• Metzger's Dog

  • A Novel
  • By: Thomas Perry
  • Narrated by: Michael Kramer
  • Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (562 ratings)

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Metzger's Dog  By  cover art

Metzger's Dog

By: Thomas Perry
Narrated by: Michael Kramer
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Publisher's summary

When Leroy "Chinese" Gordon breaks into a professor's lab at the University of Los Angeles, he's after some pharmaceutical cocaine, worth plenty of money. Instead, he finds the papers the professor has compiled for the CIA, which include a blueprint for throwing a large city into chaos. But how is the CIA to be persuaded to pay a suitable ransom, unless of course someone actually uses the plan to throw a large city into chaos - Los Angeles, for instance?

Assigned to cope with the crisis and restore the peace, veteran agent Ben Porterfield steps onto the scene to remind us that the CIA's middle name is, after all, Intelligence. Enlivening the mix are Gordon's beautiful girlfriend, Margaret, his temperamental cat, Dr. Henry Metzger, and Metzger's friend, an enormous half-wild dog with huge teeth.

©2008 Thomas Perry (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Very sharp, very funny...should not be missed." ( The New York Times Book Review)
"In a word - wonderful!" ( Chicago Tribune)

What listeners say about Metzger's Dog

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Messrs. Perry and Kramer should get six stars.

Metzger's Dog is yet another triumph for Mr. Perry. I only know two authors who can effectively weave suspense and humor together: Mr. Perry and Tim Hallinan. Both have carved out unique niches for themselves. In this book Mr. Perry creates a whole raft of interesting new characters, he keeps us guessing and delighted throughout the book, and his humor is just sometimes LOL funny. At other times his humor can be rueful, sarcastic, warm, affectionate and anything else you can think of. All the guys like Nelson Demille, Tom Clancy and their peers approach the CIA in deadly earnest. I now would have a hard time going back to any of them. Mr. Perry creates a Keystone Kops aura around the CIA and makes vicious fun of the bureaucracy and the politics within. On the other side is a small group headed by Chinese Gordon and his soon-to-be-wife Margaret. Dr. Henry Metzger is Gordon's cat, and they adopt a gigantic and ludicrously ferocious dog during the caper. Mr. Perry could write a whole new series around these characters. His ingenuity and creativity are on show here, and one can only marvel at how far he pushes the envelope of this genre. The tricks they pull involving the crippling of Los Angeles and how they outwit the CIA over and over are such fun that I will listen to the book again in a year or so, just for the laughs. Mr. Kramer is perfect. He narrates with consistent skill and he deals with the humor with nuance. He is equally good at suspense and all forms of humor. Keep on truckin', gentlemen. We are listening.

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23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Unusually Cool - CLASSIC. A Must Listen!

This is different. And isn't that what mystery zealots want? This is a laugh out loud caper thing full up with bad people who you can't help loving. Yep, everyone's so flawed that you're left free to decide who you want to root for, hell, I think I finally rooted for almost everyone.

Did I say "laugh out loud" … Uh-huh, Perry has the power to cloud your mind with giggles. And yet he manages it with throw-away lines while still cranking out a plot with twists that leave a veteran mystery reader satisfied. And we're a hard-to-satisfy bunch, right?

Michael Kramer has the genius ability to become invisible as a reader-actor creating vivid characters that are about the plot, not him.

This book must he a classic. If it isn't, I'm declaring it to be. Yep.. this is a classic caper that you'll smile all the way through.

Oh, one tiny gripe, the very… very.. end was oddly dumb. I wonder why Perry appended those few paragraphs. Oh well, no matter… It's just a fine piece of writing overall.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Like nothing else.

The very funny author Carl Hiassen wrote the introduction to this book, which is appropriate. Except that Carl Hiassen is predictable -- his villains are always polluters or property developers -- and Thomas Perry never is.

I've read enough of his novels to know that he never repeats himself. (At least the ones that don't feature Jane Whitefield; I haven't read those.) Perry's plots are always unique and ingenious. Audible now has many more of his books, and I look forward to every one.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Why didn't someone tell me about this book before?

I loved this book. Laugh out loud characters, plot, and great, funny lines. This is one to listen to again in a year or so, I'm sure it will make me laugh each time.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Laugh Out Loud Funny!

I like the way Perry writes. I am not so in tune with his feminine side (Jane Whatshername), but the Butcher's Boy books we among the best I've found in the genre. Metzger's Dog petered out just a tad near the end, but until then I was bathed in some of the funniest ironic humor (just shy of sarcasm) in memory. The black, fearsome pall of the dog-beast is priceless! More, Mr. Perry, More!!!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Mostly it was average

It was okay. I wouldn't spend the time to read it again though. And I wouldn't pick up any more books by this author on the basis of this one. But I wouldn't turn away from another book from Perry just because of this either. The narration was okay as well.

The plot seemed rather complicated/convoluted... and is told from a chopped up perspective - sometimes it wasn't really clear that it was a different "event" going on until a few lines into the section. The story was also sorta political in nature... but not with any politics that I cared about (international espionage type stuff). I actually checked the publication date because it felt like a story written in the early '80s and/or as if it was abridged.

Oh well... it was a change of pace...

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5 people found this helpful

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

A satiric look at the CIA

Would you listen to Metzger's Dog again? Why?

Perry's use of humor and vivid imagery made this book a joy.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Metzger's Dog?

My favorite scene was when Dr. Henry Metzger (the cat) showed that he was the "alpha cat" and tamed the 200 pound dog.

What does Michael Kramer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Michael Kramer brings the story to life, giving each character and voice a unique flavor.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

metzger's dog

save your money! i bought this book based on all the 5 star ratings...i wish i could get my money back...listened for 3 1/2 hours and could not take it anymore....they should take this book down to quantanamo and translate for the prisoners there and make them read it...they would begin talking after 10 minutes...HORRIBLE.....

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • MM
  • 07-03-20

I'm so hooked on Thomas Perry books now...

I had to go back to the beginning and really...Chinese Gordon? Who doesn't love that name? And then what about Dr. Harry Metzger? The names already had me hooked and especially when I got a taste of those personalities, I was IN!!! And this was Perry's second book? Really? Incredible. I'm on to my next one. I've now listened to at least 5 or 6 and will likely buy them all. THANK YOU!!! And Michael Kramer. What a find for Thomas Perry's books. Ideal.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Great Story!!!!!

One of the best books I’ve read in years, and most certainly the funniest. I loved every moment of it.

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3 people found this helpful