One Was a Soldier

Well written character-driven mystery mixed well with healthy romance and laugh-out-loud humor. Russ and Clare stories have become one of my favorites. Suzanne Torne gives an excellent performance as narrator as well.

I'm listening to this one for a second time to glean as much from it as I can. Spencer-Fleming is a wonderful storyteller and this time she includes several sides of being a military veteran. I learned a lot from the story --- stuff I should have known but lost along the way.

last of a really great series and truly superior narration.These are just good stories with a mystery, people interaction, warm love interest and a desire for more of the characters. The series was over too soon..

This was one of those “I only finished it because I paid for it” books for me. Found myself stepping out of the story often to remind myself how unlikely the circumstances were. Really hate when that happens because it reminds me I am reading instead of taking me away.

Spencer-Fleming has once again written an excellent story, showing insight into the characters' inner lives. In this case, the turmoil and troubles of the military veterans after combat were well and sympathetically portrayed, especially the main character's alcoholism and addiction and her attempts to carry on life as an Episcopal priest in spite of it. That said, I have to say that the performace of the narrator distracted greatly from the story. The natural voice itself was fine, but the voices used for characters were off the mark. Claire's southern accent was okay, and the other female characters were portrayed adequately, but the voices used for the men, especially the Sheriff, were not good. In an attempt to lower her voice for the male parts, the narrator ended up using a grating, rasping voice which repeatedly distracted from the story and interrupted my immersion in the story.

If I listen to this book again, it would be only for the story, not the performance.

Julia Spencer-Fleming is among my favorite authors -- to read. This was my first one to listen to -- or to TRY listening to. I'm about three hours in, and I don't think I can continue -- I like the series too much to ruin it by listening to this narrator. She started reading so slowly I had to backtrack to keep what she was reading in mind. Finally I switched my iPod to "fast" read, but then she speeded up some, so I switched back. But her voices -- oy! The narrator is female -- why the falsetto for most of the female characters? And (so far, anyway) she makes Claire sound like a lovesick damsel from the Old South -- good grief. This woman is not a Suellen O'Hara -- she's a tough as nails helicopter pilot who saw combat. Nor is she a wilting lilly at home -- she's decisive, quick thinking and courageous, not languid and insipid. Right now I'm at the "I bought it so I darn well better listen to it" stage -- but still hating to ruin the book if it's as good as the others in written form. I will definitely stay away from this narrator in the future, for anything.

I have read all the books in this series and this is the only one to disappoint me.
I have never been crazy about Toren's narration but I let that go to enjoy the story.
I could not get past it this time and I am sorry to say I should have read it...not listened to it.

Yes. It opened my eyes to the problems our soldiers face when returning home.

It was well written. Never knew how it was going to end.

Good writing, Great Characters....enjoyed the narrator. This was the first book by this author I have listened to and I really enjoyed it.

Couldn't get past the first few chapters. Too much like a soap opera and the reader just didn't do it for me.

First book I've heard by this author. Coming late to the series didn't hurt the story at all. It was a good read, a good story, but not fantastic enough to make me want to grab the other books. I might go back and read them, but I feel like there's enough in this one to make it unnecessary. I will be waiting for the next book, though.

Good writing. Great characters. A little bit unreal--enough so that you never forget it's fiction. Still, an interesting place to visit.