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The Safe Man  By  cover art

The Safe Man

By: Michael Connelly
Narrated by: David W. Collins
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Publisher's summary

Published for the first time under his own name, a dark and haunting story from number one New York Times best-selling author Michael Connelly.

Like his father before him, Brian Holloway is a safe man. That is, his specialty is opening safes. Every job is a little mystery, and he has yet to encounter a lock he can't break or a box he can't crack. But the day Holloway gets called in to open a rare, antique safe in a famous author's library, his skills open a door that should have remained closed.

In this haunting and singular story, previously published anonymously, Michael Connelly proves once again that he is "superb at building suspense.... the reader can never be sure what sudden turns the plot may take" (Wall Street Journal).

©2012 Michael Connelly (P)2012 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about The Safe Man

Average customer ratings
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

great ghost story

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

it was a pleasant surprise to hear Michael Connelly, not known for this kind of thing, to spin a pretty good yarn that resonated with me. This feels like an homage of sorts, to some pulp collections I grew up on as a kid, but maybe with a little more heart. Would be pretty devastating around a campfire.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Safe Man?

no spoilers - not exactly a moment, but more the unfolding, for the main character, and for the reader, of what the safe is all about, was comfortably thrilling. Yeah, I mean comfortably - I love curling up around a decent ghost story. The title itself has multiple meanings.

Have you listened to any of David W. Collins’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no - good solid work, no issues. voices the annoying client almost too well - it was just slightly overdone enough to make the client more of a caricature than a character. toned back just a hair would have made the story that much stronger. the rest was really fine.

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

I give up. for an audible credit or two, I'll work harder and come up with a good tag line.

Any additional comments?

very well done short story worthy of sitting in a steven king collection. For such a quickly drawn set of characters, in broad brush strokes, connelly has done a good job of capturing a certain kind of fear - born out of love - that I can't talk about without spoilers galore. recommended - not for a credit - it's too short - but priced just right for members.

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15 people found this helpful

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

Oh, so different!

The Safe Man is a quick book but is jam-packed with good writing, an excellent narration, and the conclusion - well, it knocked my socks off. Truly, one of the best books on Audible.com and I wish ten stars were available because I would cheat and and add one extra, for a total of 11.

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8 people found this helpful

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

Eerie Michael Connelly short story

THE SAFE MAN was released anonymously by Michael Connelly in 2005 and re-released by him in 2012. The title refers to a locksmith who also opens safes. I do not usually care for ghost stories but this one is special.

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7 people found this helpful

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

Short but gripping - a different Michael Connelly

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

Yes; great story, with surprises you don't expect from the Detective Bosh, Lincoln Lawyer author. Pleasantly surprised. Its short, and good.

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3 people found this helpful

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

A Different Connelly.

This is so different to the Michael Connelly I am used to. It is a short story and I don't want to spoil it so all I will say is that if you love Michael's books, you will love this. It is just different.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Don't miss this one!

Narration was great and the story keeps you listening to the end and wanting more! I really want more so I hope we get another one that will fill in the missing parts. 20 Minutes of this book is a preview of a Harry Bosch book. Well worth the price, although it's misleading to say 1.33 hours, when the story really is only 1.10 min. I think you'll really enjoy the story, it's really good.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Dont expect an usual in depth story.

Would you try another book from Michael Connelly and/or David W. Collins?

yew

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

the details of the work of the opening of the locker.

What does David W. Collins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

the work of a lock smith.

Was The Safe Man worth the listening time?

yes

Any additional comments?

no

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1 person found this helpful

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

surprisingly delightful

bought this on a whim because it was so short...It is good company on a long run.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Excellent shortish story!

If you could sum up The Safe Man in three words, what would they be?

Interesting and its 'unlocks' a skill and expertise people seldom hear about in stories.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Safe Man. He was skillful

Which character – as performed by David W. Collins – was your favorite?

Main. The Expert

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely

Any additional comments?

Something different!

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1 person found this helpful

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

Neat Little Story

"Box Man" -- a man who opens safes. There's a legitimate market for this work, apparently. The locksmiths skilled in safe-opening without the (presumably lost) keys even have a website and can post tips to each other.

Our hero is a box man, and the problem safe has not been opened for a very long time. What is in it?

The reading is somewhat wooden; I would avoid this reader in general. However, it's still very easy to listen to and understand, and the plot is most interesting. I recommend this audiostory.

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1 person found this helpful