An Adele Sharp Mystery Bundle

Left to Die (Book 1) and Left to Run (Book 2)

By: Blake Pierce

Narrated by: Abigail Reno

Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

A bundle of books 1 (Left to Die) and 2 (Left to Run) in Blake Pierce’s Adele Sharp Mystery series! This bundle offers books one and two in one convenient file, with over 100,000 words.

In Left to Die, FBI special agent Adele Sharp is a German-and-French raised American with triple citizenship—and an invaluable asset in bringing criminals to justice as they cross American and European borders. When a serial killer case spanning three US states goes cold, Adele returns to San Francisco and to the man she hopes to marry. But after a shocking twist, a new lead surfaces and Adele is dispatched to Paris, to lead an international manhunt. Adele returns to the Europe of her childhood, where familiar Parisian streets, old friends from the DGSI and her estranged father reignite her dormant obsession with solving her own mother’s murder. All the while she must hunt down the diabolical killer, must enter the dark canals of his psychotic mind to know where he will strike next—and save the next victim before it’s too late.

In Left to Run, A serial killer is ravaging the American expat community in Paris, his kills reminiscent of Jack the Ripper. For FBI special agent Adele Sharp, it’s a mad race against time to enter his mind and save the next victim—until she uncovers a secret darker than anyone could have imagined. Haunted by her own mother’s murder, Adele throws herself into the case, delving into the grisly underbelly of a city she once called home. Can Adele stop the killer before it’s too late?

An action-packed mystery series of international intrigue and riveting suspense, the ADELE SHARP mystery series will have you listening late into the night.

©2022 Blake Pierce (P)2022 Blake Pierce

Absolutely Terrible

Both book 1 and 2 were absolutely terrible. Juvenile and difficult to listen to.
Aside from the terrible story, the narrator's frequent and loud deep inhales were at first very distracting. It got slightly better by book two.

Warning, there may be spoilers.
Juvenile - in that I felt as if I was watching a kids show from the beginning 'Adele - you're needed on the next flight across the world! They can't figure it out without you!'... okay..? Has she really proven herself that much?? She can wake up at 4 am every morning to run and chooses to eat cereal in the shower to 'not waste any time'... yet, when she's called on a case before 5am and on a flight within the hour, she can't study the case on the way - she slept the whole time?? She doesn't have any leads or questions, just waiting for clues to fall in her lap. Spending precious time sitting there refreshing her computer waiting bored for leads? Make calls, interview friends and family, go find your next clue, stop waiting around.
Oh, and she just happens to be needed in exactly the three countries she happens to have citizenship and speaks the language in... IN BOTH BOOKS!! Seriously?? No creativity whatsoever.
Not to mention the leaning on American stereotypes of French people - supposed to be rude, hate tourists, and do nothing but hump like bunnies... That's exactly how they are portrayed. Lackluster and abhorrent portrayals.
The detectives seem to have absolutely no actual experience or will to do the work, no respect, and follow actual ZERO procedure. I guess that's what they were trying to portray - but I highly doubt France is the wild West when it comes to detective work...
I get it, it's fiction - but typically this type of fiction plays on and bends the truth, not shattering reality and logic as this author seems to have done.
There's so much wrong with these books, but these are the highlights. I struggled in every way to finish this, but I did it out of some unfounded need to 'give it a chance'.
I have over 200 murder -mystery, procedural, type books in my library and this is probably the absolute worst. Highly DO NOT recommend.