Head Wounds

A Sam Acquillo Hamptons Mystery

By: Chris Knopf

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

Length: 10 hrs

Publisher's summary

Peel back the glamour of the fabled Hamptons and you'll find a beautiful place filled with ugly secrets. This is Sam Acquillo's world. Moving effortlessly across the social divide with wry pal Jackie Swaitkowski and rich guy Burton Lewis, the ex-boxer, ex-corporate infighter seems doomed to straddle the thin red line between envy and love, hate and forgiveness, goodness and greed - and sometimes, life and death.

Part-time carpenter, full-time drinker and co-conspirator with an existential mutt named Eddie Van Halen, Sam tries to lead the simple life. But as always, fate intervenes, this time in the form of Robbie Milhouser, a local builder and blundering bully who shares with Sam an irresistible attraction to the beautiful Amanda. When Robbie is murdered, Sam finds himself in the crosshairs of a very determined chief of police.

©2008 Chris Knopf (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"It's the endearing and deeply flawed Acquillo that's the heart and soul of this exceptional series." (Publishers Weekly (starred review))
"The intelligent writing...entertained me on every page. Chris Knopf deserves a wide audience." (Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine)
"Sam makes the perfect antihero for our guided tour of the wrong side of the tracks. Another satisfying entry in an endearing series." (Booklist)

Narrator and story click

I've listened to the first 3 books in this series and I approve the narrator switch from Stefan Rudnicki to Richard Ferrone. I thought the voice sounded familiar, but it wasn't until the narrator said the word "Bernie" that I remembered where I'd heard the voice before (Lawrence Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr series). I like Mr. Ferrone's narration because there's just the little touch of humor and irony to go with the protagonist's point of view.

The setting of the novel and the character's background are also interesting (I also USED to be an engineer). I do find the violence of the main character a bit disturbing but the plots are generally satisfyingly complex and resolve well.

Huh??

Difficult to follow story line. I found myself having to back up and listen again. Are they flashbacks or just random progression?

It’s a great series

In listening to the entire series in order, and I really enjoyed the last two books. The narrator’s voice, accent and infections were perfect for my vision of Sam.

I was disappointed to hear someone else narrating this one and a bit put off.

By the end I was used to the new guy, but the first one really nailed the character

Terrific story developement

Don’t know jack about the Hamptons; I live on top of a mountain where god hangs out—sw North Carolina, but I love the detailed descrptions of a place I have little desire to ever see since it would be full of what we Southerners call damnyankees.

Great series - not the best book in it

Don’t write off the series if you aren’t hooked by this book. This isn’t the first (or second) but the author spends an inordinate amount of space establishing background that he’s alluded to in less detail in the previous books. However that does make it a bit draggy in spots.

The mystery and resolution are good, as in the others, so it’s worth reading as a mystery, and if you plan to read the others in the series it’s also fine. Just a bit of criticism. I think the characters, who make up an outstanding collaboration, are as good as any in detective fiction. A treat to look forward to if you’re just starting out.

On the whole, it’s one of my favorite series, and the 3 books featuring Sam’s lawyer, Jacquie, are if anything even better.

I always grab the latest book

Excellent story, great narration

Somewhat new to this author (5 books thus far.) Really like his storytelling, humor, wit.
When you listen to a book instead of reading it, a narrator can really make or break it for the author. Having said that, of the narrators I have heard for Chris Knopf to date, I think this one (Richard Ferrone) knocks it out if the park…. Really makes a great story even more enjoyable.

Great story

Fantastic writing, character development, and continuity. Chris has continued to develop his characters and their relationships with one another in a believable and natural way. The story was good, very entertaining.
I have listened to many books narrated by Richard Ferrone and he does an admirable job here but, it must be difficult to follow an act like Stefan Rudnicki who really just nailed the characters so well.
Finding this series on the heels of another series by a different author that really disappointed has made Chris one to watch on my list. Great length, interesting story, and great characters. Highly recommended.

Only So So thanks to the narrator

The narrator / reader is not as good in my opinion as Stefan Rudnicki and left me getting bored with the story. Richard Ferrone has trouble with accents (especially the Jamaican doctor) and women's voices. The story became harder to listen to especially after associating Sam to Stefan Rudnicki, who read with a more convincing, better modulation and pitch in his voice in my opinion.

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Another wonder

The third installment of Chris Knopf’s Sam Aquillo series is majestically worddd and expansively imagined, while firmly rooted in the lives and tides of characters so well developed it boggles the mind.
Only drawback is the adjustment my swooning heart and soaring spirit was forced to make by the performer, who, while not awful, hasn’t a single idea how those born and raised in Jamaica speak.