Dead Time

I've been a Stephen White fan for years-- his character Alan Gregory is a clinical psychologist who is continually pulled into the middle of gruesome crimes-- not unlike Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware-- except I find White's books more suspenseful, intelligent, and coherent. So I was thrilled to finally see a White book available on Audible! While 'Dead Time' is probably not White's best, I thought it was right up there-- lots of twists and turns, a couple of compelling subplots, and some great nailbiting moments. Unlike the other reviewer, I really like the way White takes his time to develop conversations and settings-- it facilitates the evolution of the characters and their relationships and ultimately just makes me care that much more about what happens to them.

I was a little worried I might not like the way the reader interpreted the characters I've grown so fond of, but he didn't let me down-- and he does an especially good "bad guy" voice!

For me, this was one I couldn't stop listening to until I finished. Please, Audible, let's have some more of White's books on here!

I am a big Stephen White fan but this is one of my least favorite books that he has published. I kept waiting for it to get more exciting and found some of the dialogue between Alan and Sam to drone on and on unnecessarily. When the climax does come in the end and you find out "who done it" it didn't get any better for me. I found it too predictable. I still listened all the way to the end but if this had been my first book of his I would not have read any more of his books. Big disappointment after such books as Dry Ice and Cold Case etc.

"Dead Time" is the first book of Stephen White's I've read with the main character of Alan Gregory. He's a thoroughly likable person - and funny. It's not a funny book but Gregory's self-examination and thoughts make it so at times. He's totally unassuming, thoroughly human and smart. I'll read other books with Alan Gregory soon. Enjoy.

The story and writing are ok I guess. My problem is, that half way into the book, I realized that I did not like ANY of the characters in the book! Therefore I did not care what happened to them and gave up on the book. There are truly no good guys or bad guys in the book. Just a bunch of people no one would like.

A tough combination of Dick Hills typically too emotive breathy narration in which even the basic details are filled with drama and a back and forth switching of characters seemingly written in a female tone made this a dead end for me. Far too much of the writing smacks of the tendious (to me...) discussions my wife and teen daughters have: the type of conversations that I tune out.

If you like a book that is driven by the relationships of the characters than the plot or the character then this is for you. For me, I thought I was being made to watch "Gossip Girls" with my teen daughters...