• Head Wounds

  • A Sam Acquillo Hamptons Mystery
  • By: Chris Knopf
  • Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
  • Length: 10 hrs
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (599 ratings)

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Head Wounds  By  cover art

Head Wounds

By: Chris Knopf
Narrated by: Richard Ferrone
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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)

What listeners say about Head Wounds

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • ch
  • 02-08-11

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.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

No more

I enjoyed the previous 2 books, but I quit this one about a quarter way through. Sam was just too obnoxious for my tastes. The hero can have flaws, but I really want to like him/her at least some.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

terrible narrator

narrator for first two books was excellent.
this one I can't even listen to.
aside from stilted reading - old man voice just ruins the listen.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

decent

A decent story, seems a little dated, but not horrible.
If you are offended by chauvinistic thinking roll your eyes and keep reading. Overall it was a nice break from the endless serial killer books that seem to be the only reading on the market.

I welcome suggestions on a good old fashioned mystery series that develops the characters maybe has one or two serials in the series but doesn't balk at a real whodunit and isn't cheesy or gimmicky.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Pretentious, "hero" not likable

Would you try another book from Chris Knopf and/or Richard Ferrone?

NO. Main character had no redeeming qualities, pretentious, obnoxious. Readers was horrible, like fingernails on chalk board.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Richard Ferrone?

Will not get another book he reads.

Any additional comments?

Definitely want my credit back for this loser. I listened for over two hours and the story and characters just did not peek my interest at all. I have a graduate degree and knew the lines of poetry and other references but I felt this was terribly snobbish, maybe the setting...argh! Enough, I quit.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

poor poor narration with female voices

Couldn't enjoy this book because the female voices were so very poorly done. To bad.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another good one by Knopf

I like the mixture of working man & intellectual privilege. The story entertains while reminding the reader not to get too big for his/her britches. I love Jackie…quirky & smart. Amanda is a bit on the annoying side. Wimmen!! The reading is also excellent.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story

Well written and performed. I was keen to get in my car every day to hear the next chapter.

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