Among the Living

PsyCop, Book 1

By: Jordan Castillo Price

Narrated by: Gomez Pugh

Length: 2 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Victor Bayne, the psychic half a PsyCop team, is a gay medium who's more concerned with flying under the radar than in making waves.

He hooks up with handsome Jacob Marks, a non-psychic (or "Stiff") from an adjacent precinct at his ex-partner's retirement party, and it seems like his dubious luck has taken a turn for the better. But then a serial killer surfaces who can change his appearance to match any witness' idea of the world's hottest guy.

Solving murders is a snap when you can ask the victims whodunit, but this killer's not leaving any spirits behind.

Warning: This audiobook contains explicit adult content.

©2006 Jordan Castilo Price (P)2014 Jordan Castillo Price

Perfect narrator for one of my favorite books!

I've read many of the books in this series. so when I saw the first book available on audio, I jumped on it. Gomez Pugh is the perfect narrator. He really brings Victor Bane to life. He does a great job distinguishing the character voices too. His portrayal of Sargent Warwick and his upper-Midwest accent was hilarious!

AMONG THE LIVING is only novella length, but it packs a lot of punch. We get creepy horror, humor, well-developed characters, some fun sexy-times...everything I like in a book. I love the world this story is set in. The pairing of psychic and stiff investigators is a really cool concept. It’s interesting how the two types of people bring different talents to the table while solving crimes. The psychic investigators also vary in their talents, leading to some interesting plot possibilities. I found it interesting that even thought psychics are utilized in such an important way in this society, they are still feared and discriminated against. I see so many exciting possibilities for where the author can take these characters.

Short review for a short book, but I can’t wait for the rest of the series to continue in audio.

Overall, I give AMONG THE LIVING...

Plot - 5 bookmarks
Character development - 5 bookmarks (considering this is only 90 pages, there is a lot of depth to Victor)
Love/Sex - 4 1/2 bookmarks (the only reason I downgraded it from five is because I’m not fully connected to Jacob yet)
Dream cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Matthew Gray Gubler (Victor), Channing Tatum (Jacob), Michelle Rodriguez (Lisa), Cherry Jones (Carolyn)

Love the Voice Actor - Gomez Pugh!

Any additional comments?

I have read Among the Living, so I am familiar with the story. Listening to the audio-book was truly a great way to experience the book. I really enjoyed the voice actor, Gomez Pugh. His voice of the main charcter, Vic, is spot on. I also enjoyed how Pugh brought to life the other characters in the book. Although I blushed, I really enjoyed Pugh's treatment of the love scenes (just right - not over the top or cheesy). I can't wait for the next PsyCop audio-book! I love this series!

Finally, Psycop is in audio!

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

Yes. If you enjoyed Among The Living in print or ebook, if you love Victor, Jacob, Lisa, and the others, you have got to listen to the audio. The narrator does a fantastic job with all of their different voices and accents.

What did you like best about this story?

Honestly, this is a tough question. I enjoyed the story, (I've already reread the print and ebook several times), I loved the accents for all the characters, and I loved how the narrator portrayed Vic, pretty much as I see and hear him in my head, which is the most important part.

What about Gomez Pugh’s performance did you like?

He definitely "got" Vic's voice down pat. He also got Lisa's accent and attitude right. She was great. I actually enjoyed listening to his Jackie the Ghost too.

If you could take any character from Among the Living out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I think I would take Lisa out to dinner because I want to be her friend, not because I want to ask her questions, so get that thought out of your head! And as she's new to the area and has only three friends at this point, she could use another. Right? Right.

Any additional comments?

Series/Standalone: Book 1 (These are best read in order)
Genre/sub-genre: Gay paranormal cop story with slight romance
Book Format: Audio
HEA/HFN: yes
Relatable characters: YES
Abuse/Rape: no
Violence: yes
Ratio of sex/plot: equal
Well written/editor needed: well written
Would I re-listen?: YES
Personal thoughts: Readers of M/M Romance will enjoy this series, though it's not actually a romance. That being said, I LOVE this series. I love Victor, even when he's accidentally spilling food all over himself. Vic is someone I can really relate to, which makes listening to his story that much easier and more fun. I don't know what else I can say, other than I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys paranormal, with cops, hot gay sex, an accident prone main character, and all of the ghostly people he comes into contact with throughout his workday. I'm still not sure I like Jacob's voice, 100%, but that's just me, and likely just means I need to spend more time with him to get used to it. His voice reminds me of someone I know, so it's just a little odd for me.

Favourite

Would you consider the audio edition of Among the Living to be better than the print version?

Not better, different, and I love both

What was one of the most memorable moments of Among the Living?

That is a huge spoiler, so my next best is Vic and Jacob meeting for the first time

What does Gomez Pugh bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The voice of Vic

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

YES

Thoroughly enjoyable!

Any additional comments?

Thoroughly enjoyable. Why did I wait this long to start this series? The world building is so fresh and inventive - I am really looking forward to continuing the series.

And bonus! It's Gomez Pugh - who ALWAYS does an excellent job with the narration.

Delightful! Yes really!

I've been meaning to come review this book for 2 weeks now. I am so glad I picked this up and yet sad that I have to wait for the rest to be released. (Which I sincerely hope will be soon!) It's short, about 3 hours listening time, and I listened to it on a weekend drive to visit some family. Normally my drive only takes 2 hours, but I stopped for coffee and gas on the way and didn't even mind getting stuck in traffic on the way so that I could listen to the entire thing in one go.

Anyway, the story kind of jumps right into things with the two main characters which jarred me a bit but given it's such a short story it's understandable. I like that the concept is simple with people having different types of psychic abilities (medium abilities, precognition, lie detector, etc) and that there's different strength levels of ability as well.

The characters are so wonderfully fleshed out. Victor was charmingly awkward and self-deprecating, Jacob was playful and confident. And I have to specifically point out how well the women (Lisa and Carolyn) were written in this book. I adored Lisa and how straight forward she is in the beginning and how ready she is to prove herself later. Her vulnerability is disarming as well and makes her so very well rounded as a character. I look forward to finding out more about her in future books! The reason I point all this out is, I've found M/M-centric fiction has a nasty habit of having their lead men being notoriously misogynistic. That is NOT the case here at all and it was a breath of much needed fresh air. I should add, the diversity in the story is nice as well. The well rounded characters help balance out when the main character, in all his flaws, sees and notes things with some prejudice viewpoints.

Gomez Pugh is a great narrator and I only have to pick at his portrayal of Jacob which kinda reminds me of the actor Patrick Warburton. So it borders more on amusing instead of sexy. ;) Other than that though his voices a great, the reading is clear and he has a very soothing voice as a whole. I sincerely hope he continues reading for this series!!

Overall I highly recommend it even to people who might not usually go for paranormal/supernatural type stories.

Great in book form, even better in audio!

What made the experience of listening to Among the Living the most enjoyable?

The narrator did an excellent job assigning different vocal personalities to his characters, I really appreciate that. I've read this series and knew it would be tough to find the right narrator, but Gomez is perfect. Vic's personality comes shining through, but my favorite spot on voice was for Warwick.

What other book might you compare Among the Living to and why?

Gosh that's hard, Jordan Castillo Price has such a unique voice in fiction. This is contemporary but not, believable psi-fi, moody, edgy, and hot all at once. Every part of my brain is fully engaged in her story telling. Maybe Jordan Hawk or early Anne Rice would be comparable?

Have you listened to any of Gomez Pugh’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

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

Many, but the power and confidence of Jacob paralleled to Vic's seeming insecurity is interesting. Particularly since Vic was such a rock for his new partner during her crisis. IF that makes any sense.

Any additional comments?

This is so much more than what some might expect of m/m genre. Yes it's a romance, kind of, but more than that it's enthralling, and imaginative.

He Sees Dead People...

Would you listen to Among the Living again? Why?

Yes. The story is rather unique. It kinda grabs on and doesn't let go. I read the story when it first came out and forgot how much I liked it. Listening adds a new dimension and brings the story to life.

What other book might you compare Among the Living to and why?

All of JCP's other books. Dark, gritty, and suspenseful.

Have you listened to any of Gomez Pugh’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first time but hopefully not the last. I love his version of Lisa. His Jacob voice is scintillating.

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

Yes. It's rather short so it was easy to do.

Any additional comments?

I hope that the entire series is going to be in audio book format - soon.

When the Story & Narrator Work Together

Though I've been a JCP fan for a while--and although I own several of the PsyCop series!--this is the first I've gotten around to actually reading any of them. I'm not sure why that is, but I'm really glad that my recent penchant for audiobooks and the recent Audible sale coincided to get me to (re)buy Among the Living as an audiobook.

Somehow I always forget just HOW GOOD JCP is! She has a way of writing screwed up, imperfect characters without woobifying them, without making it a naked and gross play for the readers' attention. Though I wouldn't draw a thick line of comparison between the two, there's a matter-of-factness to her protagonists and their damage that only Gillian Flynn really equals for me, a "this is who I am and suck it if you can't handle it" that's tremendously appealing for me. Victor is not as super-damaged as a Flynn protagonist by any means, but there is a flinching shyness to him that speaks of damage; someone who prefers to stay under the radar because nothing good has ever come from drawing attention.

As well, there's a smoothness here of how JCP integrates plot and relationship. The prose is good, the sex is hot (even read by an audibook artist, more on that in a second), the pacing is page-turning, but feels fleshed out and unhurried. Just right, as the fairy tale says. The side characters--not just Victor's love interest Jacob, but also Jacob's partner, Caroline, and Victor's partner(s)--feel real and fleshed out (aided incredibly by the audiobook narrator, Gomez Pugh). The villain is rightfully creepy and the showdown between him and Victor feels like a natural and earned escalation of the story. The ending is satisfying and, again, feels organic to the story. Though I normally parse my audiobook listening over a few nights as I'm winding down for sleep, I found myself unable to stop listening, and I ended up listening to the entire story in less than 24 hours.

And then kudos must be given to Gomez Pugh. As mentioned, I'm very new to audiobooks. I've had one good experience, one middling and one that I just didn't like at all. Pugh was excellent. Like my other "best" experience, Kevin R Free, Pugh has a way of immersing himself in the voices so that you can forget that it's one person reading the different parts. His voice for the Sergeant, Warwick, is that broad, Southwest Chicago drawl that MOST OF US don't have, but it's definitely Chick-ah-go. His David Bowie voice is a scarily good go. And, most importantly for me, his voice for Jacob is a good one, one that sounds appropriate for the hot, romantic lead that he's supposed to be. Sex scenes on audio can also be a mixed bag. For me, personally, it's been a little weird having a really graphic sex scene read to me, especially since, presumably, there's a line of decorum that has to be maintained by the narrator to remain professional. Pugh did a really excellent job of reading it in a way that was still VERY HOT, but not crossing the line out of professionalism and into porn, if that makes sense. Admittedly, he had great scenes to work with in the first place, but Pugh committed to the reading without making me feel like he felt at all self conscious about reading it OR, alternatively, that he was jerking off in the booth. Professional, but committed, as I said.

With the Kevin R Free book that I read, it was a so-so story with an excellent narrator. Pugh is an excellent narrator who had a much better story to work from, and the combination of the two was an incredibly enjoyable experience. I definitely need to read the rest of the PsyCop series now. Like, now.

Five stars going super nova!

What made the experience of listening to Among the Living the most enjoyable?

Jordan Castillo Price knows how to write a great short story. A rare talent. Add Gomez Pugh and it's almost like watching a movie.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Among the Living?

The last one.

What about Gomez Pugh’s performance did you like?

I liked his no nonsense narrative, and he had very good vocal range and depth.

If you could take any character from Among the Living out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Vic, of course.

Any additional comments?

This is how you write a short story. I'd forgotten how much I loved this series. The narrator is perfect for these paranormal stories. Oh how I love Vic and Jacob. I can hardly wait for the next one. Highly recommended

Lose the sex it adds nothing to the story

I've listened to two of these books now and I like the characters, the storylines and the narration. I'm intrigued to see where the series goes. What I cannot understand is the regular introduction of graphic, you could argue pornographic, sexual content. It is jarring! It adds very little if nothing to the storyline. It's not because the sex being described is gay sex. It's not because the sex being described is being done in a particularly bad, or demeaning way - it's not. It's that it gets in the way of the story.

Imagine if you will Agatha Christie's Poirot having got everyone into the drawing room prior to the big unveiling of 'Whodunnit'. However, before the big reveal - he has to Knock One Out - which he describes in great and loving detail stroke by stroke. Up to and including the shuddering denoument and what he does with the tissues and lube afterwards. It might be very well described in tasteful English, but it only ever serves to get in the way of the story. It would bore me rigid and I'd be flipping through the pages, until the lube had been put back into what would be a very tasteful spongebag from Jermyn Street, and the story continued.

My Advice to the author is that you should lose the graphic sex and have faith in your characters and plot they are strong enough, I will not be buying your books for the sex, but I wil not be buying your books if the sex continues to get in the way of the story.

terrific recording of a great book

I love the psycop series, and particularly the protagonist Vic, a reluctant medium who's dry as a bone and witheringly self-conscious. He's smart, awkward, and fragile by turns and the lazy, grumbly drawl of Gomez Pugh works deliciously with the character, giving his scathing asides an appealing, gravelly prickliness. As an introduction to the series, Among The Living strikes all the right notes - establishing a strong sense of Vic's character, hinting at his complicated past, but focusing on the suspense of the case and the mysterious interest of the handsome detective who suddenly enters his life. No spoilers for where it's all going but there's plenty to develop in later installments, and loads of fun in this first outing. I'm not always into audio books but I know I'm going to get more of this series, because the choice of narrator is just so felicitous for the tone of the books.

I received this copy gratis in return for an honest review.

Great to hear Victor's voice at last.

What made the experience of listening to Among the Living the most enjoyable?

I already know the book well, so it was great to hear the words come to life. The narration works well for the character.

What about Gomez Pugh’s performance did you like?

He captured Vic's tension and nerves well, along with the edge of cynicism. I was a bit more mixed in my reaction to the other character voices. Some I liked right away, others I took a while to warm up to. One I'm still not on board with. But the voices were all clearly differentiated and the narrator handles the opposite sex voices well.

Any additional comments?

At just under three hours this one can be listened to in a single session quite easily. I'll definitely try to do at least once when I listen again in the future. I hope the rest of the series will follow!

Worth investing in

The full PsyCop series develops from book to book over the series. The first four or five are short, novella length, but later titles get to the 12/14 hour mark. The first title is a fairly straight shot at paranormal detective with some sex thrown in. The arrows stand up because the world building has a solid base, the reasoning for the ‘let’s do sex almost immediately’ stands up (pardon the pun.) Very well written sex too, and the main couple’s romantic and sex lives grows with the series.

The narration is also competently well done; a convincing array of male and female voices.

CW for some terms which are now (rightly) seen as slurs, but ‘queer’ from a queer character floats, ‘retarded’ doesn’t. Two mentions in six books so far and honestly it speaks to character development.

I’m just about to start Book 6.

Good story

I liked the main characters and the storylines, the narrator was excellent and sounded just like I imagined Vic would.

Enjoyable Story

A well written story with and interesting  concept.  The characters are likeable and the narration is very good.

Amuse Bouche

Intense Philip Marlow'esque cop tale, juxtaposing psi abilities and coping strategies with mm lust. Gomez Pugh's edgy narration brings piquancy, like an amuse bouche before a meal. At almost 3hrs, this story is an amuse bouche to this series.

The writing style has no fluff, describing the psi and the cop work so well, peppered with full descriptions of the exploratory licks and bites metaphorical and not, of the two new relationships in Vic's life. This writer is a master with words and pace, showing up so many who try to write in these genres. No holes barred in the bedroom.

This narrator bring such drama to these characters, that a lessor narrator could flummox.

Intriguing start to this series, in this albeit short opening act.

INTRIGUING AND ENJOYABLE

Great start!

I know I'm late to get into this series, but this was a great start. I'm going to listen next book in the series right away! Narration is really good, all characters have their own voice.

Psycop

I enjoyed this story! I like psychic and detective stories, so putting them together was perfect! It's not set fully in reality, as there are many psycops, a specialized training program, and medicine to block the psychic activity. The characters are all good and unique. I didn't feel the chemistry between the 2 MCs, but their romance is not the focus. This was a short story, so let's see how it develops. On to book 2.

Great listen!!!

I don't know why I avoided this series for so long. It's good and it's pretty hot. Jordan Castillo Price is now one of my go-to authors when I'm looking for books in this genre.
Oh and Gomez Pugh is definitely one of my favorite narrators...