The Dawn Patrol

By: Don Winslow

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Every morning, Boone Daniels is out with the Dawn Patrol: four men and one woman as single-minded about surfing as he is, or nearly. They have real jobs; Boone works as a P.I. just enough to keep himself in fish tacos and in the water.

But Boone is also obsessed with the unsolved case of a young girl named Rain who was abducted while he was with the San Diego police. He blames himself, just as almost everyone in the department did, for not being able to save her.

Unexpectedly, he finds himself with the chance to make amends, and this new investigation gives him a wilder ride than any he's ever imagined.

©2008 Don Winslow (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A] terrific thriller....Winslow keeps raising the stakes, as well as the waves, for all involved." ( Publishers Weekly)

Way cool!

I was blown away by the story, the characters, the humor. It is fast paced and clever. Ray Porter is magnificent with the linguistics.

Really Entertaining

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

I would highly recommend this tail to all mystery buffs. This story is much like board riding, you can bet the story takes turns that challenges your equilibrium.

What did you like best about this story?

This story tends to lead you by the nose; right off a cliff. You get led down the story line until your sure you know what comes next, then the script turns a sharp left and you are left hanging out wondering why you didn't see that change coming.

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved it when Sunny blew everyone out of the water. Hard work paid off in spades. I also remember sitting on my board in the early morning just off Mission Bay, waiting on a wave as the Sun broke over the horizon - an incredible peaceful feeling.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Remembering San Diego, the beach and water. Good times from long ago.

Any additional comments?

Don Windlow is a great story teller. I would say he is a perfect cross between Chris Grabenstein and Clive Cussler. This story starts out light and even humorous then turns very dark before good over comes evil. Mr. Porter is a master narrator. He has mastered many voices, dialects, and cultures. Mr. Porter is the verbal equivalent of the "Rolling Stones."

Fantastic book!

Where does The Dawn Patrol rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best, most enjoyable books that I have listened to in a long time, and I have listened to hundreds. The storyline is excellent, and the character and the story background descriptions are absolutely first rate.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Boone is probably my favorite character, although all of the characters were vividly portrayed and came totally alive in the book.

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

Ray is an excellent narrator. His ability to give each of the many characters, male an female, his or her own unique voice is remarkable. His inflections and timing are perfect.

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

As a man, I hate to admit to crying. However, I did. Not tears of sadness, but of joy and exultation at Sunny's success in riding the wave of her life. The narrative was so good, that I felt it was me riding that wave--and I have never been on a surf board in my life.

Any additional comments?

I was delighted to learn that Don has written many other books. This book was the first of his that I have "read," but now that I have finished it, I intend to listen to them all!

Fun Ride

Fun story. Usually like the author and wasn't disappointed. Story surrounding a surfing community is cool and gives story a feel good vibe. Great reader too. So what's not to like.

Nothing special here, except for narration.

Don Winslow is capable of writing great mystery/thriller novels. The Power of the Dog (2005) and The Cartel (2015) are examples. He also writes a lot of garbage novels. Dawn Patrol is simply mediocre.

Ray Porter does a great job of narration.

Okay, but was this a history lesson?

Be warned a third of this book is CA history, I think. At least there's a lot of back story on CA and surfing how much is true I don't know and don't care. I could have done with less of it but the book is still good. The story has a slow build with a frantic end and a truly disturbing crime to be solved. The narration fits well with the characters although the one Brit could have been performed better. I would say this is a good summer vacation read on a lawn chair somewhere.

I've gotten Hooked on Don Winslow and Ray Porter!

I first listened to a Don Winslow audible book about a month ago and since then I've become totally hooked on the surfing scene he writes so wonderfully of..a scene I grew up with in the late 1950's and 1960's, first surfing at Ventrura County Line in 1958 when my family was camping on the beach for a month..something my folks loved to do...set up an old canvas army tent right on the sand and live at the beach for free..long before pay to camp parks with all the luxuries (like out houses).

Makes me long to go back when I hear the dialogue in The Dawn Patrol...it was a wonderful time and this is one wonderful book.

Well worth the listen-there is a lot more to the plot than riding waves and it really drew me in

Enjoy this series..I sure am!

Good well written story

Nothing new or original,but so entertaining. Ray Porter does his usual incredibly good narration. Great character development and the motivation for their actions is smoothly presented. I look forward to more from this author.

Much better then I anticipated

Learned a lot about history of surfing. Interesting tidbits thru out the book. The story is not a pleasant topic but the author throws in some lightness to keep us motivated

An unexpected ending. Didn't see that coming. I really enjoyed the book.

Unique twist on the detective genre, great story

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

Recommended to anyone who likes a mystery, a detective story, surfing culture, excellent writing and characters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dawn Patrol?

I can't really pic one, the obvious would be the action or climatic scenes but I also loved the vision in my mind when he is describing surf scenes and history. reminds me of days gone by.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

Boone of course but one of the things I liked so much was the many well developed and enjoyable characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Not a marketer so I have no idea

Any additional comments?

I love mystery, thrillers and action and found this an excellent read. I never read anything that had woven surf culture into a story like this which was a surprising bonus for me.