Charm City

Probably my favorite Tess Monaghan audio book so far. (My favorite print book is Sugar House). This book has Tess looking into a news paper story about a new basketball team that wasn't supposed to be printed but was. She also tries to figure out why her Uncle Spike was beaten into a coma over a dog. Both plots are juggled well. My only complaint is that one of the big suprises wasn't very suprising. It was well-paced with a very natural tone. By that I mean not artificially glib and not too grim and gory. A well balanced mystery all around.

I really wanted to like this book, with its Baltimore setting and newspaper theme, but it is, simply, dull. The performance is fine; there just isn't enough story to make a reader care what happens.

I like the narrator, the stories are involved without being complex. A nice easy, entertaining listen.

I am enjoying working my way through all of the books in the Tess Monaghan series. The characters are well developed and leaves you wanting to know what the next adventure is.
An unorthodox mystery series for sure, but very entertaining.

I recommend these books.

I reserve 4 and 5 stars for the can't put them down, edge of my seat books. This series is more of a box of chocolates, enjoyable but at a slower pace. Well worth the credit.

I enjoyed listening to this book. It was the first of a series and I will listen to others.

I already recommended this to my friends in Baltimore, to my fellow dog-lovers, to reporter friends and to mystery lovers.

There is never a slow moment in this book. It takes one from one emotion to another, from laughing out loud to sharing the ache of a lost love.

This is the second book in the series, and Hazlett is definitely the voice of Tess. Her Baltimore dialect for other characters is a hoot.

I'm already listening to the third in the series and it's just as good as the first two.

Really enjoyed this book. Liked it much better than the previous "Baltimore Blues," the first of this series. Deborah Hazlett, the narrator, seems to have settled-in to the characters and made it easy to follow which character was speaking. The story had a lot of understated humor, a little romance, and a really interesting and intriguing mystery all rolled up in a very enjoyable listen. Would highly recommend this Audible book. Tess Monoghan has become an interesting and likable character I want to know more about. If there is a sequel, I will be purchasing it.

gripping read

believable characters, plot that grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go until the last words, fine reader

as good as I've grown to expect and appreciate