Devil in a Black Suit

By: Colleen Helme

Narrated by: Will Damron

Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

From the best-selling Shelby Nichols adventure series comes the long-awaited story about Alejandro Ramos. Don't miss this exciting thriller about our favorite hit-man!

Ramos's job as the right-hand man to a mobster used to be easy, until Shelby Nichols, a mind-reading soccer mom, joined the organization. With all the trouble she gets into, he's constantly putting his life on the line just to keep her alive.

When a government agent from his past shows up wanting a favor, she rekindles a flame they once shared. Ensnared in her scheme, Ramos discovers that there's more to her favor than he realized. Luckily for him, he has a few tricks up his sleeve that might save his skin...but what about his heart?

©2018 Colleen Helme (P)2018 Colleen Helme

I want my mind reading soccer mom back!

I prefer Ramos in a supporting role to Shelby rather than as protagonist. Yes, Shelby does appear in several scenes doing some mind reading for Uncle Joey and Ramos and I suppose that Ramos understanding his family history is interesting.

For those unfamiliar with author Colleen Helme and her 10 novel Shelby Nichols Adventures series of humorous cozy mysteries, every novel is a winner. The books can be read in any order provided that Carrots in read first. Soccer mom Shelby Nichols develops the ability to read minds after being shot in the head during a bank robbery she witnessed. She, her lawyer husband, her daughter, and her son are the key characters until a mob boss she calls Uncle Joey (to irritate him) finds out about her new capability. The right hand man of the gangster is the assassin named Ramos. Shelby and Ramos like each other a lot, but have to strive continuously to barely keep their relationship platonic. Ramos saves Shelby's life repeatedly. This series along with Jana DeLeon's wonderful Miss Manners series are far and away my favorites of the humorous cozy mystery genre. Both series are fantastic!

Will Damron is an excellent narrator, but he is not right for this standalone spinoff of the Shelby Nichols series.

Great Ramos Spin-off!! Loved it!!

Where does Devil in a Black Suit rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I loved Devil in a Black Suit, it ranks up there in my audiobook library! Will Damron did a wonderful job reading Ramos and the other characters, and I loved getting another perspective on Ramos and Uncle Joey!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Devil in a Black Suit?

There were a few that stood out to me, but I don't want to spoil anything! I loved getting to see things from Ramos' perspective and especially loved learning about his past and his family (blood related and not).

Which character – as performed by Will Damron – was your favorite?

Ramos of course! But he did such a good job with each character, and I LOVED all the accents! They were varied and impressive.

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

Absolutely!

Any additional comments?

Devil in a Black Suit is a Shelby spin-off, but she's not in it a ton. However, to me, that makes each mention of her even sweeter. It was a fun journey to take off the beaten path of the Shelby universe and I loved every step of it! A fun refreshing Ramos centered story! I hope Colleen Helme writes more stories about my favorite hit-man!!

A fantastic story!

What made the experience of listening to Devil in a Black Suit the most enjoyable?

I have read and now listened to this book. There is no doubt that the audio version brings more life and sense of adventure to this already fantastic book.

Which character – as performed by Will Damron – was your favorite?

Ramos

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

Yes. When he is talking to his aunt, who he did not know existed.

Any additional comments?

Devil in a Black Suit is, as all the Shelby Nichols adventures, an exciting action-packed story that drives the reader through an intricate road along with Ramos, the "good" bad man whose job is to protect "Uncle Joey's" interests. While Ramos is normally perceived as this strong, focused gunman, in this book you get to know the normal, regular man who needs to connect with his past and get to know what happens to his father. It brings out the kid in Alejandro Ramos and lets us get to know how he views his world.

Devilishly good book

This book see's the author breaking away from her main character Shelby to write about Ramos and even though I really like the Shelby character and wished she played a bigger roll in this book, I loved the story. It was great fun to find out that Shelby isn't the only person that occasionally needs saving. It was interesting in between the bullets firing to find out about his past.
Ramos is called in to help with an arms deal and even though it is not normally what his mob Boss Joey usually deals in, it is what an old flame that works for the FBI does. As an insentive to help she digs into Ramos past and uncovers a few fact that even Ramos didn't know. The question is, is it worth jumping into bed with the FBI for the few secrets she holds or will him make a deal with the devil he can't trust?
The author went with a different narrator for this book and I understand why she did it being as it was from Ramos perspective and even though I he did a good job, I laughed at Uncle Joey as he didn't sound right. I am so use to Wendy Tremont King reading the book.

Love Ramos!!!

This was an interesting twist to the Shelby Nichols Adventures. it really was focused on Ramos and his history and more backstory. I dont realize until the end that this occurred right before Devious Minds! Ramos at the forefront of anything is a ok with me!!!❤❤❤

Devil in a black suit

Was a great book with great characters and great action with a great story and a great ending looking forward to the book thanks

All Ramos

Why not listen to his story for once? Especially when the narration is good and you know you'll be delving into his life more! No parts of this of this book was a let down. I liked how he perceived working around Shelby.

New Take on a Series

It was fun twist hearing from a side character's point of view. Most authors stick to a standard formula when writing a book series; however, Helme has an amazing ability to change things up every book & keep the reading guessing. Well, except for knowing that Shelby is in for some trouble.

Awesome series

I truly enjoyed this book. Well really the whole series. There is a ton of action throughout the series. Lots of laughs, couldn't stop listening. A definite must listen to book. I guarantee you will enjoy it.

Loved learning more about Ramos

Thought I wrote a review for this but must have forgot. I really enjoyed this as I always do with any Book from this series!

Ranos in his own book! Fantastic.

I love the Shelby Nichols series by Colleen Helme and this book is Ramos's story. He is Joey Manettos bodyguard and regularly looks after Shelby the mind reader for his mob boss. But in this book (Shelby does feature in it a bit) he goes to Cuba with an FBI agent called Sloane. He's had dealing with Sloane before and she helped him get Shelby out of a tricky situation. He also has feelings for her but knows it'll do no good for him dating an FBI agent when he works on the wrong side of the law. Originally from Cuba, his father brought his family to America for a new life. Ramos was only a child at the time but he remembered his father went missing and they never saw him again. Sloane finds some information about his father and he goes to Cuba to find out the truth. But does Sloane have an ulterior motive for getting him there? Will Ramos get out alive? Listen and you'll find out. Get the whole Shelby Nichols series too. These books are awesome.

Brilliant!

Another great book in the Shelby Nichols series. It's all about Ramos and I loved it! Great narrator too.