Bad Traffick

Leine Basso, Book 2

By: D. V. Berkom

Narrated by: Kristi Alsip

Dangerous obsessions take center stage when an ex-assassin and a homicide detective race against the clock to find a missing girl before she's sold into slavery.

Bad Traffick named a 2012 Top 5 Indie Pick by BloodWrites and a Top Pick by Night Owl Reviews.

Be sure to pick up Serial Date, the best-selling first novel in the Leine Basso series.

Identified as a person of interest in three cold case murders she didn't commit, retired assassin Leine Basso accepts a temporary position as a security specialist for A-list actor Miles Fournier. Leine finds she has her hands full trying to protect the head-strong celebrity, while at the same time fighting her desire for Detective Santiago Jensen; a game she knows she can't win.

Soon, a woman contacts Miles, claiming to be his long-lost sister. She confesses her 12-year-old daughter, Mara, has been abducted by human-traffickers and she's desperate to get her back, hoping that Miles will use his considerable resources to find her.

Leine learns from a contact at a rescue organization that Mara escaped and is alone on the streets in the sprawling city of Los Angeles. The traffickers are determined to track her down and deliver her to the powerful client who purchased her for his twisted ends. Running out of time, Leine must find Mara before they do, or she will be lost forever.

©2012 D.V. Berkom (P)2014 D.V. Berkom

A real nail-bitter!!!

Wow!! What a great second book, really involved story line. Warning: There is a very raw scene of a rape. It is a tough bit to read.

Again, there is a bit going on in the story other than the main plot of the sex traffickers. That main plot is actually a fantastic plotline. There are plenty of different angle coming at Leine. Good thing she has all that experience from her old life. Too bad that past is catching up with her too.

The narrative is mixed going from several points of view. It is a terrific device for letting the reader in on all the intricacies of the plot. The switches are very well done and always clear when a new narrator is driving the tale. It is in large chunks, which keeps things from getting jumpy.

There is a bit more smexy time with Leine and yummy Santiago. A fair amount of detail to make a gal hot! Not as much as an erotic romance, but no where near closed bedroom door. While the love seems rather quick, I am willing to follow the lust and attraction between them. I can believe love later on in the series.

I really liked the supporting cast and all the dynamics between them. I can not say I was surprised by any of the turns in the plot. Sometimes that doesn't matter in a great story. I was riveted from beginning to end. I fell in love with shallow actor Miles, especially as he grew and found depth. It is really easy to feel for him and Mara the young runaway. You even feel for Selena, she isn't bad, just doing what she has to in order to survive.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kristi Alsip, who was fantastic. I was very happy with the change of narrator. She has a swift pace that adds energy to the read at key moments. I loved her voices and the consistency in them. She had great accents and choices to keep the voices distinct. I really hope she stays with the series. Her tone is slightly raspy and hold all the jaded world weariness of the lead character.

Overall, I was thrilled with this book. I did not want it to end. I was on the edge of my seat at the end of the book! Seriously a nailbitter! I hope there are more books to come!

Disclosure - I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

Great story

I completely enjoyed this book. Great characters and story line. Some stories are ok, some are good, but this one was great.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

Thrilling, Fast Paced and Entertaining

Which character – as performed by Kristi Alsip – was your favorite?

The little girl

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

I did

Any additional comments?

Bad Traffick is the 2nd book in the Leine Basso series by bestselling and award-winning thriller author D.V Berkom and it’s one of those stories that will grab you from the first sentences and it won’t let go until the last word.

In Bad Traffick we follow the adventures of ex-CIA female assassin Leine Basso as she tries to distance herself from her previous profession. Unemployed, a mother and in love with a Police Officer, she has to figure out her future. When Leine gets a temporary job providing protection for one of Hollywood’s most successful actor, she finds herself assaulted on multiple fronts. She has to keep the Star safe, as he fears kidnapping, she needs to keep away impostors and in no time she is pulled into a serious situation involving a human trafficking ring and a missing girl. On top of that, some secrets from Leine’s past come to haunt her.

D.V. Berkom has that rare talent to write an intriguing story where things happen so fast and from all sides that you’ll not be able to put the book down or to stop listening. There are a few heart wrenching moments, one of them being the scene of a rape that I found very disturbing. I know the World is full of monsters capable of doing such things, I know the statistics at the end of the book are real, but sometimes I don’t want to believe such things exist, but hey, I’m the guy who doesn’t watch the news exactly because of these reasons. I prefer to keep the distance, to enjoy my books and to see it all as fiction.

Bad Traffick has it all: Gunfights and car chases, movie stars and assassins, beautiful women and powerful men, heroes and scumbags, love and sex. My first book written by D.V. Berkom ended up as a very enjoyable, suspenseful and unputdownable thrilling experience. I rooted for the good guys and hated the traffickers, I really enjoyed the actor’s character arc and I’ll start very soon with the next book in the Leine Basso series, hoping that it will be at least as good as this one.

The audiobook is performed by Kristi Alsip and she does a great job bringing all the main characters and the supporting cast to life. She reads very fast, amplifying the suspense,adding even more urgency to the already tense story. She uses different voices and accents to keep the most important characters differentiated for the listener and I can say that it was a very nice surprise to discover a new, talented, narrator. She is perfect for this series and I’m looking forward to listen to more books performed her.

Ladies, thank you for the entertainment!

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Intense

Where does Bad Traffick rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This was certainly a top ten book! I have to get the other books in this series now so I can read/listen to them all.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bad Traffick?

I don't really have a most memorable moment persay. I think one that stood out the most would be the initial description of the girl and her eyes when she was being auctioned.

Which scene was your favorite?

I could clearly see the scene in my mind at the restaurant where she runs over pounding on the window to try and get the attention of her "rescuer".

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

Yes but, I had to break it up.

Any additional comments?

This book was gifted to me for an honest review. I am very grateful for this book, I now have another series to pursue!

Action Packed

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

Yes, Berkom has done an excellent job of weaving the thriller plot with interesting characters while maintaining a fast paced story.

What other book might you compare Bad Traffick to and why?

Serial Date. Bad Traffick brings back some of the favorite characters from Serial Date and fleshed them out even more. Each book sheds more light on them and peeling their personalities, the good and bad, like an onion.

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

She was exactly how I imagined Leine Basso would sound. Loved her inflections and emotions brought to life.

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

Yes, when the actor Leine works for briefly discusses his childhood. It's not what the reader expects he'd reveal.

Any additional comments?

Berkom shines a light on the grim sex trafficking trade. This is fast paced with an interesting plotline. She doesn't shy from exposing the business and that happens here and just in faraway places.

Good thriller

I would recommend this audiobook. The narrator is easy to listen to and the story is fast-paced and interesting. It's about a former assassin who is assigned as a bodyguard for a well known actor. His long-lost sister shows up out of the blue and asks for his help locating her daughter who has been kidnapped by traffickers. The assassin goes after the little girl to try to save her and has to deal with attempts on her life (from an old adversary) among other things. Lots of suspense and some romance. Interesting information on human trafficking at the end.

If you like thrillers, you;ll like this book.

Very Impreased

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher. I liked this book a lot. It was fast paced and action packed and opened my eyes to sex trafficking. I liked the main character Lane. Her life as an ex- assassin was very interesting and she is quite the bad girl. There was a good mix of love story, sex, mystery and murder here. I loved the narrator. She was smooth and easy to listen to. Glad i read it.

Get it.

Another excellent woman narrator. Captivating storyline keeps your attention. I think I'd sink my winnings into human trafficking if I won the lottery.

Exciting and Thrilling ride till finish

What made the experience of listening to Bad Traffick the most enjoyable?

The cast the characters and plot made for an amazing ride. Narration was great also.

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

The characters come alive with great narration.

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

Yes!

Any additional comments?

"This review copy audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost."

Not bad

Decent story I guess. Narrator was horrible reading like a run-on sentence with zero emotion, nuance, or care to give context. It may have been better than I thought, just couldn't tell due to the lackluster reading. How did she get the gig?