Inside

Death Row Chronicles, Book 1

By: Nicky James

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

All it took was a single moment for Anson Miller’s life to fall apart. His only hope of finding solid ground again is to uproot everything he knows and start over. New house, new job, new life. But will working on death row as a corrections officer in the country’s hardest and most acclaimed supermax prison be the right move? Or is he exchanging one hardship for something way worse?

Twenty years ago, Bishop Ndiaye was a victim of wrong place, wrong time. The consequences landed him on death row. As hard as he fought to expose the truth behind his alleged crime, no one would hear him. No one would listen. He’s succumbed to his fate, hardened himself to prison life, and no longer hopes for a better tomorrow. For Bishop, there is no tomorrow. Death waits around the corner, and someday soon, he will be no more.

Anson’s appearance in Bishop’s life changes everything.

Anson lends Bishop more than an ear. He offers him friendship, compassion, and understanding.

No one has ever gifted Bishop with more.

The more they talk, the more they share.

The more they share, the more their bond grows.

But when their hearts open up to one another, the barrier in their way is far more than a steel door of a cell.

It is life and death.

©2020 Nicky James (P)2023 Nicky James

✫✫ 5 Stars ✫✫

I LOVED THIS BOOK! The way this book pulled me in, I just couldn't stop listening. Then when I was getting close to the end I couldn't figure out how it was almost over and I needed so much more to happen. The book has a resolution but the story can't stop at the end of this book, thankfully book 2 is coming to audio soon. I NEED MORE! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NOW! I feel like I left Anson & Bishop just hanging there waiting for me to finish their story. I know this sounds dramatic but I couldn't sleep thinking about it LOL.

This book gave me "The Green Mile" vibes and has little to no steam but explodes with chemistry & love. This author continues to blow my mind with how her books make me feel!

The narration is great, Nick J. Russo was a great choice! He gives each of these characters their own voice and and does a wonderful job at picking up on the emotions in this story.

Wonderfully done

I absolutely love this book! It's so beautiful and heartbreaking in only a way Nicky James knows how to do. My poor heart went through the wringer as these characters fell in love. The narration only served to bring these two to life and I couldn't stop listening for the life of me! This story, this journey, it's one you're going to think about again and again as it's so well-written and beautifully executed. Definitely one of my favorites from this author/narrator duo.

One of James' best to date!

This book absolutely blew me away! It was engrossing, deeply moving and one of my top reads of the year. Nick Russo does an AMAZING job with this one! Don't skip it!

Nicky James is The Best!

A very different kind of story than the norm but I have learned to never pass up a book written by Nicky James. The very best at what she does, she certainly is! Nick completes the tag team with his stellar audio. A truly great read but I would love to hear the story continued in another book.

Loved It, Couldn't Put it Down

This was an amazing story, an emotional rollercoaster, filled with love, angst and a tiny bit of a courtroom drama. I have been in a book slump lately, for the past months starting and not finishing book after book, thinking something is wrong with me, why can't I get into a story. It seems that Inside was exactly the book I needed, it captivated me from the first chapters and I was unable to put it down, finished in 2 days. This book ends in a good spot of the story, with a satisfying HFN, but I cannot wait to continue the Bishop's and Anson's story, so very excited for the book 2 to be released in audio. Narrator did a great job, his voice and storytelling ability made this a perfect listening experience. Highly recommend for readers who enjoy a bit of angst with their romance.

Amazing

This was an amazing story! I loved how the connection between Bishop and Anson slowly grew over time. This was an intense story, filled with so much pain and longing. Nicky keeps up going right up until the end. Simply amazing.
Nick J Russo did a fantastic job with this narration!!

so good!!!

THE STORY:

INSIDE is Vol 1 of 2 from Nicky James’s Death Row Chronicles. 

I won’t go into the storyline as the blurb does an excellent job of that. What I will say is what a fantastic read INSIDE is. As with all of Mrs. James’s books, the research she puts into her work, amazes me. Her meticulous attention to detail about life on Death Row made this book so very real for me!

By no means is INSIDE an easy read, but it is incredibly different and will grab you from the very first chapter. The fact that Mrs. James could imagine and execute a relationship for a prisoner who has little to no human contact, astounds me. The bond that develops between Bishop and Anson is beautiful and genuine, and I can’t wait to read more about them.

Congratulations on another beautifully written book, Mrs. James.

THE NARRATION:

Another stellar narration by Nick J Russo.

When I heard that Nick was narrating INSIDE, I was curious how he would voice Bishop, and, to me, he did it perfectly! Nick brought all the emotions to this story.

Thank you for bringing another great story to life for me.

loved!

the only thing I have to say bad about this book is it's only 1 sided pov from the guards side. I would of loved both pov. to hear how bishop was & the only other bad thing is that I have to wait for the second book. other then being early & 1 sided pov, I loved it. I'm sure some people will find bad things to say like I highly doubt he would still have a job after what he kept doing. but if you love romance & emotions that come with it, then I'm sure you will love it. to make it even better its read by one of my favorite narrator's. he puts alot of emotions like the book requires.

Excellent, gentle love story

I listened to the audio, superbly performed by Nick J. Russo and this is one of those books that once you read it, you can’t ever forget about.
It was on my tbr for quite some time, since Nicky James is one of my absolute favorite mm authors and I still need to read many books off her backlist. This one was on top of those books. When the opportunity came to listen to the audio and write a review, I didn't hesitate. And I'm so glad I jumped on it, because this book is absolutely going to be on my list of best books I read this year.

You have books about a forbidden love between a prisoner and a guard and then there's this book. Many of those books are focused on the sexual, taboo-ish tension between the mc's without paying attention to the development of an actual bond, a relationship for as much as it's possible when one of the characters is very limited in the things he is allowed to do.
What I loved most about this book is that there was an exploration first. There was a mutual feeling of an interest, a development of some kind of unexplainable bond, but from there on Anson and Bishop discovered their mutual love for books and they got to know each other, liking each other. A bond that grew into something confusing and at the same time, undeniable.
I loved how Nicky James paced this story, about how Anson and Bishop took their time, even though they knew time was limited because Bishop was waiting an execution.

The romance, the love story, was what this book focused on the most, and of course, beside that, there was the suspense, Bishop's story. What had happened to have him end up on death row. I was very invested to find out, even though it might have been a little predictable, it was still very entertaining.
There is not a lot of heat in this story, just a few scenes here and there, but that wasn't the main focus, and I didn't mind at all. It wouldn't have suited the story.

Nick J. Russo, once again, does an excellent job performing this story. The emotions he puts into his characters and into the scenes gave me all the feelings, actual shivers running down my spine at a certain moment. It's a magic collaboration between this author and this narrator - I have loved everything they did together and I'm sure there will be a lot of beautiful stuff to come!
I'm very much looking forward to read the second book, Outside, but as excited as I am to know how Bishop will conquer the world outside the four walls of his prison, I am hoping for the audio to be released soon, so I can listen to it instead of reading it as an e-book.

Highly recommend!

Blew me away

I always start my reviews by saying how much I adore Nicky James. She’s gone to some dark places (Trials of Fear) and even darker places (The Devil Inside). This book is a couple years old, but I’m glad she found a way to bring it to audio. She also writes books that are on the longer side – thereby allowing the reader to sink deeper into the story. Finally, she picks great narrators who do amazing jobs – so hats off to Nick J. Russo for nailing this narration.

I pick up Nicky’s audios blind (okay, and often other authors’ as well). I like to be surprised. Heck, I didn’t even pay attention to the cover. And although this story is entirely in Anson’s POV (the prison guard), it made sense to have Bishop on the cover. This is his book. We see him through Anson’s eyes. Anson’s stakes are high, for certain. He’d been out of the closet in his previous job and had been attacked by some prisoners for being gay. He left Michigan and came to Texas for a fresh start and has sworn he won’t tell anyone he’s gay. Soon, though, he finds living inauthentically a challenge. He gets to know his colleague Javier and, after a time, he shares his truth. Also, his boss knows and, eventually, he shares with another colleague.

So Anson’s got past trauma and baggage.

That’s nothing in comparison to Bishop. Twenty years ago, he was convicted of murdering his girlfriend and her son. For those crimes, Bishop’s on death row. His story, to most, is as simple as a guilty man getting his just due. From the beginning, Anson looks at the gentle man who draws charcoal pictures on his wall or spends precious moments with his grandmother, and sees someone who can’t have done those horrific things. The two men begin an illicit friendship and, in time, both develop feelings for each other. Now, Nicky does forbidden love well (teacher/student or psychiatrist/patient). She lets the reader sit in the discomfort of knowing something is wrong and yet still rooting for the couple. Anson’s innate understanding of Bishop has him doing some radical – and undoubtedly unethical – things.

There are plenty of twists in this book and, at one point, I might’ve snuck a look at the blurb for book 2. Just checking. I mean, this is a Nicky James romance, and I always get my HEA, but I really worried this time.

This book has every perfect thing. High stakes. Trauma-suffering characters. Bad odds. Innate kindness. Resiliency of the human spirit.

It also has a second part and I’m desperate for that to come to audio as soon as possible.

Not for the faint of heart

Story: Gutwrenching and painful. The premise of the story is a sucker punch of epic proportions but there is no denying the fact that the author did a splendid job of it. The craft and skill of the words and the emotional deep dive the reader is served with are absolutely amazing. As much as it hurt, I loved every single second of the story.
Narration: Nick J. Russo did a great job acting out all the emotions!

Truly Outstanding ❤

OH WOW......... Absolutely blown away by this the narration of Nick J Russo is pure perfection love the way he brings Anson and Bishop to life it's powerful, emotional and heartbreaking but the suspense and angst build it up so you're hooked till the end and taken on a rollercoaster of a journey thank you Nicky James for these amazing characters cant wait for next one and I recommend so much. ❤

Your heart strings will never be the same again!

The first time I heard Nick J Russo's voice as Bishop it stopped me dead in my tracks. Oh my heart, it is so powerful, so passionate, yet so unbelievably sad..... sigh!

As expected from Nicky James the story is full of angst and suspense. The slow build of the attraction between a death row inmate and his guard was wonderfully written and very emotional. This story had little to no physical intimacy by the characters, but my goodness did those stolen moments make me all teary.

That final chapter kept climbing and climbing and I thought noo, they can't...
What will Anson do? A world without Bishop is too dark to imagine...
How will he ever get over an injustice as big as this?

Damn, my anxiety took off the minute the narrator's voice sped up for the finale, so much last minute action.
I'm so pleased that Anson and Bishop's story will continue in another book, I haven't had my fill of them yet.
A great story given so much dignity by the narrator.

A deeply moving story

Bishop and Anson's story was incredibly moving, and I found myself utterly captivated by their journey. Nick J. Russo seriously outdid himself with the expressive narration here, and I absolutely loved the way he brought these characters to life.

Though this book was solely told from Anson's POV, I felt a deep connection to both him and Bishop as they went about their daily routine. Like Anson, I had no clue what was hiding behind Bishop's stoic, quiet demeanor when I first met him, and as layer after layer unraveled I fell hopelessly in love with his character. Bishop's conviction story was equal parts heartbreaking and infuriating, and if you think the U.S. justice system doesn't have flaws, I'd challenge you to think again after experiencing all that Bishop went through. Anson and I were definitely on the same page about how wrong it was for Bishop to remain behind bars, and as he began to fight for Bishop's freedom, I was cheering him on the whole time. Along the way, I learned so much about Bishop the man and loving grandson, and the connection he had with Anson sparked to life regardless of the consequences. Some of Anson's actions were undeniably reckless, but his heart was guiding everything he did, and I couldn't fault him for that. There were moments of deep, overwhelming grief and hopelessness during their journey, times when I was fearful that all of Bishop's chances had been ripped away from him, but somehow Anson found the strength to keep pushing forward. I thought Bishop's appeal would never see the light of day, but with enough persistence and patience he got the second chance that sadly so few people do. After such an emotional rollercoaster, it made my heart soar to see their happiness at the outcome, and though this chapter of their story has ended, there's so much more I need to know about how Anson and Bishop navigate the next stage of their lives and relationship.

**I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.

Loved it. Lots of feels.

Narration : Nick J Russo made me feel every emotion, from the high to the low, and then made me burst with happiness for these two wonderful characters. He was perfect with his performance and made each character come to life and feel so real.

The Story :
This author has provided yet another original, well written, amazing, gritty, heartbreaking book that has it all. I was engaged from the first page and only stopped reading to find much needed tissues.
There’s two very complex yet beautiful main characters who are literally on opposite sides of a locked cell door. They provide angst and drama, sweet heartfelt moments and pain filled heart-torn-apart moments. Even though there is only a few scenes with minimal actual physical contact, the chemistry between Anson and Bishop is undeniable.
This book drew me in and has left me impatiently waiting for book 2 to see the continuation of Anson and Bishop’s hard earned HEA.

Beyond real

I’m reviewing the audio edition. Anson is a gay prison guard who had trouble in a previous prison in Michigan and has moved to Texas trying to start new. As he becomes familiar with the prison, he is drawn to one of the prisoners, Bishop. There is something just attracting him to get to know Bishop. This is not a new story, guard falls for innocent prisoner. Yet only Nicky James can portray the characters and situations that make it new. The story enabled me to picture the scenario and events as they occurred. This author has the talent to make me feel that the story isn’t written but rather reported. The characters and settings are so well described that it has to be real.
Add in Nick J. Russo’s narration and this is way above a story. He takes the author’s amazing words and provides the emotional, heartfelt reality to the characters. I’m now anxious to hear the next part.

Beautiful and raw story.

I read this story when it first came out and I'm so glad it's on audible now too. It's a story that will always stay with me.I don't even know where to start about this book. Nicky writes the most intense books that completely absorb you and once you start the books, you can't put the books down again and this was no different. This was such an amazing, intense and emotional story. The way the connection and emotions between the two main characters is just so beautiful written. The narrator did such an amazing job too. It was . His narration was sensitive and understated which was perfect for this story. I felt all the emotions. I look forward to listening to the second story too.

Breath taking performance and a amazing storyline

Nick j russo gave us such a Breath taking performance and brought Anson and bishop to life perfectly i loved it so much

The narration makes all the feels emotions of Anson bishop and their storyline it is just a beautiful and meaningful journey