The Kills

By: Linda Fairstein

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Date rape is always difficult to prove, and the case against New York consultant Andrew Tripping is no exception. Tripping and 36-year-old investment banker Paige Vallis had had dinner together three times before the March evening when he invited her to his apartment and attacked her. Or so she says. Manhattan Sex Crimes Prosecutor Alexandra Cooper needs to know all the facts if she is to find justice for Paige Vallis, but Paige seems to have something to hide.

©2004 Linda Fairstein (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Seamless...razor sharp." (John Sandford)

"A superior piece of entertainment." ( The Washington Post)

"Fairstein...makes the legal issues more exciting than any high-speed chase." (Marylin Stasio, The New York Times)

Not one of her better novels

The Kills is not one of Fairstein's better novels. There are too many characters, a convoluted plot and an EVIL villain, whose personality is a bit too OTT to be convincing. The whole scene on the Vineyard during the hurricane should have been left out of the plot. She isn't stupid, naive or inexperienced enough to have been there in the first place during a major hurricane without help, been there without alternative utilities, spent the night in a lean-to or done all she did under the circumstances. I've enjoyed her other novels but can't recommend this one.

Not my fav.

Loved the continuation of the characters. Not that crazy about the story on this one. Can't really pinpoint anything just not as good to me as the others.

Another great Fairstein

Nice plot. Something a different. Thanks everyone. Always enjoy the NYC team! Bring on the next one.

Connections

Good members only sale listen. 3 rd book for me. Good characters that have your six. Narrator is very talented and does all the characters justice. Yes, her breathing skills will get in the way if you let them. Just tune them out so you do not miss this well written adventure.
I do use the 1.25x speed to match the authors intentions.
Were my comments of of help?

I love all the stories about NY. This didn’t seem as focused on that.

The characters sound drunk. Terrible performance. I think I would have enjoyed it better if I had read the book.

Poor sound quality on this one.

I've listened to the previous books in this series narrated by Barbara Rosenblat, and they were good. However, this one had VERY poor sound quality - I could hear every time she swallowed or re-positioned her mouth. Also, at the end of each chapter, she can be heard taking a deep breath 2 or 3 seconds before announcing the next chapter. I'm hopeful the next books will have better sound quality & won't be as distracting as this one was.

Wonderful novel!

This book kept my interest throughout the reading. I really enjoyed every word. Excellent and interesting.

Solid story. Terrible recording.

What did you like best about The Kills? What did you like least?

Plot is great. I love the characters and the accuracy of the legal details.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mike Chapman. His knowledge of military history is fun, and his approach to his work reminds me of many of the detectives with whom I used to work...

How did the narrator detract from the book?

She didn't. The recording values did. I could hear her swallow, I could hear her lips smack between words.... It was disgusting and distracting.

Then, at the end of each chapter, there was a 1.5 - 3 second break of silence, then often you would hear the first 1/2 of a huge inhalation from the narrator. THEN it would break, and you would hear the intro to the next chapter.

It's like there was no one in charge of the recording at all. I already purchased additional Fairstein books to listen to. If I hadn't, I wouldn't. I would just buy the books themselves and READ them.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes.

The Kills was a great book

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

Linda Fairstein writes a great book. Each book ranks right up at the top of my list

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes

Would you listen to another book narrated by Barbara Rosenblat?

I usually love Barbara Rosenblats readings of Fairstein books, but this time, it sounded like she was chewing gum during at least the last half of the book. Very distracting. Almost stopped listening because of it.

Swallow much?

Book was great. Fav author. However, the sounds of spit and swallowing and such from the narrator is absolutely horrid and distracting.