The Loner

De: Quintin Jardine

Narrado por: Cameron Stewart, Steve Worsley

Brought up by his hard-nosed father and ferocious Spanish grandmother, Xavier Aislado is a gentle giant. And though Xavi’s bond with his grandmother grows, he is abandoned when his family return to Spain, leaving him in Edinburgh to complete his education. Years later, when his promising sporting career is cut short, Xavi pursues his true passion: journalism. And when his first assignment ends in violent death, he is drawn into a dark new world. With his childhood sweetheart, Grace, by his side, and a burgeoning career, Xavier has everything to live for. As his life and work become increasingly entwined, Xavi is immersed in a story of tragedy, loss and betrayal, in search of a truth that may ultimately destroy him…

©2011 Portador Ltd (P)2011 Isis Publishing Ltd

Great book lots of twist, slow start but great

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is a great book slow start but worth the build up to the story

Who was your favorite character and why?

Xavie

OK story with a little fast forwarding

I like a long entertaining book, but this one included a couple of subjects I have no interest in whatever: football and business. I had to fast forward thru quite a bit of that. Once I'd done that though, it became more interesting,--when he actually became a journalist and ran down spicey stories, even becoming one himself. If I'd known the lead character was a person who had everything (intelligence, money, size, looks, stable temperament), I'm not sure I would have chosen this book. Especially with wealthy businessmen and football in the picture. But these r personal dislikes and others may go for it. The narrator did a good job.

Like waiting for a glacier to calve

If the reader didn’t have such a pleasant voice, I’d never have made it to the end. The book is 90% context and 10% story. I did keep wondering when the story would start, and that curiosity also propelled me.

I don’t think this is a spoiler exactly, but while Grace is pivotal to the plot, she never becomes a person. She’s a body and a role, and that’s about it. Which made the end fall rather flat for me.

OTOH, the writing is smooth and coherent, and pleasant enough to listen to. The protagonist is a bit of an egotist—he has the arrogance of the strong—but that’s better than being a creep or bad guy, so . . . meh.

good story

not great but good. interested in trying out more from this author but found the constant "future hints" technique annoying at times