Disappearing Nightly [Dramatized Adaptation]

Esther Diamond, Book 1

By: Laura Resnick

Narrated by: full cast, Colleen Delany, Bob Payne, Thomas Keegan, Patrick Bussink, Scott McCormick, Jonathan Feuer, Elliot Dash, Andy Brownstein, Dani Stoller, Doug Krentzlin, Joe Mallon

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Esther Diamond, a struggling actress in New York, seems destined to attract supernatural mayhem.

When bizarre magical disappearances disrupt shows around the city, Esther receives a mysterious warning not to go on with her off-Broadway show. Desperate to stay on stage rather than resort to waiting tables, Esther turns to her new BFF, Dr. Maximillian Zadok, a 350-year-old mage whose day job is protecting New York from Evil. Determined to get to the bottom of this mystery without losing her job, Esther and Max team up with a conjuring cowboy, a banker with stage aspirations, and a flock of fearless drag queens. Also on the case is Detective Connor Lopez, a sexy cop who has a thing for Esther, but who fears that she and Max may be a bigger problem than the vanishing performers.

Since the show must go on - and the astronomical rent must be paid - Esther, Max, and their friends pursue Evil to its lair in their fearless determination to find the missing performers and restore harmony to the city that never sleeps.

Performed by Colleen Delany, Bob Payne, Thomas Keegan, Patrick Bussink, Scott McCormick, Jonathan Feuer, Elliot Dash, Andy Brownstein, Dani Stoller, Doug Krentzlin, Joe Mallon, Matthew Bassett, Matthew Ward, Sasha Olinick, Alyssa Wilmoth, Tony Nam, Tim Getman, Laura C Harris, Deidra Starnes, Audrey Bertaux, Elizabeth Jernigan, Lily Beacon.

©2006 Laura Resnick (P)2017 Graphic Audio, LLC

unexpected fun

This is a fun story? The plot is kinda predictable. GraphicAudio did another great performance. The actors do a wonderful job. It's easy to picture each individual. Hope more stories are coming.

A Fun Mystical Mystery Romp

One of the best of the Esther Diamond series. The hodge podge of characters gave Scooby gang vibes and the Mundane and Mystical worlds collide to solve a series of disappearing magician's assistants. Esther Diamond is a working actress struggling to make a living in New York City, with all its ups and downs. A heroine by default who's mouth is as smart as her Nancy Drew size brain, she won't be beat down by neurotic producers, absent minded 375 year old scholars, handsome police detectives, cowboys or demons. Performed with perfect aplomb by Colleen Delaney, she just enough of an "everyman" character that you laugh with her all to relatable grumblings about the madcap shenanigans that befall her.

The characters here are delightful and performed with snark and heart. I do wish this were the start of a regular gang of Mystical Mystery solving, evil fighting regulars, but a alas, not all characters move on to the next installment. Sometimes the plot gets predictable and there's a lot of esoteric exposition, but it's such a fun listen, it doesn't matter

Enjoyable but nothing stellar

The story gets a 3 but Graphic Audio and their excellent production value give it a little boost. I'd probably listen again but it wouldn't be my first pick.

I'll have what the author is smoking!

What a freakishly creative story! But in a good way! It was incentive, funny and so detailed that it makes you feel as if the weird phenomenons could really happen!

A mostly cozy, slightly magical mystery

For free in Audible Plus, this was a fine listen. It’s a pretty standard mystery that feels like those old fashioned radio soaps, especially with the graphic audio sound effects and constant background of classical and jazz music. I was a little thrown by the time period given references to the fedora wearing detective and WWII. As more current events and things were mentioned (phones, TVs, and then Bloomberg and Trump), I finally realized this is meant to take place in modern day.

Until the final chapter, there’s very little magic. Instead, the story relies on kooky characters, accents and stereotypes (a cowboy, drag queens, etc). It was harmless, but also rather shallow and predictable.

Also, until the last chapter this was a cozy listen. Then, all of a sudden there’s talk of sacrificing virgins and language like son of a B, GD, and even one F bomb. Book 2 embraces the F bombs something fierce, as the go-to throw down by wiseguys in a plot featuring the mobs. The cussing levels off in book 3, but never quite goes away. Hence, this series is not for those seeking cozy listening.