A Cool Breeze on the Underground

By: Don Winslow

Narrated by: Joe Barrett

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

“One of America’s greatest storytellers.” (Stephen King)

Neal Carey is not your usual private eye. A graduate student at Columbia University, he grew up on the streets of New York, usually on the wrong side of the law. Then he met a PI who introduced him to the Bank, an exclusive institution with a sideline in keeping its wealthy clients happy and out of trouble. They pay Neal’s college tuition, and Neal gets an education that can’t be found in any textbook, from learning how to trail a suspect to mastering the proper way to search a room.

Now it’s payback time. The Bank wants Neal to put his skills to work in finding Allie Chase, the rebellious teenage daughter of a prominent senator. The problem is that she’s gone underground in the London punk scene. To get her back, Neal has to follow her into a violent netherworld where drugs run rampant and rage is the name of the game.

©1991 Don Winslow (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A fresh voice, immensely likeable....Winslow shows he's got what it takes to hook a reader....Where he goes next with Neal is anyone's guess, but it's bound to be a great ride." (Mystery Scene)
"A flair for language, quick wit, and detail complete a winning first novel." (Library Journal)
"Winslow keeps his plot moving quickly despite many twists and turns." (Pittsburgh Press)

Refreshing

My first but definitely not last read of Don Winslow. All of the action, excitement, and plot twists one would expect but the literary construction and funny tongue in cheek humor were unexpected bonuses.

Good listen

I enjoyed the book . It was the right length. I just felt that title did not exactly match the content but overall I Will recommend.

How to be a expert Con/PI

What made the experience of listening to A Cool Breeze on the Underground the most enjoyable?

The characters are what I enjoyed most about this story, Neal a child living on his own with a a junky most is adopted by the street smart dwarf who shows him the tricks of survival and the con.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Cool Breeze on the Underground?

I enjoyed the conclusion the best in your face you dirty abusing politician. Lost of twists and turns and back door dealing.

Which character – as performed by Joe Barrett – was your favorite?

I actually enjoyed Colin.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Neal was shot.

Any additional comments?

I purchased this book as the deal of the day, I was glad I did. I have never listened to this author in the past and it was worth more than I paid which was a treat.

Great luck finding Don Winslow

This is my second Don Winslow book and I'm about to buy a few more. His fast paced storytelling coupled with memorable characters and the extraordinary knowledge you'll gain in all manner of offbeat subjects makes him my favorite author.

Early Winslow, unpolished

You can tell this is one of Winslow's early works. He needed more practice. So did the narrator. Not worth the time.

Excellent listen

Very good story, excellent writing, amazing narration.
The story is engaging, moves at the right pace, does not overreach. The characters are developed and multidimensional. I got invested in the story, cared about the characters and the story was difficult to pause.
The narrator does a masterful job with the different characters and accents.
I have downloaded the rest of the series on Audible.
I tend to search for books by genre or author first, then look at story. I will add this narrator as a search/filter point.

worth a read

good book had its moments worth a read/listen. plot is somewhat dated would have been a bit better in its day still contains enough twists to keep you engaged.

Disappointed

I like most of Don Winslow’s books but not this early book. Silly throughout. I lasted about halfway.

Loved it!

Best characters I’ve encountered in many a book. Thank you for a great story. I’ll be looking for mor Winslow!!

Audible Junkie

First book from this author. Judge for yourself. I enjoyed the book...good characters and interesting twist.