Carl

First let me say that the reader is swell so all further comments are inspite of him.

As for the story, it sucks. There are legions of fans for these books and it is a huge mystery to me why. The jokes are lame, the humor is bland, and the satire is a joke on any reader who dishes out money to pay for this garbage.

However most British comedies are not funny to me except for the likes of Mr. Bean which uses almost no language to be funny... which is probably why I like it.

However if you are a British humor fan then you might find this the oppisite of all I have said.

Fun book with Dan Brown's typical edge of your seat ride while feeding you bits of history, art, and science so that you feel so that you've learned something not just passed time. Most of the book takes place in Florence and Mr. Brown is the best "tourist guide" in the business. The theme of the book is based on Dante's Inferno which is a boring read yet Brown makes it relevant to today, shows the influence it has had over time, and helps bring to light medieval Italy. Unlike his last book who's ending was a bit of a disappointment and the message was a bit "new age" this one is a surprise till the end. Also it deals with a issue few really like to talk about as the reason for most of the worlds environmental and even political problems. Anyway it's a fun listen so what are you waiting for.

Don't come looking for mytery in this series except for the first few books. This one started in a way I thought would have some but what "mysteries" there were were anti-climatic and predictable which is why I give the story 3 stars.

However the reason to spend time with the series are the characters and Precious Ramotswe. Precious is the mother I wish I had, the preacher that every church should have, and she is the fire that is the best in the human race. Spending time with her is life affirming, funny, and makes you appreciate the simple things we all take for granted. These books are about the characters, the place, the ADD way of telling a story, and the special people we never notice but that make the world a better place.

I typically like my "mysteries" with tough guys, bloodshed, fighting, and thrills but Precious Ramotswe is one of the few exceptions. I like to think I'm a bit of a tough guy but these stories can always bring tears to my eyes.

The only thing I wish is that Mr. Smith would have Precious Ramotswe actually solving mysteries because they are the most fun, she solves them in the funniest ways, and resolves the threats without compassion. I thought the series was ending with the last novel but I'm glad I was wrong.

I thought the Keller series ended with the last novel and I'm glad I was wrong. The cold quirky killer is back and I love it. Not your typical assassin novel. The story is more about the quirky views and habits of a almost lovable killer. Always fun.

Thought I was getting a Joe Pike/Elvis Cole adventure and was greatly suprised I got this book which turned out to be a lot of fun. Reader is great. Story about wounded cop and wounded military dog was a great idea. Story was a bit predictable and lead character seemed a bit to polite and nice to be real but it made you care about him. Try the book even if Noe and Elvis are not in it.

I am often hesitant of woman mystery writers because often they are a bit soap operaish and to nice. Boy Did Gillian Flynn blow that view apart. First let me say the prose is amazing. If you've ever had a long relationship that desolves you'd think she was often speaking just to you. Her imagery is also incredible and makes everything seem so real and personal. Then there is the story. Wow. Amazing. A book you'll carry around a long time. Readers are also fantastic. Story takes a little bit to hook you then not even therapy can keep you away from the train wreck. Great listen.

Great Reader. Story starts slow but slowly picks up and by halfway you are stuck. Ms. Joyce use of language is almost poetry. A few parts of the book become a bit far fetched but ultimately serves the story well and gives it a lot more punch. Not a book you will soon forget and one just ripe for a movie.

I typically hate stories with unlikeable and boring main characters. It's particularly bad when the reader is not very good. The reader uses the same voice for all characters and moves between them without pause. Only got a few hours into book before I ended the suffering.

Harry Bosch stories tend to generally be a bit on the dry side until the action starts to pick up towards the end of the book... with rare exceptions... which is why I rate it a 4 (also Harry is not that colorful or exciting a character). However the stories are solid, realistic, and proving of the point that police work is 95% boring and 5% fear/excitment. The way the author also builts a case from what seems like no evidence is always amazing. If you like Harry this is another good one. Reader is excellent.

Fun listen but it is a bit too long as other Scandinavian books I've listen to tend to be. Book is nothing like Girl With a Dragon Tattoo as one reviewer suggested (and actually influenced me to buy it) except both are mystery novels. To suggest they are similar is to suggest all detective novels are like the Sherlock Holmes collection. Main detective character is not one that is easy to care about and it being too long are the only reasons I did not give it five stars. The story however is very original, I love that it is in Denmark (a country from which I have never read a story before), and the great reader make it a worthwhile purchase.

A bit of a ghost story mystery which is unusual for Michael Connelly who's stories tend to be "no nonsense". However it is fun even if only a short story.