XO

A Kathryn Dance Novel

De: Jeffery Deaver

Narrado por: Marin Ireland

International #1 bestseller Jeffery Deaver delivers a sensational thriller in which a beautiful young country-pop singer is stalked by an obsessive fan who thinks her big hit song was written just for him, featuring Deaver's popular character California Bureau of Investigation agent Kathryn Dance.

Kayleigh Towne’s music career is just reaching new heights with her huge hit single “Your Shadow”—but increased fame is also bringing unwanted attention. An innocent exchange with one of her fans, signed with an “XO,” leads Kayleigh into the dangerous and terrifying realm of obsession.

Edwin Sharp thinks Kayleigh’s songs contain messages that speak directly to him. Despite her clear rejection and threats from lawyers and law enforcers, he remains convinced that “Your Shadow” was written just for him, and he announces he’s coming for Kayleigh. Then a potentially fatal accident occurs at the concert hall where Kayleigh is rehearsing for a triumphant hometown performance, and she is convinced that someone—maybe Edwin—was there watching her from the darkness.

Speeding along over just three short days, this nail-biting thriller is filled with terrifying twists that will hold readers in rapt suspense until the final shocking revelation.

Disappointing

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The book is far too long and, at many points, felt contrived. There were too many characters and sub-plots for any one of them to be satisfying.

Has XO turned you off from other books in this genre?

No.

What about Marin Ireland’s performance did you like?

It felt like a performance, rather than a 'reading' and I enjoy this type of 'read'.

Was XO worth the listening time?

No. I almost gave up but I did enjoy the performance.

Any additional comments?

I will always read anything by Mr. Deaver. Not every book can be a 'stunning read': Mr. Deaver has set the bar very high for himself and I'm a fan who believes that sometime in the near future, he will write another book that takes my breath away.

Excellent!

I love the way Jeffery Deaver intermingled music in throughout this book. It was an important part of the story line. Anyone who has had a song or music speak to their life will enjoy this Dance novel.

not his style

I was hoping for a book similar to the Lincoln Rhyme series but it seems like it was written by someone else. I enjoyed the book in spite but just not up to the same standard. Of course I m not an author so who am I to judge. I'm just a fan.

Not as good as the Lincoln Rhyme stories

I am a hard core Lincoln Rhyme fan. We meet the Dance character in the Rhyme series. I thought she was an engaging character with an interesting talent. The character comes across very flat and uninteresting. I bought the first three books in her series. I hope the next two are better. The story is well written, the plot is good. I just found the main character boring.

Excellent!

What did you love best about XO?

The story was fast paced and had several twists and turns.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I think my favorite was the reader.

What about Marin Ireland’s performance did you like?

She was great, making one get right into the character's heads.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked the end, so I won't say what it was.

Any additional comments?

At first I thought the heroine was a bit too sweet, but that was just the way she needed to be. I loved the story because it kept me wanting to hear more.

OK, but not great!

I always enjoy Jeffery Deaver’s books and this one was no exception. It was definitely not one of his best books, but was a good read. The book continued with unexpected twists and turns throughout it until the very end. I thought it was going to end long before it did, but Deaver would then twist the plot and add another turn to the story. It did keep my attention, but I felt it was a little under par with his previous books.

Too many plot twists.

Good premise but story was way too long. There were so many plot twists. Sometimes more isn’t better; it’s just more.

Disappointing

I have liked all the other Jeffery Deaver books, but this one I just can't get in to. I'm going to wait a little bit and try again, but I would spend my credit on something else.

Deaver still has it

Would you listen to XO again? Why?

I will have to wait a while before listening to this book again -- but my memory has gotten so bad that it won't be too long before I do. I need for the plot twists to face a bit in my memory so that I can recapture some of the surprises. Jeffrey Deaver has written many books that featured unexpected plot twists, which is what makes reading his work always fun for me. This book was no exception.

What was one of the most memorable moments of XO?

I don't want to give the plot away, so I will just say that the tour of the Bobby's house, and the ultimate recovery of what was taken from there are hard for me to forget.

Which scene was your favorite?

It is hard to answer that. I see the story as a flow rather than discrete scenes.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. You want to stop and think about what is going on from time to time to keep the threads in order.

Any additional comments?

I have grown to like the Kathryn Dance character, and this book only deepens the richness of detail that Deaver has built up for her persona. A great book for Deaver fans!

Not the Best Narrator

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I actually tried to search for the text with a different narrator, but there isn't one available for this book.

I honestly prefer series with the same narrator. We know that the characters aren't real people, but it helps you get into the book better when the main characters "sound like themselves".

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Some of the words were mispronounced, but I'm likely among the very few who noticed.

Did XO inspire you to do anything?

.....just to move on to the next text.