• The Life We Bury

  • By: Allen Eskens
  • Narrated by: Zach Villa
  • Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (63,912 ratings)

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The Life We Bury

By: Allen Eskens
Narrated by: Zach Villa
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Publisher's summary

College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran-and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder.

As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Aided by his skeptical neighbor, Lila, Joe throws himself into uncovering the truth. Thread by thread, he begins to unravel the tapestry of Carl's conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it's too late to escape the fallout?

©2014 Allen Eskens (P)2015 Tantor

Critic reviews

"More complications ensue, until the novel's satisfying resolution." ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review)

Editorial Review

The plot of The Life We Bury is obviously intriguing. But what brings this character-driven mystery to a new level is the narration by Zach Villa. His voice perfectly conveys the protagonist's mentality with a delivery that exemplifies the 'too-cool-to-care-but-actually-cares-a-little' attitudeLaura M., Audible Editor

What listeners say about The Life We Bury

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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    41,469
  • 4 Stars
    17,296
  • 3 Stars
    4,124
  • 2 Stars
    705
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Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    41,909
  • 4 Stars
    13,012
  • 3 Stars
    2,794
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    459
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 3 Stars
    4,330
  • 2 Stars
    831
  • 1 Stars
    334

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good listen!

For a bargain book, this was pretty good. I usually stick with cozy mysteries because I don't like the violence in normal ones, and this one does get pretty graphic. But the mystery was good, kept me listening (on 1.5 speed). I bought the book because it takes place in Minnesota, where I grew up, and where else am I going to read, "The tufts of hair stood out of my head in all directions, like I'd been cowlicked by a drunken heifer" but in a book taking place in the midwest?

The main character, Joe, was likable from the beginning, he just had this authentic feel to him, and when I found out his backstory, I liked him even more. The same is true with the girl who lived next door to him. They both had some baggage, but neither one of them let it get them down much, or if they did, admitted to themselves they were doing it and accepted that. That was kind of refreshing.

The relationship between Joe and his brother was really sweet and added a layer to the story that made it all that much more worth listening to.

The narrator was really good, perfect choice for the voice of Joe.

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455 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Flawless Narration


The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens is a great example of a novel enhanced by audible narration. The book is more than it would have been without Zach Villa, who is the voice of the main character, Joe. So impressive.

This is the story of Joe and his younger autistic brother who grew up with a worthless mother. The alcoholic mother becomes a ball and chain for Joe as he enters his adult life. Joe survives, though not without scars.

Joe's life is enhanced by meeting a convicted felon who is dying, and who agrees to tell Joe the the events surrounding his incarceration. A story he has never told before.

The Life We Bury is beautifully written, though predictable as far as a mystery goes. The conclusion, though no surprise, is exactly what the reader hopes it will be.

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226 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

Gripping

This book covers a lot of ground including alcoholism, autism, rape, murder, prison, cancer, hospice, Vietnam, PTSD, and young love. Suffice it to say I that I was impressed the author managed to fit so much into 8.5 hours of listening time. It's a coming of age story about college student Joe who, while coming to terms with serious family responsibilities, must also undertake what initially seems like a simple college assignment but soon opens a can of worms with enormous implications for a man dying of cancer. Wrong vs. right, death vs. life, guilt vs. innocence, the truth vs. deceit and misinformation, conviction vs. exoneration are some of the many themes that are skillfully interwoven throughout the story. Though much of the material was dark and heavy, the narrative was a also refreshingly light and funny at times.

The narrator did a really great job - his voice was perfect for the main character and he also seemed to nail the voices of the other characters.

It was hard to stop listening to and I look forward to more from both the author and narrator!

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214 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Clichéd Story and Terrible Writing

Any additional comments?

I am baffled by the 5-star reviews.

The writing style is so sophomoric, I stopped listening twice to check that the book wasn't self-published. Seriously, was this a creative writing class project?

The author's style lacks any real imagery, and awkward similes abound. The narrator is constantly telling us about things instead of describing them as they happen, violating the "show, don't tell" rule. He tells us, "I heard a loud crack" instead of "there was a loud crack." Instead of feeling transported into the story while the author's voice disappears, you are left feeling like you are sitting across from some dude hearing a story secondhand. There is a laughable scene where the main character/college student is talking to the killer and is trying to be all Dirty Harry, spelling out the whole story like the last 45 seconds of an episode of Scooby Doo. You can't hold a girl's hand at a movie, then you're all, "are you feeling lucky, punk?" Um, okay.

The characters lack any real depth, and to attempt to make up for this, the author gives each character a cheesy, trite little back story as shorthand. The girlfriend? Rape victim - that's all you need to know. The mom? Typical irresponsible alcoholic who brings home dirtbag guys. The brother? Autistic - and the description of his autism is so stereotypical as to be offensive. The author just puts "maybe" in front of each of the kid's sentences and the narrator uses a dopey voice for him. The dialogue is stilted and clichéd throughout, and the author uses awkward, unnatural-sounding phrases.

The story itself is full of ridiculous improbabilities, plot holes, and insufficient explanations for the characters' actions.

Some college kid is assigned to write a biography for class, and he can't think of anyone he knows, so he walks into a nursing home and asks if they have any old people who are lucid enough to tell him their life story. Of course, the helpful lady at the front desk is like, "you know, we do have this one guy - he's a convicted rapist, murderer, and arsonist the local prison let out on compassionate release while he waits here to die of cancer - but I'd be happy to let a 21-year-old student he's never even met waltz right into his room and hang out with our resident killer, unsupervised! Huh? And has this woman ever heard of HIPPA?

The old man now wants to clear his name, even though he was previously not too cooperative with his own lawyers. Our narrator Joe is just the guy for the job. Joe and his neighbor-turned-girlfriend get ahold of his case file and set off to interview the witnesses. Of course, after a very brief hesitation, everyone wants to talk to these kids and tell them things they held back 35 years earlier. Even though he's met this cop like twice in his life, the police officer steps in to get him off the hook in another jurisdiction and even drives him home. When one avenue for testing DNA is a no-go, it's not the cop, the lawyer, or the lab guys who come up with a work-around; it's a nurse at the nursing home. Of course, the wheels of justice turn very quickly for these characters and without any hearings. And do these kids ever actually go to school or work?

Somehow, this kid is MacGyver and Bruce Lee rolled into one. He uses found objects to sew a coat and make snow shoes, and he can kick the ass of anyone who upsets his girlfriend or touches his brother. We aren't really sure where he gets his skills, though, the descriptions of the fights he gets into are probably the most detailed scenes in the book. There's nothing psychological going on here, other than a few unnecessary flashbacks to grandpa's death.

Once our intrepid sleuths crack a coded message in the victim's diary, they have the initials of the real killer. They'll need DNA evidence to exonerate the old man, but the kid decides it would be easier if he just shows up on the suspected killer's doorstep to try to get a confession. But there's a (predictable, already been done) twist! Yawn.

This is my first Audible review, but I was so disappointed with this book, I felt I had to warn others.

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202 people found this helpful

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

Character driven mystery

Would you consider the audio edition of The Life We Bury to be better than the print version?

Each are good, but hearing the story was wonderful because it was in the first person and offered an emotional glimpse into the complex lives of the characters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Life We Bury?

The ending, of course, but also Joe's the relationship with his brother. Touching and unique.

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

He provided a real connection to the character, and offered enough diversity of voice that it was clear and easy to get emotionally entrenched in the story. Good job.

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

Action and mystery based, but very emotional with regard to the characters. It was more a smile often and tears of sentiment.

Any additional comments?

Wonderfully crafted and written, with characters I want to see again! Good resolutions, but not trite at all. I'm recommending it to everyone!

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

One of the Best I've listened to in 15 years!

What did you love best about The Life We Bury?

The story was compelling. About a dying man who spent 30 years in prison, a student and friend who were driven to investigate and in mortal danger for their efforts, a great narrator who captured all the events of the lives in this complex story. Great listen, great story, very surprising end.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Life We Bury?

The end was entirely surprising.

Have you listened to any of Zach Villa’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but will certainly look for more books by this narrator.

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

The emotional build up was amazing. The dying man's honesty, the student's family, mother, brother, revealed the character of this student. The girl friend who came along side the student. All were people with flaws, all were (accept the miserable mother) incredibly honest and likable.

Any additional comments?

I've been a listener since Audible came public in 1999 and this is without question one of the best books I've heard.

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185 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good, easy read

This book had a little bit of romance,, little bit of a twist, good plot and the author was never confusing. Generally a good read, except two dark sub-plots that distrubed me as a reader. It had to be in the story, but was just a little darker than I like to be exposed to. A little foul language which might offend some people.

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157 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Figured it out but couldn't quit listening

This was a very well written and captivating story. I found it just reading other reviews and was quite pleased with the choice. The performance of the book was great also. I have to admit that I had the mystery figured out early in the book but it didn't make me want want to stop listening. I can't wait for this authors next piece

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134 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not Your Average Thriller

This fast paced thriller was good because it was multidimensional with characters that were fully developed and explored through the story. So often, thrillers are peopled by cookie cutter characters and purposefully vague storytelling. Eskens does a good job telling a story that holds the interest and for the most part is believable. There were just a few bits that stretched my suspension of disbelief--but not enough to cause me to stop listening.

To me, the narration was good. The writing engaging. There was moderate amount of discussion and action involving violence and disturbing themes. Recommended if you like cold case style crime solving done by nonprofessional "detectives"/researchers. In the end, an attention grabbing page turner.

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

Excellent book! Loved it!

Listened to the audio version on a 2 day road trip which made the drive extremely enjoyable! We drove around for 15 minutes after we reached our destination to finish! Great characterization and plot. Would highly recommend this to any adult reader (some graphic language).

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103 people found this helpful