While Drowning in the Desert Audiobook By Don Winslow cover art

While Drowning in the Desert

The Neal Carey Mysteries, Book 5

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While Drowning in the Desert

By: Don Winslow
Narrated by: Joe Barrett
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About this listen

30th Anniversary Edition with a new introduction by the author

Shamus Award winner and Edgar Award nominee Don Winslow combines breathless suspense, zany wit, and whiplash action in his latest novel featuring grad student/private eye Neal Carey. Now Neal is assigned to escort monkeyish octogenarian Natty Silver home from Las Vegas to Palm Springs. Natty, once a burlesque top banana, has a nonstop barrage of corny jokes, an eye for an aging cocktail waitress, and a chronic disappearing act.

When Neal catches up with him, he can see why Natty doesn’t want to go home. Sole witness to a crime, he’s now the quarry of hard-faced suits, a fascist con artist, and a career-track assassin. And bodyguard Neal, scorching through the trackless desert at eighty miles per hour, brooding on his inner child by freezing starlight, and looking down the barrel of one gun too many, is soon dodging vultures and on the brink of a surprise watery grave.

©1996 Don Winslow (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Mystery Witty

Critic reviews

“[Winslow] has a way with crisp dialogue…and the laughs keep coming.” ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about While Drowning in the Desert

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Humorous Story Engaging Plot Excellent Narration Witty Dialogue Twisted Storyline Superb Performance
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Fun read!

This was an enjoyable short book. Lots of humor and a twisted plot. Total brain candy which I needed after reading some dark, gloomy books. Joe Barrett is one of the best narrators ever - right up there with Jim Dale.

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Funny

Funny and interesting but mostly funny. Performance also helped. Gonna try another book by this author. Do recommend!

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a good story with a lot of humor

this isva very good story with interesting characters who are funny. it involvesvarson, kidnapping, murder and the mob. I recommend it.

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Mixing Humor and Danger Works

Don Winslow writes an enjoyable, humorist story and Joe Barrett's narration makes the story come to life.

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Terrific story...great and hilarious dialogue

Don Winslow had become one of my favorite authors. His range, his research, his story telling imagination are amazing. Thanks, Mr. Winslow, for many hours of listening enjoyment!

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A lot of chasing going on.

From Austin Nevada to Vegas, Neal just needs to get one octogenarian to a Palm Springs. It’s amazing how you can keep loosing a wily elder person.

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Delightful

Great engaging story, quirky and witty, maybe somewhat predictable, however enjoyable nonetheless. Maid me laugh out loud. Thank you!

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Who's On First?

In his last outing, Neal Carey learns who's on first -- I don't know, third base! Tasked with bringing aging Vegas comedian Nathan Silverstein home, Neal hears every bad joke and tall tale the old codger ever told as Don Rickles, er, Nate Silver. That includes not only how he taught Lou Costello his signature comedy routine, but the whole story around it.

There's a mystery revolving around why Silver doesn't want to go home that brings in a few other crazy characters. It doesn't amount to much, but that's hardly the point. This is about a classic road trip / buddy movie, the young guy / straight man saddled with wise old wise-cracking war horse, learning a thing or three along the way.

Don Winslow went on to write some long, weighty volumes about criminals and cartels and con men. But his early work with the Carey series, lighter though it is, is still worth revisiting.

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Last of the series ?

I think this was the last of the Neal Carey series and to be honest it shows. I think Winslow was tiring and the story was filled with a lot of needless dialog. I especially found the emails tiring.

I will admit I’ll miss Neal and Joe Graham however.

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Don’t let the short nature of this story fool you it is fantastic

I’ve listen to most of the books in this series and although this was the shortest it was by far the best the narrators rendition of natty silver is to die for I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time highly recommend giving this a listen yes it has the same story pattern as the other books in the series just shorter but that particular character is a true gem I would love to see him pop up again somewhere sometime probably not much of a chance of that so enjoy it while you can

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