Final Jeopardy

By: Linda Fairstein

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Alex Cooper awakens one morning to news of her own brutal murder. Soon, Manhattan's top sex-crimes prosecutor discovers that the actual victim is film star Isabella Lascar, who had sought refuge at Alex's private retreat. Now it is up to Alex to find the killer before another victim surfaces.

©1997 Linda Fairstein (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

Barbara Rosenblat

I simply love the way Ms Rosenblat reads. She's able to bring each of the characters alive and to put the right emphasis on what is being spoken, makeing it possible for the listener to be right in the story.

Thank you

I wanted to like this book but . . .

. . . the huge amount of bogging-down detail kept my attention wandering. The actual story could have been told in half the time and still have retained the pertinent character developments. It got so boring that I stopped in the middle and then picked it up a couple of weeks later. It just got too boring.

Great characters; voice doesn't match

The cast of characters, the detail of police and legal procedure, and the grounding of the action in specific geographies combine to create a believable world to which we readers can escape. However, the female narrator has a very deep gravelly ( smoker's?) voice which I find off-putting when she is speaking as the narrator and protagonist. Also, there was a stretch early on where she spoke so rapidly that I put the speed down to 75%. ( Note to Audible: the speed reduction doesn't work well on the iPhone). Still, I could hear the narrator's deep intakes of breath here and in other parts of the book.

The narrator is from what I read quite a successful audio performer. So others may not be bothered by the timbre of the voice and the sound of the breathing. She is quite talented at creating different voices and accents for the supporting characters.

Beware Of Hello

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

Thanks for the 1st in Series Sale. Good introduction to author and reader.
Note I do use the 1.25x speed to match the author’s intent.
This is not a dark mystery that gabs you around the throat, but subtle hints of details that entertain. If you need fast pace or dark drama, this is not it. This story draws you in, and the characters e.g. Mike and Coop do what they are suppose to accomplish: entertain, make you want to finish the tale, and most importantly buy more from the author. I have added 2 more stories from this series into my wish list.

What other book might you compare Final Jeopardy to and why?

Check out Palindrome read by the great Gabra Zackman. It has the same pace as this story and a great WOW ending.
See both Marcia Clarks’s series Samantha Brinkman, read by my top fave Angela Dawe or the Rachel Knight series by my other fave January LaVoy. Both readers have excellent delivery and do great male voices.

Which character – as performed by Barbara Rosenblat – was your favorite?

I just became a fan of reader with Mrs Pollifax 1st in series. This book has our reader in a younger role. Yes, her voice is husky, which makes for a better listen than the tin like high pitch sounds so many female readers make. Ms Rosenblats’ male voice range is good and she is an accomplished reader and she extends her talent to multiple characters and keeps you interested. I don’t focus on her breath intake so I am able to enjoy this good reader as she tells the tale.

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

This is a good old fashion mystery of deceit, delusion, and greed.
It has a cast of characters who lend a hand when our heroine most needs it, and it’s a story about not realizing what you have until it is gone. Well done. Certainly a good find and a start to more entertaining stories.
Note: we are not taking Michael Connelly, or Nelson DeMille caliber, but good entertaining listening.

Any additional comments?

Were my comments helpful?

Love the sarcastic comments and undertones.

What did you love best about Final Jeopardy?

This is my first book by Linda Fairstein. I have more waiting in my library for future listening!! I am hooked. Love the characters and the voices !! Thanks.

Which character – as performed by Barbara Rosenblat – was your favorite?

Mike Chapman by far. Love his comments.

Great read!

My first experience with Linda Fairstein! I’m so glad there are more books to enjoy!

Not worth the effort

What disappointed you about Final Jeopardy?

Could not stand Barbara Rosenblat's voice. She makes the character sound like an arrogant bitch. Alex Cooper is not believable. Too gifted and know it all. The charmed life is not necessary and detracts from the story.

Has Final Jeopardy turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, just this author. I had collected all her books but am now selling them as I have no desire to read more.

How could the performance have been better?

Get a different reader.

What character would you cut from Final Jeopardy?

Alex Cooper. I really like Mike. He is real.

I did not enjoy this.

The story was confusing with all the rambling about; the plots were incomplete and disconnected; the characters were unbelievable. I didn't feel it was worth the sale price.

Final Jeopardy

Much to wordy, prolonged descriptions and narratives. The performance was only slightly better. However, the main characters voice sounded much older than the what was described as her age of 30 something.

HORRIFIC reader ... Buyer BEWARE

If you want to listen to Barbara Rosenblat suck cough drops and swallow her saliva and gasp for breath during every pause; by all means feel free to waste a credit on this book.

It was so annoying that I stopped listening after 10 minutes.

While I love Linda Fairstein, and ordered her entire "Alex Cooper" series, the reader makes it impossible to listen to them.

Sorry to have wasted my $$$ and credits.