The Last Witness

Badge of Honor, Book 11

By: W.E.B. Griffin, William E. Butterworth IV

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

The dramatic new novel in the Philadelphia police saga by the number-one New York Times best-selling author.

For Philadelphia homicide detective Matt Payne, investigating a young woman’s murder in a Society Hill home invasion uncovers an ugly underworld - that of Mexican drug cartels and the Russian mob.

Foreign girls are being smuggled in to work in the sex trade, and now some of them are dying or just disappearing. The trail leads right to Philadelphia - and Payne learns that’s not all. Teenage American girls lured from local foster homes have vanished. And the lone living witness has gone into hiding. He knows it’s got to be connected - but how? And it doesn’t help that his gut says it somehow involves that high-rolling politician last seen near the Caribbean in a casino’s airplane.

For Payne, finding that last witness is absolutely critical - before the Russians, the cartels, or anyone else gets to her first.

Filled with authentic color and detail, this is a riveting novel of the men and women who put their lives on the line, from the cop on the beat to the commissioner himself. It’s a story of fears and dangers, courage and loyalty, genuine heroism and love - storytelling at its absolute best.

©2013 William E. Butterworth (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Running out of ideas

Griffin et al seem to be tired of this series and are not giving it much effort. Story is trite and uninteresting.

Interesting But Predictable

The Badge of Honor series has always been driven by the character of Matt Payne. The previous books bring that character out in very unique and fun ways. This book, though, does nothing to add to Matt's character. He has become predictable and boring. There is very little drama and a very predictable ending. That pattern was very disappointing. While it was a fun read, I was expecting more.

WAY too long for such a shallow story.

Boring 2/3 of the time. Needs to be abridged and then abridged again. I'm through with W.E.B.G. Ive outgrown him.

Educational and entertaining

Can’t go wrong with a Griffin book. I always learn something from his stories even though they’re fiction.

Classic WEB Griffin,Scott Brick performs as always

This is classic WEB Griffin, suspenseful, witty, and thoroughly detailed. Griffin is one of my favorite authors, and I have read all of his series. The characters are realistic, interesting, and colorful. The story is compelling, timeless, educational, and just plain fun listening. I find that listening to audiobooks is way better than many TV offerings, especially series like this one, and others by Griffin.

When I find my wish list getting low, and need a new author to explore, I check to see what books have been performed by Scott Brick. Brick is one of the Greats.

Abrupt Finish

Seems like they just got tired of the story and wrapped it up without closing all of the story lines.

worst book of the series.

I can't believe I paid for this book. it does not move the story forward.

Even Scott Brick could not save this turkey!

W.E.B Griffin is the pen name of William E. Butterworth III. Butterworth III has been writing military/war thrillers for more than 55 years under several pen names and his own name. He is 86 years old and has started cowriting military thrillers using the Griffin pen name with his son William E. Butterworth (IV).

Griffin/Butterworth III is the master of the military/war thriller genre. He has written many, possibly more than 100, such books. I have listened to or read approximately 20 of his books and have never been disappointed until he started coauthoring with his son. The quality of the books dropped when his son joined him. This is not the first of the books Griffin coauthored with his son I have listened to, but it will be the last.

Most of Griffin's audiobooks are read by superb narrators such as Eric Dove, Dick Hill and Scott Brick. I highly recommend the books with Griffin being the sole author.

A Dis-Honor to the Badge of Honor Series

What disappointed you about The Last Witness?

A disjointed story with an after thought ending

Would you ever listen to anything by W. E. B. Griffin and William E. Butterworth again?

Very unlikely if this is the product they are turning out now

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favorite?

Lt. Jason Washington

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

unfortunately no!

Any additional comments?

I have been a W.E.B Griffin fan since the Corps series and I have read and listened to every title of every series available. I have even purchased CD's of titles not available on audible.

As a lifelong Philadelphian I am particularily drawn to the Badge of Honor Series. I have tolerated the painting of Philadelphia as a less than desirable place to live, but such is the nature of any city in these United States. I have overlooked the less than accurate descriptions of landmarks, roads, streets, addresses and intersections as literary license because the WEB Griffin product of story and character development was far more interesting that these small annoyances. I have come to love this series until now.

This much anticipated book is a deep disappointment. The book is suddenly set in the 21st century, where did that come from? Badge of honor is now the Matt Payne show? No Peter Wohl, No Matt Lowenstein, No Highway Patrol, nothing and Matt is now just referred to a Marshall. How trite! Several character lines are started and as a Griffin reader I am naturally inclined to try and see where things will lead. As the story progressed, I saw by the playing time remaining that it was not going to conclude satisfactorily. A prime example is Sgts Payne and Birth are heading towards a bar in Fishtown to investigate something and suddenly they are in a shootout on the waterfront after a phone tip from a missing person? No further details and the book just ended with Payne sailing in Florida without tying up anything. I know this review is somewhat disjointed but such is my frustration with this effort.

Scott Brick did an admirable job with the poor material he was given. I will be returning this book for credit.

This Review Needs A Title...So, I Gave it One

This was intended to be a revealing look in to the evil and moral bankruptcy of the drug and slave trade.Matt Payne, the main protagonist, just seems to be more of a background character here.Typical Griffin and Butterworth story. Over 200 pages of developing a complex story and 3 pages to resolve it This book has more violence, or maybe gross dead bodies are more appropriate term, than the majority of Griffin books. The book ended abruptly and with too many plots unresolved. Whether I'll go on to #12 in the series is in doubt.