Alex

When I read the other posts here, I have to assume the other reviewers have read a different book.

Characters behave stupidly and without proper motivation. You quickly grow to hate the accused, Katie, whom we presume the author would like us to sympathize with. As Katie is her own most determined enemy, doing everything imaginable to ruin her own case and credibility, that isn't easy. Furthermore, we are supposed to believe her constant, whiney self-justifications and endless prevarications neatly cohabitate with the honest and self-effacing character of the Amish. By the time the book is half done, I was so disgusted with this character (and others), I was actually rooting for the prosecution.

Worse, the author built such a fragile plot that a single question, one any intelligent five year old could have posed at any number of points, would have brought down the whole house of cards. The holes are too many to list, but suffice to say we're asked to believe a hot-shot lawyer couldn't see what is laughably apparent to the reader. We're also asked to believe that this lawyer, who didn't want the case in the first place, would put up with the constant lying and betrayals of her own client, making her equally unlikable as a character.

This book insulted my intelligence in almost every scene. It was not helped by the halting, melodramatic reading that made the characters appear even dumber than they might otherwise. But let's not blame the messenger. This isn't a 'who-dunnit' so much as a 'who cares'. The crime isn't in the book- the crime IS the book.

I took a flier on this book- there were no written reviews when I purchased it- and I'm very glad I did. The best book I've listened to in a very long time (I have hundreds of audiobooks)

Scott's tale crackles with energy, with a driven character who stops at nothing to achieve his ends. His thorough knowledge of sailing and the intense war his protagonist wages for survival at sea is enough by itself to keep you riveted.

Vietor's narration too is spot on- no wooden deliveries, no histrionics or overwrought voice acting, he strikes the perfect tone, allowing the listener to enjoy the story in a voice that seems perfectly in tune to the material. A reading one might imagine the author would have it read. Outstanding.