Matanzas Bay

De: Parker Francis

Narrado por: Mike Dennis

When PI Quint Mitchell volunteered to help with an archaeological survey in St. Augustine, he didn't count on digging up a murder victim. In the nation's oldest city, Mitchell discovers links to ancient sins, comes face to face with his own past, and unleashes powerful forces that will do anything to keep their secrets--even if it means taking his life.

In this award-winning debut mystery, author Parker Francis taps into an undercurrent of violence hidden behind the sleepy facade of the historic town. When Mitchell's friend, the city archaeologist, is charged with a brutal murder, he must find the true killer while fighting inner demons and the corrosive residue of racial violence dating back to the Civil Rights Movement. As he learns, St. Augustine was birthed in blood--Matanzas means "place of slaughter" in Spanish--and violence is never far from the surface.

©2011 Parker Francis (aka Victor DiGenti) (P)2015 Parker Francis (aka Victor DiGenti)

Murder in the Old City

The body of a city official is discovered during a dig in St. Augustine, setting off a chain of recrimination and violence that captures the essence of the city's present and dark past, and private investigator Quint Mitchell (a Travis McGee for the 21st century) gets entangled in the power plays for control of the city's future.

I had the pleasure of reading this fine and gripping novel, and the audiobook does it justice and then some. Mike Dennis delivers a compelling performance in a gritty voice reminiscent of Orson Welles. Highly recommended listening here, folks.

A thriller

Any additional comments?

This is the first Quint Mitchell I have listened to. It was a quick and kept my interest during the whole book. I like the character very much and I am looking forward to other audiobooks by this author

Matanzas Bay

Any additional comments?

This was a really good book.The story was tight,interesting and well thought out.The main character,a P.I. volunteering at an archeological site digs up a fresh corpse.This story is full of mystery and suspense w/just enough romance tossed in.
MIke Dennis was a wonderful narrator.His straight forward,business only rendition of Quint was great.
I was gifted this book for an honest review.

A story of many parts

Quint runs his one man P.I. Agency in St. Augustine, his working day assignments are more the mundane than exciting, yet in his private life, Quint is battling the torment of tragic Personal memories. He looks upon his volunteer role as an assistant to Dr. Jeffrey Poe, St. Augustines' archeologist, as a relief from both his work and his memories.

On a dig, he uncovers a casket containing the murdered remains of Vice Mayor Bill Marrano, his brother, Buck, is one of the detectives who arrive on the scene.

All evidence of guilt point to Dr. Poe who is arrested and charged with his murder. Quint, convinced of his friends' innocence, embarks on a mission to prove it.

There plenty of twists and turns here, in fact the story becomes quite convoluted and (for me) a little difficult to follow, I got a little lost with all the characters and their many secrets. It's a difficult listen when multitasking, a multi layered mystery such as this is probably not the best choice for my style of listening. The author included a goodly amount of historical fact regarding St. Augustine and also of Civil Rights issues, some of which is quite moving. Despite getting a bit lost at times, I found this quite an exciting tale, the tension is kept high and the listener is never quite sure if he is on the right trail. Just when I thought I'd cracked it something else came along to add another layer of intrigue.

All due respect to the author for bringing all the threads of this well written story together for an exciting finish.

Narrator
Mike Dennis is new to me, I enjoyed the narration as his voice suits the role of a P.I., rough, tough and worldly! I couldn't fault his characterisations (and he had plenty to deal with) and his pace and timing are, I thought, excellent. There is a certain part of the book in which a man relates a very moving account of an incident which occurred in his younger days, Mike Dennis relays this beautifully, yet he doesn't overact. I thought he treated a particularly moving part of the story, where someone relates their suffering at the hands of others, quite beautifully.

Good sound quality and production made for a comfortable listening experience, I'd happily listen to more of Mike Dennis' work.

I received this audiobook free in return for this my honest opinion.

Pretty Darn Good

As a former resident of St.johns County I enjoyed this well crafted story in a familiar setting .Pretty darn good.