Deeper than the Dead

By: Tami Hoag

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Tami Hoag is in a class by herself, beloved by audiences and critics alike, with more than 22 million copies of her books in print. With Hoag's first novel for Dutton, she proves anew why the Chicago Tribune called her "one of the most intense suspense writers around."

California, 1984. Three children, running in the woods behind their school, stumble upon a partially buried female body, eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn't yet realize is that this will mark the end of innocence for an entire community, as the ties that bind families and friends are tested by secrets uncovered in the wake of a serial killer's escalating activity.

Detective Tony Mendez, fresh from a law enforcement course at FBI headquarters, is charged with interpreting those now revealed secrets. He's using a new technique-profiling-to develop a theory of the case, a strategy that pushes him ever deeper into the lives of the three children, and closer to the young teacher whose interest in recent events becomes as intense as his own.

As new victims are found and the media scrutiny of the investigation bears down on them, both Mendez and Navarre are unsure if those who suffer most are the victims themselves-or the family and friends of the killer, blissfully unaware that someone very close to them is a brutal, calculating psychopath.

©2009 Tami Hoag (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

“[A] nail-biting thriller…Once again, bestselling Hoag plots craftily and creates characters readers root for.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)

“Hoag's first-rate exploration of her characters imbues Deeper than the Dead with compelling plot twists.” (South Florida Sun-Sentinel)

“There's a truly terrifying serial killer at the heart of Hoag's...page-turner...the chilling premise and exciting twists make Hoag's latest a thriller in every sense of the word.” (Booklist)

“Bestseller Hoag (Kill the Messenger) ventures into serial killer territory with results sure to please her many fans.” (Publishers Weekly)

One of the best

I've listened to a lot of books, this was one of the best stories I've heard in a while. I think it would have made a great series.

Deeper than the Dead is a good whodunit book

Would you listen to Deeper Than the Dead again? Why?

No, because I know who the killer is now.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Deeper Than the Dead?

When she opened the present and saw the pendant belonging to the dead girl

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

She brings the personalities to life more.

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

Whwn the child was hiding in the back of the car and saw his father (the Killer), he named the man the shadow as he could not relate this person to his father. That was heartbreaking

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this book and wasn't sure who did it until the end

Excellent

I Loved this from start to finish!! One of the best I've listened to. I can't wait for the next in this series. Thank for a great listen!

I'm glad I came back to reading Hoag

Where does Deeper Than the Dead rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best books i've listened too in years. i was a big Hoag fan in the 90s and actually ran out of books (i had read everything she had written). Then i started reading other authors and eventually quit reading fiction all together. After many years I decided to download a Hoag book. I got sucked into the Oakknoll series, Love the characters and the plots! listening to two a week right now.

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

Kirsten Potter is great! I am not certain i've listened to her before this series, but will remember her name.

really enjoyed it!!!

What did you love best about Deeper Than the Dead?

I really liked the narrator, also I really enjoyed Hoag's way of writing and getting into all kinds of details about the story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really enjoyed all the kids, because they gave the whole story a totally different angle.

Which scene was your favorite?

I really enjoyed the way the story begins with all the kids being at school and their world being totally in place, their biggest problem being the fact, that one of them is a bully and that Tommy does not stand up for himself.

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

I was shocked about the way Tommy's mother reacted upon hearing what had happened to the kids throughout the day. I thought that it was crazy a mother could act like this and how she was being awful.

Any additional comments?

I think that this story is a great listen, as well as probably amazing to read. I really enjoyed the narrator, who in my opinion read at the perfect speed and did read anything too dramatically or got too deep into the story. A great audiobook.

OMG!!

Great story, kept my avid attention all the way. I would definitely recommend this one!

Thrilling and entertaining! Very good!

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

Intriguing; Surprising; Thrilling

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

The book moved forward at a great pace because you got to 'feel' what each character was feeling and how they interacted with other characters really pulled me into the story.

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

Her rendition of the people was very believable using the appropriate cadence for each character giving them their own personality. I love her capacity to make Vince such an interesting character. He was my favorite!

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

Yes! Although I can't spent that much time sitting, I would have if I could have.

Any additional comments?

This was my first Tami Hoag audio book, although not my first Tami Hoag book, which was just as terrific as all the others I've read. If there's ever a sequel to this book, I would love to hear it, perhaps a story from Tommy's perspective as an adult in present day, maybe if he chose a career as an F.B.I. agent due to his past experiences.

Awesome, a teacher who really cares. Murder?

Geez, the cops kid is really crazy! Poor child has so much anger in his short life of freedom. Thank God for the teachers who care about the welfare of our students.

This is an excellent book.

starts off a little slow but ends with pace

This book started a bit slow for my crime drama liking, but the twists and turns of the story picked up the pace about a third of the way through and it was an interesting listen for which I would make time to enjoy.

Moments of suspense & excitement ...

Overall, pretty mediocre mentality in writing- characters painfully superficial, predictable stereotypes. This writer has plot potential, but needs some big time seasoning to enrich her insights, humor, dimension of characters & their interactional interest.