Dark Crimes

By: Michael Hambling

Narrated by: Cat Gould

Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

A young woman's body is discovered on a deserted footpath.

It seems like a simple crime for DCI Sophie Allen and her team to solve. But not when the victim's mother is found strangled the next morning. The case grows more complex as DCI Sophie Allen discovers that the victims had secret histories involving violence and intimidation. There's an obvious suspect, but Detective Allen isn't convinced. Could someone else be lurking in the shadows, someone savagely violent, looking for warped revenge?

Dark Crimes is the first in a series of detective thrillers featuring DCI Sophie Allen, head of the newly formed Violent Crime Unit in Dorset. She is pushed to the limit in her first major case as the team's head.

©2016 Michael Hambling (P)2016 Tantor

Almost Too Good to be True

What made the experience of listening to Dark Crimes the most enjoyable?

It was a very good crime procedural. Seems to have an inside view.

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

Plot was fairly complicated but came together well.

Which character – as performed by Cat Gould – was your favorite?

Sophie Allen is the lead and she is very good. But she is almost too good to be true. I always need some flaws in my heroes.

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

Although I did not listen to it in one sitting I could have easily done so.

Good for a first outing.

I love to read a good mystery so that I can puzzle out whodunit. In this case the mystery isn't whodunit, it's how to catch him. A good police procedural, but I was hoping for more of a puzzle.

Great Crime drama- good narration

Would you listen to Dark Crimes again? Why?

No because I want to get to the next book

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dark Crimes?

Was surprised by the actual culprits

Which scene was your favorite?

Favourite scene was when they realised what evidence was planted and what was real

Any additional comments?

I liked the narration, the characters were really different and easy to tell apart

Worst narrator

I'm not sure the story didn't deserve more stars, although the writer's research into psychopathy was a little too much lesson and too little like believable speech from the characters. Nonetheless, the story could have been compelling with a better reader. Normally you get used to bad narrators, but this one made every word grate on my nerves.

I should have read the reviews for the second book

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The story was good and the plot kept me interested but the narration was awful. I should have read the reviews for the second book since the narrator was judged to do a poor job

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sophie

Would you be willing to try another one of Cat Gould’s performances?

I tried another book that she narrated and I couldn't listen to it. I guess I thought it would get better but I found that my ability to put up with the narration but after ten minutes I gave up and returned the book..

Do you think Dark Crimes needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Probably with a different narrator

Any additional comments?

No

Fast-paced and gripping!

Grabs your attention from the get-go and never lets go. Gripping and loaded with tension.

May have been better as a print book

This was a very good story. I did not care for the audiobook's narration at all and it detracted from the book's enjoyment. I also couldn't tell if the poorly written dialogue also contributed to the bad narration. Very possibly.

Like I said, the story itself was interesting. I feel bad when a poor narrator ruins an author's work.

I don't know if I'll read more of this series.

Okay story but the narrators accent annoying

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The story is okay. Unfortunately the female detective is portrayed as perfect which as most people know is practically impossible. As a British expat, the New Zealand accent of the narrator trying to do British accents spoiled the story.

What didn’t you like about Cat Gould’s performance?

Her native accent made the British accents comical.

Narrator ruined story!

Narrator sounded robotic and made it difficult to finish book.
I will never choose a book with this person reading it!

Decent Plot, Engaging Characters, Weird Narration!

Sophie Allen is a charmer. Her team seem ok. The villains are suitably villainous. A simple story gradually gets more complex, but the clues are all there and the denouement works well. The locations are good, and well described. Who decided that it made any sense to have an Australian Narrator? Nothing against Cat Gould ... but she reads Australian, and this book is English. The characters are very specifically located, and her accent and bogus attempts to simulate regional presence just don't work. Is it that Tantor has a stable of narrators? For some reason I've found the same problem with other Tantor productions.

Good police procedural poor narration

The story was quite good the Aussie version of speech was out of context I would not buy another book by this author unless the narrater was changed The Aussie rising interorgative

Terrible Narration

Good story but the narrator made it sound as though Dorset had been completely overrun by antipodeans. Very distracting and reduced the overall enjoyment, instead of becoming wrapped up in what was being said I ended up focusing on how it was being said. I had intended to listen to subsequent books in the series but as they have the same narrator I don't think I can face the irritation.

Awful narration

Returned this after a couple of chapters, as the narration was so bad. Living in Dorset, I was looking forward to this book.

Great story shame about the accents

Perfect crime thriller - I enjoyed it
However, I’m not sure why they used a reader with an Australian accent when this took place in Hampshire, England. I found it really hard to get past....

Off putting Narrator.

Story was good but is was spoiled by the awful narrator. Her accents were terrible. Will not listen to the next one if it’s the same person narrating.

great read

loved it did not expect the ending will look out for more with this caricature