This Case Is Gonna Kill Me

Linnet Ellery, Book 1

By: Phillipa Bornikova

Narrated by: Therese Plummer

Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

What happens when The Firm meets Anita Blake? You get the Halls of Power - our modern world, but twisted. Law, finance, the military, and politics are under the sway of long-lived vampires, werewolves, and the elven Alfar. Humans make the best of rule by “the Spooks”, and contend among themselves to affiliate with the powers-that-be, in order to avoid becoming their prey. Very loyal humans are rewarded with power over other women and men. Very lucky humans are selected to join the vampires, werewolves, and elves - or, on occasion, to live at the Seelie Court.

Linnet Ellery is the offspring of an affluent Connecticut family dating back to Colonial times. Fresh out of law school, she’s beginning her career in a powerful New York “white fang” law firm. She has high hopes of eventually making partner.

But strange things keep happening to her. In a workplace where some humans will eventually achieve immense power and centuries of extra lifespan, office politics can be vicious beyond belief. After some initial missteps, she finds herself sidelined and assigned to unpromising cases. Then, for no reason she can see, she becomes the target of repeated, apparently random violent attacks, escaping injury each time through increasingly improbable circumstances. However, there’s apparently more to Linnet Ellery than a little old-money human privilege. More than even she knows. And as she comes to understand this, she’s going to shake up the system like you wouldn’t believe.

©2012 Melinda Snodgrass (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Middle of the road

The first half of the book was a bit slow and just "off" for me, but the second half picked up and was quite exciting. I could have done with less descriptions of horses and riding, as I don't find the subject interesting and it did not really fit with the story at all. It felt kind of tossed in to me, maybe to give Linnet a personal side, yet all it did was bore me. I didn't care much for Linnet in the beginning but I began to like her more as the book progressed, as she became a stronger, more independent woman. Not sure yet if I will read the second book in the series. Therese Plummer did a decent job narrating, but she didn't wow me. I thought her male voices were actually pretty good but with the exception of a few, most sounded alike. This one was a mixed bag, for sure. Not the worst I've read but definitely not in the top third either.

Ok, but not great...

Any additional comments?

The story is ok so far. I'm not totally drawn in; I think partially because the narrator is not that great. The story takes place in NY and all her male voices sound almost exactly the same (sort of raspy old men with mild southern drawls).

BOOORRRIIINNNGG

What a waste of a credit! The story is LOST between her clothes, eating, horses and the pathetic crying and wishy-washy heroine(?). It is obvious the author spends her time eating, shopping and riding horses! Seems A LOT of time eating. More time is spent describing the food, it's preparation and restaurants than actually on the story and engaging the reader. If I wanted to listen to a gastronomic review, I'd tune in to the food network. Every audible title can't be a winner and this one belongs in the LOSER pile.

Snore!

Boring. Finished to see if it got better, but then suddenly it ended. Main story line was wrapped up but fundamental questions went unanswered. Not a good read for fans of urban fantasy.

Very cliche

I do not like Linnet, she just is not very likable and I think she is supposed to be. I also really don’t like all the name dropping of brands. It just gets really irritating after the second or third time. The story is just average and did not really interest me even though I normally enjoy these types of stories. I say don’t bother with this one. Go for Jim Butcher.