Birthdays for the Dead

By: Stuart MacBride

Narrated by: Ian Hanmore

Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

The gritty new standalone crime novel from the No. 1 best-selling author of Shatter the Bones and Dark Blood

Detective Constable Ash Henderson has a dark secret…

Five years ago his daughter, Rebecca, went missing on the eve of her 13th birthday. A year later the first card arrived: homemade, with a Polaroid picture stuck to the front – Rebecca, strapped to a chair, gagged and terrified. Every year another card: each one worse than the last. The tabloids call him The Birthday Boy. He’s been snatching girls for 12 years, always in the run-up to their 13th birthday, sending the families his homemade cards showing their daughters being slowly tortured to death. But Ash hasn’t told anyone about Rebecca’s birthday cards – they all think she’s just run away from home – because if anyone finds out, he’ll be taken off the investigation. And he’s sacrificed too much to give up before his daughter’s killer gets what he deserves…

©2012 Stuart MacBride (P)2011 HarperCollins

Prefer Logan McCrae series

While I love the Logan McCrae series which has so many great characters. I couldn't get into this books as much. McCrae series has dark stories they also have quirky characters that bring humor.

Happy to hear that Ash will be back

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, but to those who have a strong stomach. Jo Nesbo fans maybe. Terrific suspense, great storytelling with a dose of dark humor.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yeah, it was just about impossible to put down.

Any additional comments?

Terrific reader. The lead character is the kind of flawed anti-hero I like to read about. Really wanted to hear what happened to him next, and to his profiler. Was very pleased when I checked the author's website to see that another Ash Henderson novel will be out in January. Yeah, the book was pretty violent, but no worse than Val MacDermid or Jo Nesbo or others I could name. And this was more entertaining than most.

Good Story. Asks too much of the reader.

I read almost everything. I really enjoy MacBride's Logan McRae books. I love the gritty local color of the Scottish police department in Aberdeen. I thought this was another Logan book and I enjoyed the character Ash- Although I can't condone his ask-questions-later style and it's not really working for him in this his first book. With all the positives of this novel, I remain unhappy but I respect the writer's skill.

Fairly predictable but enjoyable.

I love how MacBride writes!! It’s quirky, funny and the character descriptions are always over the top. I liked Ash and the violence didn’t bother me as it has other readers. If you like MacBride, you’ll enjoy this.

Riveting

Would you consider the audio edition of Birthdays for the Dead to be better than the print version?

Listening to Ian while I read, kept me aware of each of the characters and personalities

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alice was my favorite character. She started out quirky but ended up fierce.

What does Ian Hanmore bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Ian brought each of the characters to life and I totally enjoyed listening to him.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Ash....you bastardo

Fantastic!

Exciting! Impossible to put down! Stuart MacBride (whom I've never read before) is at the top with other European crime authors. The narration is also fine. You'll not be disappointed!

Birthdays for the Dead

I want a t-shirt that says "I survived listening to Birthdays for the Dead." It was very good, but, yikes, it was difficult listening on occasion.

Excellently written book

If you could sum up Birthdays for the Dead in three words, what would they be?

There's something (brilliant) about the style of this story telling.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Birthdays for the Dead?

I liked those parts where he made me laugh loudly. And those were many. I promise you will like the psychologist Alice McDonnald helping to solve the case. She was soooooo weird but in such a cute way you could not resist liking her. After many situations where she was portrayed like a total nut they visited retired Henry Anderson another psychologist another individual in his cabin. She again did not miss a chance to prove she is a total case which made Henry raise his eyebrow and say "Ain't she delightfully quirky?". Then later several chapters when chasing the suspect and facing a dangerous situation Ash (the main character) stressed her no to do something reckless and she said "I'm delightfully quirky not stupid!".

What does Ian Hanmore bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I wont be able to read it with Scottish accent. It was great to listen that one for a change. He gave the characters life and spark which I would not be able based on my experience. It requires certain theatrical skills and craft to sustain the personality of a character by speaking their parts. He was incredibly coherent through out the book.

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

Yes there was. But I cant write about it without revealing the story.

Any additional comments?

If you are afraid that you will be faced by long and cruel descriptions of harming innocent girls than this will not happen. You have to be however a bit stronger to accept certain parts but for most part of the book you will be following investigation. There will be a certain amount of disturbing moments so be prepared. I was a little bit worried after reading some previous reviews that my stomach may not digest this book but it was not that bad. Probably it depends on what've you read before what films you've watched and what violence you've seen before so for a moderate crime reader this should be all right. To be honest I was much more disturbed by watching film Seven with Brad Pitt. I am not giving 5 stars to this book because I will give 5 only to few books which made a really long lasting and influential impression on me. One of those books which are 5 for me are Stieg Larsson's - Girl with a Dragoon Tattoo and Godfather by Mario Puzzo.

An enthralling book

If you could sum up Birthdays for the Dead in three words, what would they be?

Best of MacBride

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ash Henderson as he was tough and uncompromising however he also was vulnerable

Which character – as performed by Ian Hanmore – was your favorite?

Ash Henderson

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Cold blooded killer operating in the cold of Scotland

Any additional comments?

Very well read - I was thoroughly entertained

Tedious violence

This piece is generally entertaining--especially the police profiler--and very well read, but the repeated and prolonged descriptions of physical assaults became tedious.