Cari Mora

A Novel

By: Thomas Harris

Narrated by: Thomas Harris

Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

A resilient young woman must outwit a sadistic psychopath in this pulse-pounding thriller from the author of The Silence of the Lambs, a "master still at the top of his strange and chilling form" (Wall Street Journal). 

Twenty-five million dollars in cartel gold lies hidden beneath a mansion on the Miami Beach waterfront. Ruthless men have tracked it for years. Leading the pack is Hans-Peter Schneider. Driven by unspeakable appetites, he makes a living fleshing out the violent fantasies of other, richer men. 

Cari Mora, caretaker of the house, has escaped from the violence in her native country. She stays in Miami on a wobbly temporary protected status, subject to the iron whim of ICE. She works at many jobs to survive. Beautiful, marked by war, Cari catches the eye of Hans-Peter as he closes in on the treasure. But Cari Mora has surprising skills, and her will to survive has been tested before.

Monsters lurk in the crevices between male desire and female survival. No other writer in the last century has conjured those monsters with more terrifying brilliance than Thomas Harris. Cari Mora, his sixth novel, is the long-awaited return of an American master.

©2019 Thomas Harris (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"This page-turner begins intensely, builds in suspense then executes a high-action finale.... Harris writes in cinematic takes and doesn't waste words . . . a good, fiendish read." (USA Today)

"A less accomplished or ambitious writer might have crafted a worthy thriller with only one or two of the story strands that Mr. Harris weaves; but the several plot elements in Cari Mora are always in fine balance, as befits the work of a unique master still at the top of his strange and chilling form." (Wall Street Journal)

"The best of Harris's work, and this includes his latest, long-awaited novel, Cari Mora, has just that feeling of absolute, unquestionable reality. Through a combination of elements - a perfectly realized authorial voice, the steady accumulation of terrible details, an empathetic vision of lost and damaged souls - Harris has created a sense of dreadful intimacy that we cannot escape, that forces us to gaze at unthinkable things, and never look away. No one has illuminated this kind of darkness more thoroughly or effectively than Harris. It seems unlikely that anyone ever will." (Washington Post)

Why?

Why do authors think they can narrate???

I gave the book back after an hour. Might be good story, but who knows?

Professional Narration Needed

Cari Mora could have been a great audiobook if a professional narrator was chosen for it.
I understand that now-a-days authors can record their own books, but in this case we really need someone else.

Mr. Harris is a Great Author but not a Voice Actor

It absolutely pains me to write this. I love Thomas Harris' stories, I've enjoyed reading every one of his books. But that Southern accent trying to be a native speaking German, speaking English, was comical. It was horrible! And there was a dialogue between that German and a South American, and there was no way in the world to tell who was talking. Oh my God it was terrible. I will buy the book and read it, and I'm sure I will enjoy it.

Nonfiction authors, feel free to read your books for Audible. Novelists, please, we beg you, allow a voice actor to bring your novel to life.

Disappointed

How many years did a wait … ? ... too many or not enough …
I pre-ordered Cari Mora – was looking forward to it and started it on release day.
Disappointed is the nicest word I can use that describes my experience with the book.
1st – Thomas Harris should not narrate again.
The story never grabbed me – maybe I should have finished it, but I felt like it was a waste of time and money!

Get a real narrator

Mr Harris I know you don't release books often and when you do it is celebrated in my home. But please get a professional narrator to read your book. I'm glad to know what you sound like but I feel other professional narrators could have done a better job.

A let down

My top three favorite books of all time include Hannibal by Thomas Harris with the correct, original ending. I didn't love Hannibal Rising, but I was happy enough with it. So I was excited about Cari Mora enough to pre-order the Audible version. Sadly, I'm left disappointed and a little bored after listening to it.

The first problem is the self narration by the author. This can be wonderful, but usually doesn't work out well and this is one of those times when a professional voice actor should have been hired. The flow is not as smooth as it could be and there are awkward pauses here and there.

I was in no way expecting a recreation of Hannibal Lector or Clarice here. Yet there are faint, very watered down echoes of both characters - for example the weird use of "okeydoke" here. The story includes similarly graphic, violence and vile predilections from several lead characters as well as a grim backstory for Cari. Unfortunately, these all lack the deeply thought out, twisted nobility and underhanded charm of Lector or Clarice or even Inspector Patzi. Instead, Hans-Pedro and Cari feel like cheap imposters. There is no honor or even appreciation for anything in life within these characters. I just found the whole book felt like an after thought and slapped together - even the gold as the focus of the plot, never seemed important. There are no iconic lines from Cari Mora to wiggle into our lexicon either - Mr Harris left his wit on the editor's floor I'm afraid.

Don’t buy this

This production was terrible. Whoever had the idea to have the author read this book should be reassigned. I could not get past the first five minutes. I will be returning this one.

Such a grand disappointment

Ugh. I bought a copy with Harris’ signature in it from B&N. If not for the neat autograph, I’d ask for my money back. The best thing about this book was the cover. Someone needed to pay-off a mortgage, a mistress, or bribe and get their kid to Harvard. I feel like I did when I was a kid and saw Tom Clancey jump the shark. It is so bad, it makes me question all Thomas Harris' other books just a bit.

May not be Hannibal Lecter, but does the job.

If you expect another Hannibal Lecter, then you will be disappointed. However, if you are just looking for a good creepy story while sitting poolside this will do the trick. It will not linger in your mind very long afterward like his other books have.

While I agree the book would have benefited from a different narrator, Thomas Harris’ voice does add to the creepy factor.

Much better than people were saying.

I'm used to Thomas Harris as a narrator from his reading of Hannibal Rising and although it takes some getting used to I now enjoy it for its unique tones that I find fit rather well with his style of writing. This is not Silence of the Lambs or even Red Dragon and I humbly think that if it had been longer...it may have been really good. The characters and even the house I feel were only presented as sketches with out the shading we need as readers to be truly drawn into the story.....to care in other words and see our selves there. After waiting 13 years I admit I'm a bit disappointed but this is still very much worth a listen. With the weather warming I did have many enjoyable meals outside listening to this production and think may others will be able to do the same.