Don

The story may have been saved by a narrator that had the talent to infuse some life into the characters but even that fell flat. I got the sense that someone did extensive research on dog training and then quickly assembled a formulaic storyline around that research to justify the effort. The resulting main characters are lifeless and the story lacks any real suspense. Too bad because there was a lot of potential here but the author and the narrator didn't lay down a good effort.

In other Nora Roberts novels I've been able to "see" the caracters in my mind's eye but not this one. I read other reviews that referred to this book posessing the sharp repartee between the characters but I must disagree. If that saving grace was ever present it was flattened by the narrator.

There are many good Nora Roberts books out there to be read or listened to but this isn't one of them.

Kellgren deserves every bit of praise she receives for her multi-voiced narration that gains both charm and steam as she works through the harrowing beginnings of an orphan who is long on grit and talent but short on common sense. Kellgren has us careening along with Jackie on this wonderful ride. Heroes and villians are read with equal verve and the settings and scenery are described and read with such detail that visualizing the story, characters, and time made bloody Jack one of my favorite listens.

After several tries I finally got through this good story. The narrator needs to find other work or maybe a gallon or two of black coffee before work. It ruins the... suspense when one... pauses every third... word for no... apparent reason.

I enjoyed a book by this author so much I went for another and the story was equally well written. It was not equally well read. If one can get past the flat monotone of the reader then there's an enjoyable adventure here. If you're put off by someone who reads an action or romantic scene as if they were reading a manual on how to strip and rebuild an engine then skip it and go to the next book in this series. You will not be dissapointed.