Bird's-Eye View

By: J. F. Freedman

Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte

Length: 14 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

The novels of New York Times best-selling author J. F. Freedman combine gritty realism with gripping suspense. Bird’s-Eye View is a vivid thriller that will keep listeners enthralled from start to finish.

Ex-collegiate professor turned loner, Fritz Tullis dropped out of academia for all the right reasons. He now spends his time thinking, drinking, fishing, and photographing birds from a sweltering, screen-windowed shack at the edge of a swamp in southern Maryland. One morning, spying on birds with his telephoto lens, Fritz spots a plane landing on an airstrip across the bay. When he witnesses a deadly gunfight erupt outside the plane, Fritz, against his better judgement, is compelled to investigate further. Narrator Tom Stechschulte deftly navigates through Freedman’s winding story as the stakes get higher and higher and Fritz’s once-quiet life is transformed into chaos.

©2001 Chesapeake Films, Inc. (P)2002 Recorded Books

This has been my favorite book for years!

I love this book and used to read it often. Then, two kids later, paper books became harder. I was very nervous about hearing someone else read my favorite story to me. He narrates it beautifully. The voices I heard in my head come out in him like he could hear what I heard in my head. No surprise though, Freedman’s descriptions are so vivid you feel like you are immersed in the story. I’ll forever love my beat up and loved paper copy, but I love having this alternative to clear my head.

Lovable protagonist and excellent narration

Loved the “Travis McGee”esque characteristics of protagonist. He was such a schmuck in a lot of ways but operated on good instincts and intelligence as well as a strong sense of right and wrong. Really enjoyed the pacing that kept you dying to know what would happen next. This was a highly entertaining read and a phenomenal narration.

A Riveting Tale Read Masterfully

This story features one of the most unique and rogue heroes I've encountered in modern novels. Fritz Tullis, a disgraced history professor at University of Texas, mopes home to the backwoods of Maryland's eastern shores to live with his wealthy 83 year old mother. He's the youngest of 3, born 18 years after his next oldest sibling. Spoiled, unappreciative and known as a careless thrill seeker, he makes a rundown shack on the property into a livable home.

A rare bird and a simple white lie to protect a lover's feelings lead him to stumble into a murder. From there it becomes a cat and mouse adventure, only who is the cat and who is the mouse.

One of the first novels I listened to on Audible was No Country For Old Men, read by Tom Stechschulte. I loved him then and he is equally wonderful here.

It's a fast read, an easy 4 star rating for me.

it's ok

The story line is pretty good but I really struggled with how the narrator did the women. Not sure if the female parts were written poorly or if it was how the narrator portrayed them. Frankly it pretty much ruined it for me.

very disappointing, listen to something else.

Tangible characters, unique setting however it's very disappointing. Several red flags that main characters ignore or gloss over, which continue the problems or create new ones. Very frustrating! All the characters are well educated (ie doctors, lawyers, political figures) yet their language is not academic. The ending falls flat. I recommend spending time on a different book. the narrator did a great job with dialects and tried to breathe life into this but still not worth it.

Meh

The book started out great, with what seemed like an original premise...then it derailed. Read only if you don't mind that police officers and government officials are portrayed as absolute imbeciles (there is no other explanation for how the main character is allowed to continue on his merry way, investigating a situation on his own with disastrous consequences for all). The main character is an imbecile too--so many of his actions are simply preposterous (two of the female characters mention his "boyish" nature...and he does indeed behave like a fifteen-year-old several times...perhaps his actions might have seemed more believable if he was indeed a teenager). The dialogue between him and the women of his life is painfully stilted and hard to listen to. The female characters are mostly stereotypes (the author uses the word "vulnerable" as a compliment when describing two of the female characters, need I say more?) Towards the end I was tempted to stop listening several times.