Fast Money: A Shelby Nichols Adventure

By: Colleen Helme

Narrated by: Wendy Tremont King

Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Ready for more fun than you can imagine? Meet Shelby Nichols, mind-reader extraordinaire!

Ever wonder what it's like to be a millionaire?

Finding a deposit of five million dollars might be a dream come true if it didn't come from a mob-boss.

When word gets out, all kinds of people are after Shelby for a piece of the money. Even her mind-reading skills won't be enough to keep her out of danger, and her survival becomes a matter of life and death.

Can she figure out who to trust in time? Or will this fast money be the end of Shelby Nichols?

Get it now.

USA Today and Wall Street Journal best-selling author Colleen Helme offers a clever mix of mystery, laugh-out-loud humor, and pause-resisting adventure in the highly acclaimed Shelby Nichols Adventure Series.

©2011 Colleen Helme (P)2013 Colleen Helme

Nice to hear parents who are I love with each other.

These are fun, light and breezy stories. Shelby could be a bit less naïve but hopefully Chris can help her grow and to listen to his advise, occasionally. They adore each other and make a very nice team. Looking forward to the whole series.

A Hit!

Well, it is official, I like this series. In this installment Shelby is more in control of ability. Instead of looking like a bumbling blond and falling into circumstances, she uses her abilities on her terms. She works with an alphabet of governmental agencies, local, national and international and receives a few job offerings. She leaves them scratching their heads in how she does what she does.

There is action. The action of Shelby running from trouble or into trouble. You don’t have the running and shooting a gun while rolling over a car, but there are some gun shots. She should have whip lash from turning her head side to side trying to hear a thought or recognize a face.

Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum character has more than 22 book about her escapades and she still cannot handle a gun. Shelby decided to change her circumstances and was lighting people up with a taser, buying a gun and her gun has bullets.

She has a stable loving relationship. She gives Chris headaches but they stay together. In many books, when a women circumstances changes, she can no longer have a happy family life. Kuddos to Colleen Helme for not falling into that trap. Also, kudos for making the words, “how long before the kids get home” the most sexist words. Everything does not have to have the sexual explicitness of 50 Shades of Gray.

I still have a problem with her inability to blabbering / answering people before they ask a question. Like how hard can that be Shelby? Look at their mouth and if words do not come out, close your mouth.

can't wait to finish this book

Where does Fast Money: A Shelby Nichols Adventure rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

i have just started this series and i am the type of person to listen to a series book all at once , like if i listen to book one, then immediately of after i finished i go to book too , then book three,..... and so on so i feel the the whole series is on book and so far i am fascinated

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

yea it was nice .

Wonderful Mystery

If you could sum up Fast Money: A Shelby Nichols Adventure in three words, what would they be?

humorous, action-packed, entertaining

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fast Money: A Shelby Nichols Adventure?

My favorite part was when Shelby caught the hitman trying to kill the prisoner in the courthouse.

Which character – as performed by Wendy Tremont King – was your favorite?

Shelby Nichols was probably my favorite, because of her spunky personality and resolve.

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

Lots of times. Too hard to pinpoint one

Any additional comments?

Ever since getting hit by a bullet by a gunman, Shelby has been able to read people’s thoughts and it’s caused her a fair amount of trouble. After her last encounter with Uncle Joey, a local mob boss who’s not her uncle, Shelby Nichols thought she was done. She was wrong. When $5 million dollars makes its way into her account that Joey set up for her, she knew trouble was sure to follow, she just didn’t realize how much. While waiting for her husband, Chris, to get out of her trial, Shelby witnesses a hired hitman come in and kill a defendant in the adjacent courtroom. The only witness to seeing the man at the scene of the crime, Shelby is now the next target. To make matters worse, a lot of people are coming around wanting the money Uncle Joey left in her account. With Uncle Joey nowhere to be found and Ramos, the bodyguard/hitman for the man injured in action, Shelby is left with her and her husband’s own devices to get out of it. Even worse than that, the hitman is somehow connected to it all. Can Shelby get out of this predicament or are her days numbered?

Narrator, Wendy Tremont King does a great job of bringing to life Shelby’s world. Her unique intonations do a great job of bringing out the mannerisms and unique personalities of the characters, male and female. The humor and narrative devices are amusing and draw the reader in. The plot itself is well-developed and engaging with lots of plot twists and turns. Although it’s better to have read the first in the series, Carrots, first, it isn’t necessary to have read the first one to enjoy this one. Despite the fact that this book is missing a Ranger or Morelli like Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, Ramos and Chris sure come close. Perfect for mystery fans who like a little paranormal and humor mixed in their novels.

a wonderful example of an audio recording.

Another fun adventure with the slightly goofy yet indefatigable Shelby! Picking up closely where Carrots (Book 1) left off, Shelby is far more forthcoming with Chris about her skills and the unusual appearance of $5 million in the bank account Uncle Joey set up. Again, Shelby’s ability to hear what people are thinking is a great aid, and often a hindrance to her own reactions and relationships with others: even though she did inform Chris early on that her skill had returned.

Still speaking before she speaks, and her reaction to what she ‘hears’ versus what is actually spoken lead her into several fast-thinking moments that are all blunder and bravado, with very little grace. What makes this series is Shelby’s own naiveté and inherent goofiness: she is someone who always spoke first, often to her detriment, and that hasn’t changed: only the information has improved.

This book has a fairly simple, yet incredibly involved and twisted mystery at the core: even the characters seem to have some moments of losing the thread in the twists, making it even more fun to hear and follow along. Narration in this is also by Wendy Tremont King, and her ability to give voice to Shelby that feels real and completely evocative of her emotions at the moment add significantly to the plot and flow. She’s made narrative choices in pitch and tone that present the ‘eavesdropping voices’ that Shelby hears slightly different from the verbal conversations, leaving it clear to the listener that she has heard thoughts that the owners would prefer remain unknown. Each character has a voice that is distinct and unique to them, in tone, pacing, accent and even idiomatic expressions: every element serves to enhance the plot and written words and makes this a wonderful example of an audio recording.

I enjoyed this one even more than the first, and while I want everyone to jump in and listen, you really will do yourself a disservice if you haven’t read or heard the first in the series. Key elements carry forward from the first book, and those elements are necessary for understanding what is going on, and seeing the normal from the aberrant.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from the author via AudioBook Jukebox. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Fun read

I have truly enjoyed this series so far. Although far fetched it, it is a really fun, entertaining read. I love the characters and the action is never ending. Wendy King also does a great narration.

Good

Shelby get a little annoying when she gives herself away. I'm sure in time she will get self control

Trouble finds Shelby, and she finds trouble. Fun!

What made the experience of listening to Fast Money: A Shelby Nichols Adventure the most enjoyable?

Wendy voices Shelby again. And I'm thankful! She has embodied Shelby and become her vocally. Wendy brings a whole new dimension to Colleen's written words. We feel as we get Shelby, in the flesh, talking to use through Wendy. Shelby's feelings are truly evident in Wendy's voice, giving Shelby a full range to her personality.

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

I love how situations happen around Shelby and where she's at, especially when she's in a courthouse full of dangerous people who are hiding all sorts of things. All those things that she finds herself involved in. I love it! And with her husbands job as a lawyer, oh the things she hears and stops at the courthouse. Wow! Uncle Joey isn't quite out of her life yet, as she thought.

Shelby struggles with whether she should tell her husband her ability to read minds is back. But wanting to be part of his world and he in hers, she decides no more lying. She tells Chris the truth. Chris is a great guy. He struggles with Shelby's ability but he is there for her and loves her. He's even found the mind reading can come in handy. They really do have a wonderful relationship and it shines in this book. Where I was nervous about him, even though I liked him, in the first book, he's starting to come to terms and past the comfortableness with Shelby's mind reading.

Which scene was your favorite?

We don't get as much with the sexy muscle, Ramos, in the beginning. He's someone I look forward to arriving on the page, waiting anxiously. And when he arrives, you know things are getting bad. Shelby's in serious trouble for Ramos to come, and come he does!

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

I wanted to listen to this story in one sitting. I listen while at work, and the work day just wasn't long enough. Seriously! Who says that?!? Lol. I just had to get through all the events to find out how it would all end. I had to know! Oh, how these events all string together and work out. I loved every minute of it! I was curious as to who was behind what and how. I got those answers and it slowly uncovered more and more of the underlining cause and how it's all tied together.

Any additional comments?

Shelby is a caring person. She also picks up things that feel off, which is good. She's smart! Which would be why Uncle Joey trusts her. And the same with Dimples, erm, Detective Harris of the police department that she's helping as a consultant. She can feel out a situation and puts the pieces together. Yet Shelby is a little ... I hate to say ditsy because she's not, even flaky. She not either but has a lightness to her that is fun and enjoyable to listen to her as she works through all the crazy happenings around her. She takes it all in stride, even when stressed or worried about it and her life. I really love her reactions and actions.

Some great crafting by Colleen in this cozy little mystery story! If I wasn't hooked before, this story would have sealed the deal!

I really am a fan of Shelby and her adventures.

So glad to have found this series!!

I Can't tell you how happy I am to have found this series. I've totally fallen into this world of Shelby Nichols and all of her many side characters. Police, Crime Boss, Hit Men (yes, men. plural), Drug Cartels, etc. She's totally innocent, but it's amazing the situations you get into when you can hear peoples thoughts!!! Now My fear is that I'll blow through all of these too quickly!!! ❤❤❤❤

Another Awesome Read!

Where does Fast Money: A Shelby Nichols Adventure rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's definitely at or near the top. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book!

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

Yes! I didn't want to stop listening! I even drove in the wrong direction to get somewhere and didn't care when I realized I had to turn around because I was listening to the book! I wanted to find out what would happen next!

Which scene was your favorite?

That's tough! There were so many fun things in this story! But I really liked the scene with Shelby and her Mexican kidnappers and how she made her escape! Shelby is pretty gutsy!

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

There were several parts that moved me to laugh out loud, and several that had me on the edge of my seat, but nothing that moved me to tears, and that is great with me! Shelby keeps getting herself into so many sticky situations! I love that she got a stun flashlight! I love all her thoughts about the $5 million in her bank account. I also love how her relationships with everyone in the book are growing. I just love these books!

Any additional comments?

I love the Shelby Nichols adventures! I can't wait for the next one to come to audible! It's a fantastic series! Both Colleen and Wendy have done a tremendous job!