Death Qualified

A Barbara Holloway Novel

By: Kate Wilhelm

Narrated by: Anna Fields

Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Five years ago Barbara Holloway gave up practicing law, disillusioned with a profession that put politics before justice. Then she receives a phone call, with a simple message: "I need you."

Nell Kendricks's husband disappeared seven years earlier, abandoning his young family. Nell hasn't seen him since, until the day Lucas Kendricks arrives at the edge of her property and is shot, instantly killed.

Accused of his murder, Nell turns to lawyer Frank Holloway for help. But Frank knows he cannot win this case alone. He calls upon his daughter Barbara, who remains "death qualified," legally able to defend clients who face the death penalty if convicted.

Barbara is determined to stay distanced from the case, but the more she learns, the more questions she finds herself asking. Is Nell innocent, as Frank attests? Where has Lucas Kendricks been for the past seven years? Despite her vow, Barbara finds herself drawn to the case and reclaims the search for truth that first led her to the law.

It's legal: download more of Barbara Holloway's cases.

©1991 Kate Wilhelm (P)2003 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Wilhelm is a masterful storyteller whose novels have just the right blend of solid plot, compelling mystery, and great courtroom drama." (Library Journal)

HOURS WASTED

First there are at least six sections of repetitious script read. If you like a book that sucks you in and drops you with the ending, you’ll love this one! Thirty eight chapters—HOURS WASTED.

Not as good as I wanted it to Be, very confusing .

struggle to keep reading the book I kept going back hoping to get a clear vision on some of the characters even though the narrator has a good voice there was a lot of her repeating a paragraph for some lines as if she had forgotten her place when the new chapter began.

Repeated text

Many spots that repeated throughout the book. Weird. Interesting story but a bit drug out.

LANGUAGE TOO STRONG

I loved the story however, as a Christian the language was so awful! Think about all audiences. Thanks

disappointed and frustrated

there was too much technological info which I listened to but I was really disappointed and frustrated with rhe ending.

Death Qualified

A Bit repetitive but i enjoy her books overall. I live in Oregon so it feels like home.

twist and turn

listening to this book was a bit hard at first. I guess because it felt slow but with a few twist and turns from the storyline it became interesting. sometimes you could predict where it was going and then it goes off somewhere. all in all a good listen. I personally would speed up the audio a bit.

Hated the ending

I loved this book right up to the ending. Not fair! Just left hanging. No resolution

Excellent Book ? Poor Mastering

I loved the story and was sorry to see it end. However, I would have preferred a happier ending. Wilhelm gives us enough detail about the characters and the setting that we have no trouble imagining them.

The mastering, though was very poor! In quite a few places, a paragraph was repeated. Also, I had to download both parts of the book twice because the originals were completely garbled from some point into each part until the end.

Get out the Tissues

What did you love best about Death Qualified?

great story, mystery with a who dunnit, and of course a bit of romance.

What other book might you compare Death Qualified to and why?

Best Defense, by same author. Good story teller. You will be glued to your listening devise.

What about Anna Fields’s performance did you like?

I purchase as many of the late great Ms Fields stories that I can. Her voice is so very much missed. Her male voices are my fave, but she always brings out each and every character as the author wanted. See Susan Elizabeth Phillips with Anna reading them.

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

The ending just blew me away and left me heartsick for our heroine. It took me two days after listening to write this review.

Any additional comments?

the author is good, but a bit more internal introspection than I like. If ms fields did not read these, I would not buy more. I have purchased 5 of this author that ms fields read.
I have 3 more to listen. This is a must listen and do buy Best Denfense as it is not as dark, frankly better as you have a happier ending. Good clues.