the series about Gabriel Allon, the legendary art restorer and assassin who serves as the chief of Israel’s vaulted secret intelligence service. But if you have not read the other books in the series starting with The Kill Artist, the book will work as a stand alone mystery. You won’t know the characters that run throughout the series, but you will still understand this book as Gabriel battles the dark forces of the new Russia and is the only man who can unravel the conspiracy.

Daniel Silva books are always so tied to current events, they seem to be both fiction and non-fiction simultaneously. You will recognize who he is talking about in the news of 2018 although you will not see the name of said persons. He combines cultural and political references to keep us grounded in the timeline.

I listened to this book during my one hour walks and it’s not one of my most favorite Audible narrators.

There is a mole somewhere in Israeli or British Intelligence giving information to the Russians – this is how they knew when and where the operation would take place. Not only have the Russians killed the asset, but they’ve cleverly found a way to cast suspicion on Gabriel Allon for the murder. This starts a series of events that links the present to a spy scandal from the 1950s.

Things I really enjoyed in the mystery are that Gabriel Allon is old school. I admire the way he outsmarts his enemies and they never see it coming. I won’t say more than that because I don’t want to include spoilers for those who have not yet read the book.

I was frustrated with the ending of the book but perhaps Silva wanted to save Allon’s enemy so they could meet again in the next book of the series. Time will tell. I agree with Allon’s wife who told Gabriel he should have shot the person when he had the chance. This is the stuff of mystery novels . . .

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Captivating Mystery

Revisado: 04-25-20

How it Happened by Michael Koryta is an unusual mystery because it starts with a powerful confession. FBI investigator Rob Barrett heads back to Port Hope, Maine to try to solve the murders of two young lovers. It is the small coastal town where Rob spent much of his childhood.
“And that is how it happened. Can we stop now?”, is the conclusion to the first chapter of the novel.
Rob stakes his reputation and career on the confession of a young dope addict and petty criminal, Kimberly Crepeaux. However, her account of the murders doesn’t tally with later evidence. The bodies are found 200 miles from where she says they were dumped. Naturally, most don't consider Kimberly to be a reliable witness, although Rob still holds a shred of belief in her testimony.

The foreshadowing of Barrett’s childhood in Port Hope let you know that his childhood past had drawn him back to a place he probably should not have gone back to in the first place. I wondered what was going to happen with Barrett and Liz. I wondered where the bodies went and how. Chapter after chapter brought new mysteries and also suggested a lingering doom over Barrett. But no matter what happened he persisted. He was like that pesky Columbo. He just would not go away.
It turns out the two murders are just the tip of the iceberg of a much more wide-ranging crime and Rob’s further investigations lead him to cross paths with other agencies.

The story took many twists and turns which I did not suspect but that was what kept me listening. I highly recommend the Audible reading of the book.

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Highly Disappointed

Revisado: 04-25-20

I had high expectations for this book. I did finish it but it was a struggle and I do not recommend it. The narration is terrible. Possibly the worst audible book I have ever listened to. The characters in the book are probably well written but they are written to convince the reader how shallow and empty they are as people and I could care less what happened to them. The ponzi scheme was too predictable and I did not care about the wealthy self possessed folks who came to ruin. The mystery was not really a mystery in what I consider a mystery. I did feel sorry for Vincent and Walter, but both of them knew what they were getting themselves into. Vincent knew she was a trophy wife and did not love her "husband" or her life with him. Walter got taken in the ponzi scheme, which was unfortunate. because he really did love his job and the hotel. I should have researched the novel better and made a better choice. I walk every day and listen to audible but this was a painful book to complete. Please choose another.

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Engaging!

Revisado: 01-18-16

What did you love best about Star Wars: The Force Awakens?

If you loved the movie, you will adore the fabulous audible book! I saw the movie first and then listened to the book so I could relive on the big picture screen of my mind the scenes in the novel. The sound effects are well done - especially the Wookie. A must listen for hard-core Star Wars fans. May the force be with you!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hans Solo because he has always been awesome since the original first movie.

Which character – as performed by Marc Thompson – was your favorite?

Hans Solo.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I enjoyed listening to the book. I laughed and cried at various points as I did in the movie.

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Psychic Opinion

Revisado: 12-14-10

I enjoyed reading parts of the book and found her theories of Skull and Bones, the Freemasons, and others well researched. I especially did not like her presentation about the life of Christ and the allegation that John the Baptist was the true Messiah. Some of the book was very tedious, but I did agree with some parts and theories.

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