Watch Me Die

A Novel

By: Lee Goldberg

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Harvey Mapes is a 26-year-old security guard who spends his nights in a guard shack outside a gated community in Southern California, reading detective novels, watching reruns, and waiting for his life to finally start…which happens when Cyril Parkus, one of the wealthy residents, asks Harvey to follow his beautiful wife. The lowly security guard jumps at the opportunity to fulfill his private eye fantasies and use everything he’s learned from Spenser, Magnum, and Mannix. But things don’t exactly go according to the books…or the reruns. As Harvey fumbles and stumbles through his first investigation, he discovers that the differences between fiction and reality can be deadly.

©2010 Lee Goldberg (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Lee Goldberg bravely marches into territory already staked out by some fierce competition - Donald Westlake, Lawrence Block, the early Harlan Coben - and comes out virtually unscathed." ( The Chicago Tribune)

Quick and easy listen that's well written!

This is a quick and easy listen featuring a well written storyline that's cohesive. Really enjoyed this book!

Language

I would have given this book a 5 if not for the foul language. I don't like it and won't buy another book by this author.

A Fluff Read for Fans of 70's and 80's detectives

This is a fun story about a security guard with a fondness for detectives like Spenser, Travis McGee, Jim Rockford and Thomas Magnum. The guy has a rich fantasy life until he gets the chance to live out his dream...sort of. Of course, things are not what they at first seem to be. Luke Daniels does a wonderful job.
I should probably point out, the book isn't for everybody. It can be a bit crass. Despite this, I found the story enjoyable and the main character a likable, flawed guy. I'd like to see Goldberg write another of these, though something tells me he won't. High literature this is not, but it is fun escapist fiction with a postmodern sense of self awareness about the detective genre.

Very Entertaining!!

I am really enjoying Lee Goldberg! I really like "True Fiction" a lot and "Watch Me Die" is of similar caliber! It's my kind of humor and very good story telling. Luke Daniels does a very good job with the novel's characters and makes listening very entertaining! There's the key words -- It's very entertaining and very much worth the listen!

A Lot Of Fun!

This was a relatively short but highly entertaining and lighthearted listen. Cleverly well written with lots of funny one liners practically nonstop. Lighthearted but not altogether shallow (which, I guess can be two different things, at least in this case) as there are actually more than just a few thoughtful insights sprinkled in along the way.

The main character is quite a like-able fellow and I found myself on his side and robustly rooting for him as he stumbles his way through this rigorous and fast paced caper. A number of reviews commented on the over-abundance of swearing in this story, but that didn’t really bother me as the swearing seemed to fit in with the overall tone of the story.

Great narrator!!

weird that he couldn't pronounce Camarillo

Narrative was well read but every time he mispronounced Camarillo I cringed. It's pronounced, 'Cam-a-rio'.

My kind of humor, silly and unpredictable

What made the experience of listening to Watch Me Die the most enjoyable?

The main character is so human it's funny. You don't get James Bond here, but a likable almost looser who starts to better himself in very humorous situations.

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

The plot did keep me listening. I listened on a long drive to Colorado and enjoyed it the entire time.

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

No, but I will look for more of his books.

Any additional comments?

This book is funny, but crass. It has language and some images of bodily fluids and bedroom activity. Not for the kids, but funny for the adults.

The story was better than the cliches it copied

A intresting pusudeo-nior thriller. Calling out the clichés doesn't excuse them but the book doesn't suffer for it.

Exciting and humorous

Your classic bumbling newbie detective tries to stay alive while solving a mystery. This was really good. I read the whole thing in one sitting. Could not put it down.

Awesomely Good

What a fun story that was humorous and thrilling and just good story telling, all be it a little ridiculous at times.

oh and the narrator did a fantastic. His delivery of certain lines really had me sold on what he was selling and also had me laughing at all.the right placed.