Risky Behavior

Bad Behavior, Book 1

By: L. A. Witt, Cari Z.

Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo

Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

It’s day one of Darren Corliss’ career as a detective, and not only has he been assigned a notoriously difficult partner, but the guy might also be a pill-popping dirty cop. Internal Affairs needs proof, and Darren gets to be their eyes and ears whether he wants to or not.

Detective Andreas Ruffner doesn’t play by the rules, and he doesn’t play well with others. With bodies piling up and a list of suspects who are way above his pay grade, the last thing he needs is a wet-behind-the-ears kid for a partner. Or babysitter. Not even if that partner is easy on the eyes.

As Darren gains Andreas’ hard-won trust, they both realize there’s more than just mutual suspicion simmering beneath the surface. But their investigation is heating up as quickly as their relationship, and Darren has no choice but to go along with Andreas’ unorthodox - and borderline unethical - methods. As IA puts the squeeze on Darren to give up the man he’s falling for, he has to wonder - is Andreas the only cop left in this town who isn’t dirty?

©2017 L. A. Witt and Cari Z. (P)2018 Riptide Publishing

so. good.

I found the original books to be riveting. It reads like an action movie, without any car chases. It's the broody older guy and lovable younger guy trope, and it's done very, very well.

The star here is the narrator. He has a delicious voice. His female characters sometimes push the boundaries of campy, but it's easy to forgive him because the male voices are done so well.

Edited: This series has since become one I've listened to again and again. The primary story arch is complete at the end of book 3. Book 4 is a gift for readers. Recently (April, 2020), two new books have been added to the series. What's fun is that Book 5 follows one of the secondary characters in the first three books. He was never meant to be more than a side character (albeit one who plays an important role). The author wrote the book in part because this narrator brought the character to life, and readers asked for his story. This kind of play between author and narrator tends to make for a wonderful audiobook, and I can't wait until those two books are also out on audio. I will preorder those so hard.

Loved it

I loved everything about this book, great story, great narration, interesting characters, never a dull moment. Highly recommend.

Loved it!

Loved Andreas and Darrin! There chemistry was amazing, loved these two. Loved the storyline was great and the romance was amazing. I couldn’t wait for the other audios, read the next 3 books.

Excellent Read

Loved the story. Enough intrigue and suspense without being angsty. The main Andres and Darren are interesting, amusing , cranky and likable. Family and colleague interactions round out the story line. The narration was excellent.

enjoyed it - solid 4 stars

📖 Story comment: good pace, well developed characters, complex story.
I enjoyed Risky Behavior, and was completely invested in the story. As I'm getting older I find I'm enjoying "older" characters. I like that Andreas is in his 40's, has kids and hasn't had a "perfect" life. I don't know how accurately his HIV situation is portrayed, but (as someone who remembers the 80's and 90's) it worked for me and I found it believable.
I like that Darren is "solid" and trying to do the right thing by everyone (family, Andreas, the department) at times to his detriment. This story feels "real", it's characters are real men leading real lives and dealing with all the ugly that comes with it. This Author Duo have created a terrific story, and i'll be happy to follow the series.

🎧 Narrator comment: Michael Ferraiuolo is a master story teller. He suits the characters, has a plethora of accents, wonderful pacing, good cadence, inflections and intonations and pulls all the emotions out of the story. His performance brings life to every scene and I've thoroughly enjoyed myself.

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📌 Where does it fall on my personal scale? 7.5
• 1 not my thing • 2 didn't like the narration • 3 didn't keep my attention • 4 was good, but once was enough • 5 enjoyed it • 6 will listen again if i'm in the mood for the narrator • 7 goes on the "re-listen" list [4⭐] • 8 kept me up past bed-time [4.5⭐] • 9 recommended to family/friends [4.75⭐] • 10 own it in all formats [5⭐] • 11 keep a copy with me at all times [5⭐]
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Great start to this series and great narration

Really enjoyed this. It has a bit of a "noir" feel to it, even though it's a contemporary novel. The story is compelling, and it was easy to connect with the main characters, Andreas and Darren and feel their connection. Its not a light read, but has its humorous moments. This was the first time I've listened to Michael Ferraiuolo and I wished I'd listened to him sooner! He really made this story come to life and I look forward to listening to more of him.

Action! Romance! Intrigue! Yes please!

This story was riveting, interesting and (dare I say) sexy! the characters were likable, the plot didn't feel contrived or unnecessary, and I just really enjoyed it all across the board. The only reason I'm not able to give the performance five stars is my own nitpicking problem. Almost all of the women had accents, but none of the men did. That said, all of the voices were distinct, and I pretty much always knew who was speaking before the "so and so said" marker. Darren (I listened, didn't read, so apologies if I spell their names wrong) was given a younger, sweet voice that nevertheless was clever and wicked, and Andreas (sic, again), woof, hot damn, and a couple more expletives and warm interjections, was every bit the gruff, serious, bitter detective indicated in the blurb. The novel direction was excellent, and I cannot wait to "read" the next one. Excellent job, authors. Gimme a mystery with a little heat and I'm in it for the long game too.

MM Romance Crime Thriller, Suspected Corrupt Cop

MM romance crime thriller about a seasoned cop investigating drug trafficking and rumored to be dirty, and a rookie detective paired with him by IA.

This was great, not funny in the way Hitman Vs Hitman series is, but a solid good crime mystery and chemistry between our lead characters. I enjoyed it a lot as something less dense to listen to on and off (when I wasn’t up for China Miéville or Gregory Ashe recently, usually in the morning when my brain is still loading). I’ll definitely check out more of the series.

As always, loved the audio narration by Michael Ferraiuolo, he’s consistently high quality and brings personality and charm. Listened on audible.

“Risky Behavior” by L.A. Witt and Cari Z. Book 1 of the MM romance crime thriller series “Bad Behavior.”

Phenomenal Narration

This narrator is top notch. Really brought these characters to life for me. the story was riveting and gripping. I love Darren and Andreas and am so excited I get to read more of them!

When Bad Behavior Is Good

4.25⭐️
Audio: 4.5⭐️

In this series opener, veteran Detective Andreas Ruffner is forced to take on another unwanted partner that Internal Affairs (IA) has tasked with finding dirt on him. Although used to IA’s attempts and quickly jettisoning these “babysitters”, Andreas is less than enthused to have to deal with newly minted detective Darren Corliss as a countdown to being able to close the narcotics and corruption case he has spent the past 4 years working begins. He is even further annoyed when he realizes his new partner is not easily intimidated and can go toe to toe with him.

Darren is just as unhappy as Andreas is when on his first day, before even meeting his new parent, he is tasked by IA to spy on him. Things quickly go downhill from there as he finds his partner to be rude, confrontational and extremely secretive. While Andreas has reasons and experience to distrust Darren, Darren is frustrated by Andreas’s refusal to open up to him about the case. Although each man demands trust from the other, neither is willing to give an inch causing friction, borderline hostility and hair-pulling back-and-forths where the MCs demand trust while distrusting the other.

As each man begins to give a little, they learn more about the other and start to build trust, but this tentative accord is quickly tested. As the bodies begin to pile up and Andreas does his best to avoid a full-scale drug war, personal revelations about Andreas’s health and Darren’s struggle to deal with his brother Asher’s illness draws them together and towards trust in their partnership.

Although Andreas and Darren can be annoyingly stubborn, they are complex, well developed characters whose personal lives and issues add depth to and progression of the storyline, as well as their work and personal relationships. Additionally, Michael Ferraiuolo does an amazing job bringing Darren, Andreas and the cast to life. He’s able to infuse the MCs’ voices with all the simmering irritation and growling, chest thumping behavior without being OTT, and helps create the tension (sexual and otherwise), action and emotional upheaval LA Witt and Cari Z pack into this series debut.