M Jane

I found this book and the bonus that follows rather average. It was entertaining enough that I didn't stop listening, but did not find it as engrossing as some of the better audiobooks on Audible. I've truly enjoyed Deaver's work in the past, so was caught off guard by the **yawn** content. If I were an editor and this was a first effort, not even sure I'd publish this story that never makes the reader care much about the characters. If you're in for a long commute or otherwise need diversion, it will do. If you're hoping for great, gripping prose or intellectual stim -- nope!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed, the story gripping, and the scifi in keeping with King's other greats. I see that some complained about the story getting off to a "slow start." Not only is the first third to half of the book about character development and building suspense, it is also a drama that is a great read even if the book never moved to the supernatural thriller that ensues. The narrative is high quality and not at all distracting, with multiple true characters done well. The only reason I give this 4 rather than 5 stars is that Steven King is a guilty pleasure rather than a great novelist. He relies heavily on the ingredients found in so many of his previous works, so this is in part a formula horror/scifi book of his. Well worth the listen and the price!

I highly recommend this novel. The characters are vivid, thanks in part to the performance given by Simon Vance; they linger with me well beyond the book's end. The story has plenty of surprises. I also enjoyed the setting in Sweden, which adds an exotic flavor for those of us who'd like to travel more than we do. Murder mystery at its finest!