One-Eyed Royals

Seven of Spades, Book 4

By: Cordelia Kingsbridge

Narrated by: Wyatt Baker

Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Spoiler alert! The following blurb contains spoilers for Cash Plays, book three of Seven of Spades.

Shattered by their devastating breakup, Detective Levi Abrams and PI Dominic Russo find themselves at war right when they need each other most. While Dominic is trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, Levi despairs of ever catching the Seven of Spades. The ruthless vigilante’s body count continues to climb, and it’s all Levi can do to keep up with the carnage.

When Levi’s and Dominic’s paths keep crossing in the investigation of a kidnapping ring with a taste for mutilation, it feels like history repeating itself. Thrown together by fate once again, they reluctantly join forces in their hunt for the mastermind behind the abductions.

But the Seven of Spades hates sharing the spotlight, and they have an ace in the hole: A new batch of victims with a special connection to Levi. Their murders send shockwaves through Las Vegas and change the rules of the game forever.

The Seven of Spades has upped the ante. If Levi and Dominic don’t play their cards right, they’ll end up losing everything.

©2018 Cordelia Kingsbridge (P)2019 Riptide Publishing

Great story. Great narration.

Intriguing plot with interesting characters. This continuation of the series kept me engaged. I am never quite sure what will happen next. Looking forward to the next book...

Intense ride!

Things in Las Vegas are heating up and becoming more instable for each passing day. Not only haven’t the Seven of Spades been caught, they aren’t even close for that, but white supremacists are battling for power, a group of mercenaries are kidnapping higher ups for ransom. Is it any wonder that Vegas PD have their hands full? Or that Levi’s tenuous grip of his sanity is starting to fray at the edges? Especially as somethings hits closer to home than he ever wished it to.

Some of the events taking place in this book aren’t less horrifying the second time around. If you’ve already read or listened to the book you know what I’m talking about and I you haven’t I’m not going to spoil it for you. There are certain things you just have to experience for yourselves. I’d recommend keeping away from food while reading though, nausea is a definite possibility at certain points.

Usually when a character goes down the rabbit hole by falling off the wagon in one way or another it tends to be a short slip and easily resolved without any serious consequences or lasting effects. So kudos for Kingsbridge for really putting Dominic out there, because when he fell, he really fell. You could feel it in the air when that first card was dealt in the previous book, and even more so now. How gambling dictates his every move, destroys everything. It’s harsh, heartbreaking and real.

I’m kind of loving Levi and Dom and the issues they’re having. Now hear me out before you hang me. We know Liam and Dominic loves each other but they also have their issues, issues that really comes to play in this book. I’m tired of books where problems just magically go away, or that finding that special someone ends and cures all of your woes. That from the first moment they meet you are never left wondering “will they make it?” For the past couple of books I have been wondering, and it is awesome. Not that they were having issues, but that they were so wonderfully human and flawed and credible.

Wyatt Baker is widely talented, there is no doubt about that. And I know this is a minor thing when you consider a narration of an entire book – but Wyatt Baker’s mispronunciation of a few words drove me up the wall. It wasn’t even once – but consistently throughout the book (and series so far). Otherwise I’m enjoying his narration very much. He captures both Dom and Levi perfectly, you feel the emotions with them. Dominic’s compulsion for gambling, the magnetic pull he feels towards the casinos. All of it is there in Baker’s voice. As is everything Levi is going through, his loss of control over almost anything going on in his life, how battered and worn down it makes him feel. Also like always I like how the phone calls stand out from the normal conversations. It’s more mechanical and sounds like they are talking into a tin can or something. Whatever it is, it works, and it adds depth to the whole experience.

There is a tension in the Vegas air and you can feel how it is all building towards an explosive ending looming in the next and final instalment of this series.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

Spine Tingling

In this book the serial killer Seven of Spades ramps up his work with a surprise for Levi. Meanwhile Levi and Doms relationship is out through the grinder. Doms gambling only gets worse and Levi is at his wits end with the case he is on all while dealing with SOS. Listen to see how it all plays out.

such a skilled writer and so well thought out

I absolutely love her books because she makes all of her characters human and she's extremely elaborate in the way her mind is in order to create such an elaborate villain and create such a dynamic characters is just amazing. Levi and Dominic are the cutest couple on the planet and they are 100% alpha male with alpha male and they complement each other so well

Love this series!!

I’m so enjoying this series. I can’t wait to find out who the killer is! This is definitely one of the best m/m mystery series I’ve listened too! Also shout out to the narrator who is killing it, so good!!

things are getting intense!

Would I listen to it again: yes
Did the story keep me engaged: yes
Was I invested in the characters: yes

📖 Story comment: Good pace, likeable characters, another well written and action packed instalment.
I like the way Dom's gambling addiction has been written, it's not easily handled, effects his daily life and is destroying everything he's worked so hard for.
I also like the way Dom and Eli are both flawed - their relationship struggles aren't easily resolved - it all feels plausible and real.

Things in Vegas are coming to an explosive conclusion and I can't wait for the final instalment!

🎧 Narrator comment: I enjoyed Wyatt Bakers narration, he has good timing, and it's easy to tell the characters apart, builds the tension in the right places, captures the connection between the character and brings the story to life. Overall I enjoyed it and would happily listen to it again.

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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 [4⭐] • 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⭐]