Allen E Feltzin

I would not try another book by the author. The narartor was very good.

the characters in the beginning were very colorful and I found myself laughing out loud from their amusing descrption. The mystery element was very very weak, and really had almost nothing to do with most of the characters. Solving the mystery was a big disappointment. There was no danger to the protagonist or really any one else other than the victim. The way it was solved was so weak that it negated the whole novel.

He is very good and captured the essence of the characters.

I would have revised the ending making the "solve" much more exciting. I don't want to give it away by saying more. It could be argued that this was a "cozy" and did not need more than a clever "AHA" moment. The ending negated the whole pleasant ride of the beginning of the book by being so weak and coincidental. The necessaary clues with the exception of one were not put out till a few pages before the boring "solve." Then it was so dull and obvious as to ruin the book.
I no longer cared about any of the characters, most of whom had nothing what so ever to do with the mystery.

What a good beginning and then disappointment this was. I expected so much more after the first few chapters. A protagonist who was a former MI5 agent turned priest seemed such a great hero. A village filled with disparate personalities as a background. Such a good idea, such a let down.
Good-bye, Max!

John Hart is an excellent and often poetic writer with a beautiful turn of phrase.The story itself was very dark and covered topics such as extreme bullying, child abuse, and torture.The tory held together but the darkness of the characters particularly the lead one, Michael made this an extreme departure from his other books.Michael is a mob enforcer an hit man who has killed many people. In the beginning of the book he tries to retire. This sets off a whole series of events involving Michael, his pregnant girl friend, and his brother.Mr Hart has tried to make Michael a likeable and sympathetic character and has only partially suceeded. He explains the things that made michael what he is.It was Michael's lack of remorse for the deaths that he casued of any ill gotten gains that ultimately ruined him as a character for me. It was hard to be too sympathetic toward him. I thought had he shown remorse it would have been much better.Abigail is also a comples and ultimately strange character

Changed the ending. There were at least two lead characters who should not have been free at the end. Michael as I have said needed to show remorse.

everything. He is excellent.

yes, but very unlike John Hart's other books, For all of its faults it was impossible to stop listening to.

Not for anyone who likes a tidy ending and ultimate justice.

can't say for sure-did not read the print version. What I can say for sure is that the narrarator was fantastic. As improbable as it seems with his grasp on the material it came to life and I could almost believe that I was really listening to Chet (the dog) tellling the story. "Bet the ranch on it, amigo"

it was not great literature just a fun story that diverted me for 10 plus hours. Seeing the world from the point of view of a dog with a mystery thrown in can be lots of fun.

everything- He captures the personality of Chet and his inflections were wonderful

It made me laught over and over.

If you are looking for Shakespeare-the wrong book. If you would like an intelligent, light, and worthwhile diversion then let Chet invite you into his world. The "nation within the nation." is a great place to visit.

yes, I would recommend it. it is the story of a woman who through a series of circumstances, some of her making, finds herself a well paid suburban madam. When the book begins a woman with the same occupation a few towns over has been found dead, Is it murder? Is there a connection? And how did the main cgaracter, Heloise, get to where she is in life?

I never quite knew where it was going. It was very simplistic yet it really held me. I could put it down but enjoyed picking it up again.

Heloise, the main character dominated the book and was in every scene, so if had to be her.

easily

A different kind of story not really a mystery or romance but more of a "why this happened this way." It is a sympathetic portrait of a suburban madam with many interesting curves along the way to the not very surprising yet satisfying conclusion.

If I were only interested in the Spanish Civil War it would have been fantastic fiction. I thought that I was reading about espionage. This was more political than espionage. Worn torn Spain was the main character. If I had known that I would not have listenened to the book.

I hated it but understood it.

He was excellent.

to be more careful in what I listen too. Mr Sansom's other series was fantastic. I liked espionage and thought that was what I was getting. I feel misled.

The main characters, two out of three, were weak and not that interesting. This is a book about the atrocity that was the Spanish Civil War. As a historical document it is probably excellent.
I was looking for escapist fiction and clearly picked the wrong novel.

the archaeological insights

yes

he is the best Silva narrator to date.

yes

I have read all of Daniel Silva's books and like them very much. He has set the bar very high. This one did not come as close to books like "The Defector" or "The Prince of Fire." It rambled and had an extremely implausible story. Too many underdevloped themes in one novel. Silva is still well worth reading.