Elizabeth

No, it was a disappointing read compared to his previous novels. The plot was tired and uninspiring, and the language seemed trite and over the top. I don't remember feeling this way about his previous books (I've read or listened to them all).

No surprises.

I absolutely hated the way the voice over talent read Milo Sturgis. It made him sound like a cheap Brooklyn detective. The rest of the read was okay but I found that part of the listening experience very irritating.

No

This wasn't really a mystery. I've read Jonathan Kellerman's books for years and he generally writes an entertaining book. The language in this book was trite. Too many metaphors, too corny. It's almost like someone wrote this one for him.

Loved listening to this book. The audiobook format works really well here as the full cast gives a lot of depth and nuance to the story. This is a book that draws you into the story and makes you care about the characters. The way each of them is revealed through the correspondence to and from Juliette works very well.

How the historical details were revealed in the context of each character's life.

Isila. I love her desire to be Miss Marple

This is a case where the audio book is a much better way to "read" the book than the printed copy. I love performances with a full cast and each of the narrators here rings true to their characters.

Perhaps if there hadn't been quite so much hype I would have enjoyed this book more. It didn't live up to my expectations. The plot was predictable, the characters were unsympathetic and it was not the best psychological thriller I've listened to this year.

How unsympathetic ALL the characters were. you couldn't like any of them.

None

The insight into college admissions -- it was an interesting hook for the book and gave a real sense for the pressures experienced by admissions officers. It's interesting to watch Portia Nathan grow from an "adult" who had cut off so much of her emotional life into a person who is ready for a more rewarding chapter, even though her actions may not be morally defensible. It's amazing how much a person can repress.

Portia's decision at the end turned her into a "parent" who was more extreme than any of the parents she criticized.

I wish the narrator would have correctly pronounced Bryn Mawr!

It was a tear jerker, for sure.

Cliched writing, unsympathetic character, uninspired plot. Some of the writing made me wince. This book got good reviews but there are so many more & better mysteries out there. I was hoping to find another series that I would enjoy, but I only listened to the whole book because I paid for it.

no

He was fine as the main character but when he gave voice to some of the others his voice was high pitched and grating.

No

I really enjoyed this audiobook, so much that I had to ration my listening time so it wouldn't end so soon. I can't wait until his other books are translated.

There were parts of this audiobook that I really enjoyed. Ultimately, though, it was not a book that I couldn't wait to listen to; much of it was slow, I found the character development frustrating and the ending felt like a cop out. It took me a long time to finish listening to this book because it just wasn't compelling enough to pick up.