Courting Murder

Judge Rosswell Carew Mystery, Book 1

By: Bill Hopkins

Narrated by: Jim Tedder

Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

When Judge Rosswell Carew makes the gruesome discovery of two corpses on a river bank in the Missouri Ozarks, he's plunged into a storm of deadly secrets that threaten both him and his fiancee, Tina Parkmore. Unsatisfied with the way the authorities are conducting the investigation, Rosswell, who's always nurtured a secret desire to be a detective, teams up with an ex-con, Ollie Groton, to solve the case before the killer can murder again. Rosswell uncovers a maze of crimes so tangled that he must fight his way to a solution or die trying.

"I am on Facebook with over 2K followers and also on Twitter, plus I have a website and a blog. I go to several writers conferences each year and have presented at various conferences in the last couple of years." —Bill Hopkins

©2012 Bill Hopkins (P)2014 Bill Hopkins

A mystery with more twists than Chubby Checker!

Where does Courting Murder rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks pretty close to the top overall. Certainly at the top of the murder mystery genre.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It seems like every time I thought I figured out who the murder was, Hopkins proved me wrong.

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

His down-home accent really makes the colorful dialog come to life. My internal voice is more suburban midwest.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really extreme, but I have a pretty limited range of emotional response.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed the book. I hope there are more available in this series.

Hard to listen to but ok book

The plot is good. But hard to follow, no warning when changing characters or plot lines. The narrator could have been better, he sounds continuously overly perky even when discussing death.

Entertaining and Smart

What did you love best about Courting Murder?

I liked the main character, Judge Rosswell, and Ollie, his quirky side-kick. A delightfully unique duo as they set out to solve the mystery.
I also enjoyed the beginning of the mystery when Judge Rosswell happens upon a couple of bodies which soon disappear, leaving few clues behind to help determine what happened to them.
Overall, the story is smart, filled with intrigue and laced with humour, making for a very entertaining experience.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Courting Murder?

In this audio version the story is read in a slow comfortable pace which matches well with the tempo of a small, sleepy town. I also have the kindle version and was surprised at how differently I reacted to the descriptions of the bodies and the kill, hearing them read in a tempo much slower than I’d initially read them. The effect was more intense.

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

Overall I would have to say that the effect of ‘hearing’ the story added to the flavour of it.

Any additional comments?

I’m glad Courting Murder is the first in a series. The ending left me wanting to know the next step in Rosswell’s life.

I got into this from page one.

Wow, this writer knows how to tell a story. I've always enjoyed an author who can effortlessly put me into his setting. This one does it without you realizing you're there, I feel like I've been to this place and met these people.
The story moved fast but not so fast I didn't get to relax and enjoy the tale, which I did very much.
The narrator did a good job, I thought, of making you feel like you were really listening to Roswell tell his story.
All in all a great listen.
I look forward to hearing more from this author and narrator.

Hilarious

Would you consider the audio edition of Courting Murder to be better than the print version?

I was happy that I was listening while alone in the car as I kept snorting and chuckling throughout.

What other book might you compare Courting Murder to and why?

Most any book by Carl Hiaasen would be comparable. He makes me laugh, too.

Which scene was your favorite?

So many from which to select, but maybe the marijuana in the basement.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

This judge plays by his own laws.

Great Story!!!

I loved the story! The narrator took a little while to get used to, but the plot was great! I cans wait to read the next book!

Hard to follow

This story had too many characters to follow. The beginning had a promising beginning, but soon got muddled down with so many characters and paths that I lost interest! It became too impossible to pay attention to. I hated this story...and no desire to read any more n the series.