If you stick with Phil Gigante long enough, you're bound to end up enjoying this third Walt Flemming mystery. It just takes so long to get to the heart of the story that you almost give up. The novel starts with the attempted theft of three bottles of wine allegedly given to John Adams by Thomas Jefferson. Add to that the question of whether the wine was authentic, and you have what appears to be the whole plot. Not so. With the appearance of two teenagers, an odd cast of characters, and some beautiful descriptions of Sun Valley, Idaho, your patience is ultimately rewarded. Gigante carries the ball all the way from the book's slow start to its innovative ending. Gigante's delivery commands attention, and his masterful portrayals of characters are totally convincing. This is one book better listened to than read.
Pub Date: June 30, 2009
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Bailey Carr's perfect deadpan tone is fitting for Anya St. Clair, a fashion magazine contributor who expresses more worry over blood-soaked shoes than she does over its source. What begins as friendly competition for a promotion between Anya and her co-worker and obsession, Sarah Taft, turns fiercely fatal as Anya justifies what she's willing to do to achieve her goal. Delivering dark humor at its finest, Carr's narration is most notable for its crystal-clear quality, mostly void of emotion except for moments of rage delivered through gritted teeth. Anya's smooth voice belies her inner turmoil and disdain for the majority of humanity. Her editor, however, is a sharp and commanding presence spitting out orders that only compound the situations Anya finds herself in.
Pub Date: Sept. 11, 2018
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781978630123
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
You’ve got to give author David Levien credit for setting this murder thriller in Indianapolis and knowing enough to call it “Nap Town.” It's a city so steeped in dirty politics that it seems like Chicago's little cousin. Levien uses that intrigue, and the incompetence that surrounds it, to craft a plot about the cover-up of an assassination attempt on a wealthy businessman who is named a U.S. senator. Even without a Chicago accent, narrator Paul Boehmer keeps listeners engaged with his straight portrayal of private security guard Frank Behr, who sets out to solve the mystery of the assassination attempt and why it gets surprisingly little attention from the police. Boehmer brings that skill to the audbiobook with an impressive skill.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2011
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781611201437
Publisher: Dreamscape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
