Breach of Trust

By: David Ellis

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Jason Kolarich has spent the past year struggling to recover from the horrific deaths of his wife and baby daughter. On the night of their deaths, Kolarich was at the office, awaiting a call from a confidential informant named Ernesto Ramirez — a call that never came. Kolarich blames himself not only for the deaths of his wife and child, but for the informant’s murder as well. He can’t bring back his family, but he can find out who killed Ramirez and bring the killer to justice.

Unfortunately, Kolarich’s guns-blazing approach to justice lands him smack in the middle of an FBI probe of a deeply corrupt governor and his cronies. To avoid jail, Kolarich must enter a world of wiretaps, double-dealing, and kickbacks, where he soon discovers that the murder of his informant was only the tip of the iceberg. This breach of trust runs up to the highest levels of power, and exposing it may drag Kolarich into the fight of his life.

©2011 David Ellis (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Excellent Story - Fiction Following Reality

What did you love best about Breach of Trust?

The fact that the premise and situations were so believable. It was a primer for Illinois state-level government, even though it was fictional.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Breach of Trust?

The scene of Jason in the warehouse was riveting.

Which character – as performed by Luke Daniels – was your favorite?

Charlie Cimino.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did not really experience any extreme reactions, but the action was constant, so the emotional points were many.

An unexpected find

I downloaded this book, having never heard of the author as an audiobook special. I was very glad I did, I thoroughly enjoyed it, the main character marched to the beat of his own drum and you never knew what he was going to do next, and it was a book that gave a good representation of the shades of grey in people.

Driving plot line

And a real driver is at the helm. This isn't terrific fiction, but you won't hate yourself for listening to it. It's a big sprawling plot with our hero cruising an obstacle course between corruption and evil.He's everybody's target, but he's nobody's fool, without being comically bulletproof. There's real suspense and real tension here. Loved the narrator.

High Potential settles for the Middle Ground.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I don't feel like the time spent listening to this book is time that I regret, but it was very much a "once and done" listen for me. The narrative was interesting, but Ellis had a tendency to repeat himself. I was repeatedly given the main character's justifications for various actions several times. This can be helpful in a long novel, if appropriately spaced out, as a reminder to readers of events that may have seemed insignificant or were only briefly mentioned. But there were several instances of repeat information spaced only a chapter or two apart. To me, this feels like filler. Or like the author doesn't trust his audience.

Overall, the story was interesting and I wanted to know how it ended. But I also was able to piece together the mystery and still had about 2 or 3 hours to go before it was officially presented to me as a reader. That made those hours seem pretty hollow, and drained the excitement out of the narrative.

What about Luke Daniels’s performance did you like?

I am a huge fan of Daniels, and honestly picked this book up because I was looking for more of his work. He did a great job, though I admit the narrative didn't give him as much to work with as other performances I've listened to.

Any additional comments?

Overall, I will make the assumption that the issues that grated on me are just part of Ellis' style. So if you like his previous works, go ahead and pick this up. If you're a newcomer looking to scratch an itch, I would probably recommend that you look elsewhere.

A good racy intriguing read!

If you could sum up Breach of Trust in three words, what would they be?

Gripping, thought provoking.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, you knew it was there but didn't know when it would be acted on.

Have you listened to any of Luke Daniels’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Thrilling story

Would you consider the audio edition of Breach of Trust to be better than the print version?

Have not read the printed version

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Unpredictable story

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

Sound effects

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laugh at some points in the book.

Any additional comments?

No more comments

Real Entertainment

I read a lot of mystery/thrillers. This book is among the best of the current offerings. It is entertaining, full stop. The narration is excellent. The story line is improbable but one has to suspend disbelief to enjoy this genre. I will read the remainder of the series to see if Ellis can repeat this success.

If you think you know what will happen? You don't.

What made the experience of listening to Breach of Trust the most enjoyable?

It was performed well. It always kept you on your feet.

What other book might you compare Breach of Trust to and why?

Harlen Coben -Shelter. Both main characters do the right thing.

What about Luke Daniels’s performance did you like?

He is Great!

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

Keeps you guessing all the way through!

Any additional comments?

Awesome Book!!!!

Good Read- kept me listening

Any additional comments?

I liked this book- it kept you guessing how the main character would get out of his mess by the end of the book. It was about corruption and trying to do the right thing. I enjoy this type of book but had never read this author before.

Good courtroom drama

I've read three by Ellis now, and have liked them all. They unwind slowly to reveal a complex plot and the courtroom drama is the capstone. So far, I can highly recommend the Ellis books.