Backfire: An FBI Thriller, Book 16

By: Catherine Coulter

Narrated by: Jim Meskimen, Deanna Hurst

Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

For what you did you deserve this.

The mysterious note delivered to FBI agent Dillon Savich has him and his partner, Lacey Sherlock, on edge, just as they’re starting an investigation into the shooting of their longtime friend Ramsey Hunt. The San Francisco judge was shot in the back during a high-profile murder trial—and now Sherlock's and Savich’s search for the truth will take a shocking turn that no one could have seen coming…

©2012 Catherine Coulter (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

HAVE NOT READ YET DO NOT KNOW HOW

TO CLEAR STARS CAN SOME ONE TELL ME HOW TO DO IT

WOULD APPRECIATE IT
THANKS IN ADVANCE

two narrators ruined this for me

The decision to have two narrators -- one male, one female -- read this book seems to me a bad production call. The guy says something, then the woman reader interjects (in her simpering delivery) "...he said. Then he sighed..." and the guy continues to read the male part. The material seems trite enough to begin with, but this tradeoff between dueling narrators -- in the course of a single *sentence* for crying out loud -- made this unlistenable for me. I remember enjoying several of Catherine Coulter's earlier novels so I gave this one a try. Maybe if it had been more professionally produced I would have liked this one too. But I'll never know. I deleted it after 30 minutes of "...he said..." alternate-reader interruptions.

Couldn't get past the performance

What disappointed you about Backfire?

Even if the story was a little bit interesting --and granted I didn't get very far into it-- the first time Deanna Hurst did her "little kid voice" I was done. Unfortunately, I had to hear that a few more times before being able to safely turn off the audio (I was driving a winding road). Never another Coulter, and I'll be sure to think twice before giving this narrator another go.

Not worth your time

Would you try another book from Catherine Coulter and/or Jim Meskimen and Deanna Hurst ?

Bad story, ridiculous dialog - really don't waste your time.

What could Catherine Coulter have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

People don't really talk like this.

Not a Bad Story, But...

The story line wasn't bad, but a bit predictable. It certainly didn't have me riveted to my earbuds. The thing I really didn't like was the canned "Eve said", "Harry said", "Sherlock said", etc. of the narration. I suppose the both male and female narration added to the audiobook and the text had to be read verbatim, but it sounded as if the "So and so said" phrases were recorded separately as inserted as needed. I found this very repetitive and distracting.

Not worth the listen.

Any additional comments?

TECHNICAL: I couldn’t bear to listen to this poorly structured and very unpleasing recording. Not sure how much of the problem was the producer and how much was due to the pitiful voice acting.
PERFORMANCE: Bad, bad voice actors. Replete with abrupt and jarring transitions. PS: this was not listed as a dramatization. [Folks, I hope you will be more careful about the projects you choose in the future.]
STORY: Terrible, terrible dialog. URG! Weak story/plot. I will avoid her work from here on out.

Narrator: chalk on board

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Have someone else read the book.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I really couldnt listen past 3 hours.

Would you be willing to try another one of Jim Meskimen and Deanna Hurst ’s performances?

Jim Meskimen - yes. Deanna Hurst - never again, unless she promises to never do a child voice again in her life

Couldn't get past the production

I almost never give up on a book. I can usually muddle through the most challenging writing so that my review is based on the complete work. Not this time. I didn't make it past chapter 10. Using multiple narrators is usually a good thing but in this case it's just irritating. This story just never caught my attention. I've been trying to get through this book for a year. I give up.

THE WORST NARRATION I HAVE VER HEARD

What disappointed you about Backfire?

THE NARRATION ON BACK FIRE MAKES YOU WANT TO GRAB YOUR I POD AND THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW. I LISTEN TO TONS OF BOOKS BUT THIS IS PERHAPS THE WORST NARRATED BOOK THAT I HAVE EVER PURCHASED. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A BOOK WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL DOING THE READING. THIS WAS A COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY

Would you be willing to try another one of Jim Meskimen and Deanna Hurst ’s performances?

ABSOLUTELY NOT

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Backfire?

CUT THE HORRIBLE BABBY TALK OUT OF THE BOOK. IT SOUNDS TERRIBLE

Any additional comments?

DO NOT BY THIS BOOK IT IS TERRIBLE

Narration is terrible

Would you try another book from Catherine Coulter and/or Jim Meskimen and Deanna Hurst ?

I love Catherine's FBI books but I couldn't get into this one but the narration and baby voices killed it. I wanted to hit something every time. After a while it seemed all I could hear were the children and those horrible voices instead of the adults so I gave up.

Has Backfire turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

How could the performance have been better?

Lose the baby voices and listen to what kind of crap you are turning out.