Double Dip

A Davis Way Crime Caper

By: Gretchen Archer

Narrated by: Amber Benson

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

“A smart, snappy writer who hits your funny bone!” (Janet Evanovich).

It’s Davis Way’s first slot-tournament season. And it may be her last. Things are dicey at work. A personal assistant goes missing, a little old lady goes on a suspicious winning streak, and a Bellissimo executive goes gaga for Davis. She follows a disappearing slot-tournament player trail to the So Help Me God Pentecostal Church in Beehive, Alabama, then jumps headlong into a high stakes holy scandal. She’s on a losing streak at home, too. Her days, nights, and dinners run together, as Davis juggles a revolving door of uninvited guests, namely her rotten ex-ex-husband, Eddie Crawford. And Bradley Cole thinks three’s a crowd. The worst? Davis doesn’t feel so hot. Maybe it’s the banana pudding, or maybe it’s a little bundle of something else. Double Dip. A reckless ride in the fast lane, and Davis Way can’t find the brakes.

©2013 Gretchen Archer (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Great mystery

Where does Double Dip rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Distinguished. It's better than most audiobooks.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Double Dip?

When Fantasy and Davis had one too many martinis. They were really funny drunks.

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

Her unique accent and unique intonations.

Any additional comments?

Life in Biloxi, Mississippi has been a little rocky for Davis Way. Her live-in boyfriend, Bradley Cole is on a big case and is hardly ever home, juggling her security job and her doppleganger job for her employer’s wife has kept her extremely busy, she’s pregnant, and someone is out to get her boyfriend. When an underground senior citizen retirement center is discovered in the heart of the Bellisimo, Davis finds herself having to draw on her family and friend ties to bring the perpetrators to justice. Will she succeed in saving her jobs, getting her boyfriend back safe and sound, and keeping her sanity?

Although, narrator, Amber Benson wasn’t quite as entertaining as the first book’s narrator, her unique intonations and smooth transitions did a great job of bringing Archer’s characters and the world of Biloxi to life. The plot is well-developed and engaging. Unlike the first one, this book has no plot dragging issues and moves at a steady pace. The narrative and writing styles are clear, easy to follow, and complement each other well. The humor and light-hearted nature of the book was masterfully mixed with the suspense and danger the main character and her boyfriend faced. Overall, I give it 5 out of 5 stars. A must read for fans who liked the first one or for people who like mystery novels.

not crazy about new narrator but still love Davis

Is there anything you would change about this book?

was just as funny as the first.however the story line ran up and down through a lot of places.a little hard to follow sometimes but I love all the characters.

Would you be willing to try another book from Gretchen Archer? Why or why not?

I would be willing to try another book I like her story lines. I like the characters in this book. think just need more focus next time.

What didn’t you like about Amber Benson’s performance?

she was not as animated as the first narrator

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

yes

Another strong story with a large helping of humor

What made the experience of listening to Double Dip the most enjoyable?

While there is a whole "What could possibly happen next?" aspect to these books, there are periodic small resolutions which keep the story fresh. Just when it appears that the whole mess has gone down the drain some small, or large, success keeps me moving forward and willing to put up with the continuing disasters that occur in the life of Davis

What was one of the most memorable moments of Double Dip?

I really loved the hectic room to room in the restaurant sequence which ended with Davis face down in the food, but not for the reason you would suspect.

Which character – as performed by Amber Benson – was your favorite?

I think Bianca was one of the strongest characterizations by Amber. Most of the female characters were quite well done, with the male characters following slightly behind.

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

The whole prayer circle rationale, the negotiations in the dinner, and the elopement at the end both had me laughing out loud.

Any additional comments?

I appreciate that so far at least it appears that Davis is moving forward, gaining confidence, and growing into her new situation. I hope the story continues moving forward in the next installment.

Like old reader better

I love the story. I much prefer the reader from the first book. This one made my ears hurt when she would read the part of Granny.

a busy story

I loved all the combined stories, but you need a program to keep up with all the players

Terrific Story; Sub-Par Narration

What did you like best about Double Dip? What did you like least?

Archer's characters are quirky and three-dimensional. There's a good mix of sane and crazy. I know very little about the casino world, but Archer's descriptions are so vivid that I never feel lost. She weaves story and setting extremely well.

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

Just as one story line seems to tie up, another unravels and usually in a most humorous way.

Would you be willing to try another one of Amber Benson’s performances?

No, thanks.

Could you see Double Dip being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I'm not up on current popular stars, so I'm not a great person to ask how to cast this for movie, TV, or internet.

Any additional comments?

Amber Benson is a fine reader and handles Southern English well as one character. Her trouble comes in trying to deal with another accent besides Davis Way. The grandmother sounded as though she lived part of her life in Minnesota and part in New Jersey. As for No-Hair and Sanders, Benson probably should stop trying to sound like a man to save her vocal chords. The other women, including Fantasy, sounded as though Benson was pretending to be a fairy. And the TV news reporter sounded like a kindergartener pretending to be a fairy.Ms. Benson is a soprano who is attempting to sing alto, tenor, and baritone. One needs a plus-sized vocal range for narration of books with lots of characters. Sometimes the range comes with age. Save your fine voice, Ms. Benson, and stick with projects that have a smaller range required.But Archer's writing is spot-on. I look forward to Davis Way's next caper.

Excellent funtime story!

When I am in the mood to listen to something fun and entertaining to escape from daily stresses, I usually download a Janet Evanovich book. Since I have everything she has ever written I was excited to discover Gretchen Archer. She writes with the same carefree, lets laugh at ourselves style, that Janet has but in her own original way. Her characters are believable and you can always find yourself saying "Yes, I know someone like that!!" This story is also well narrated. I have become a fan of not only Gretchen but of Amber Benson as well. She is very talented and brings Davis to life as well as all the other characters. Keep writing Gretchen! And Keep reading Amber. From your Newest Biggest Fan Gloria

Disappointing!

This audio book does not follow the book exactly. I find that very disappointing. o

Good book, not too bad narration

I love Gretchen Archer's books ... both of them, to date. I read the book a couple of times before listening to it. Whoever narrated her first book was horrendous. This narrator was much better, but still not as good as the book deserves. It's hard for me to put my finger on what isn't right about it. A lack of snap? Inability to convey humor? The voice was fine, the accent Southern without being intrusive.

It just wasn't as good a listening experience as it was a reading experience ... and that's rare for me. I generally prefer audio these days. Oh well. Maybe next book?

Problems with narration

I am a huge Davis Way fan, but the narrator is not for me. Her performance of Davis is just fine, but the rest of the characters are off-putting. She voices Fantasy, a fabulous character who is a mother of three boys, a former prison guard, as if she were a Southern Valley Girl. Horrific. No Hair's portrayal is a further nightmare. I'm so sad because I love this series and won't be able to continue with the audio.