Lust, Money & Murder

Books 1, 2, & 3

By: Mike Wells

Narrated by: Sue Sharp

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Born in the worst suburb in Pittsburgh, Elaine Brogan is bright, beautiful and bold. When her father is falsely arrested for passing counterfeit $100 bills, Elaine vows to become a Secret Service agent and track down the man responsible. After barely surviving the arduous Secret Service Training Academy in Laurel, Maryland, she is transferred to bleak and blustery Great Falls, Montana.

But things do not go as planned, and Elaine soon finds herself betrayed and thrown into an adventure that takes her halfway around the world, from dark and mysterious Sofia, Bulgaria, to Moscow Russia, and finally, to Milan, Italy. In the end, will Elaine find the love and happiness she truly seeks…or will she turn to a life of obscene wealth, power and corruption?

©2011 Mike Wells (P)2013 Mike Wells

Full of Suspense! Loved it!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Oh yes I would...this is an awesome twisty turny story that kept me on the edge of my seat once again!!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lust, Money & Murder?

there was many...but the end....I was like WHAT? Then YAY!!!

What about Sue Sharp’s performance did you like?

I like Sue's narrating....and would listen to her at any time...she really pulls you into the story!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I hate this question....but this would make a good movie....

Any additional comments?

** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **

Honestly...I love Mike Wells writing...he knows how to tell a story that is not even in the least bit predictable! Again I was on the edge of my seat and wanting more and more! This story is about Elaine....she was a daddy's girl and from a young age was deceived by con artist's time and time again....The first time resulted in her father taking his own life...leaving Elaine on a hell bent path of revenge....She strives to become a Secret Service agent and specializes in counterfeiting...because that is ultimately what killed her dad...She makes it through the academy to end up first off working for a sleaze ball that has her transferred out of the country when she rejects his advances....She begins to be happy in Bulgaria when she meets her new boss Nick and develops a real talent for identifying fake currency...then she gets a call from the Treasury agent she met while in the academy and he lies to her to get her to come work for the treasury office...and he just uses her and basically sets her up in a scheme to benefit himself and she almost gets killed...then she meets Georgio...who seems like an ok guy for a criminal...who then also just uses her...and is actually the top guy that started this whole thing! This story has soooooooooo many twists and turns and by the end I was like WHAT? I really enjoyed this story, and you will too...well worth a credit and a listen!

Thank you AUDIOBOOKBLAST(DOT)COM!

A definite must to add to your to be read list.

I loved the action and suspense the story line wasn't predictable and love the twists. Just when you thought you thought thou knew what was going to happen or the reason something was going to happen Surprise!! I will be listen to this story again. The narrator was a perfect choice ask the characters and accents she was amazing!!

WORTH THE WAIT

Would you listen to Lust, Money & Murder again? Why?

Most definitely! I was anxiously waiting for this book to be on Audible as I am spoiled to listening rather than reading. The wait was not in vain! From the first word of the first disc, it had my rapt attention.

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

Mike Wells writes such an intriguing plot he kept me enthralled from the first word till the last. All I could think was how much research had to go into writing this book because the things that happened were so detailed and accurate. I felt like I was experiencing a whole new World.

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

The reason I prefer audio books is because the reader makes you feel like you are there like a little mouse in the corner or a fly on the wall, eavesdropping.

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

Yes, there was a very moving part in the book that made me cry happy tears but I'm not going to divulge it as it would give away too much and the next reader needs to have my same experience without me ruining it for them.

Any additional comments?

I hope Audible is smart enough to get more of Mike Wells' books in audio. I will buy them all and will recommend them to my friends. I love Audible and am very spoiled to listening to my books. I really feel like I am there.

What a ride!

Would you listen to Lust, Money & Murder again? Why?

Yes. It was interesting to listen to and kept my attention. I found myself actually laughing out loud at times (embarrassing on an airplane, by the way).

Who was your favorite character and why?

Elaine Brogan was my favorite character. She was a strong woman who was able to deal with everything that was thrown at her.

What about Sue Sharp’s performance did you like?

I liked that I was able to distinguish which character was talking based on Sue's voice.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I don't know but this would make a great film!

Any additional comments?

This is the first audiobook I've listened to. I agreed to listen to it because I was going on a trip and thought it might help pass the time. I was right and I will definitely be listening to more audiobooks when I travel!

This one will leave you alert!

The first time I've heard of Mike Wells was on Twitter, when he gave me the first ebook volume of Lust, Money and Murder. I read the first one and couldn't stop reading it. That's when I found out there was the audiobook version for the trilogy. I bought it and couldn't stop listening. It took me two days to finish the whole thing. WOW!

The first one is basically the story of Elane Brogan and how she started on the secret service. The second one is about how she was used and how her life was turned around by other people. She was a good person and an honest agent. How could she have fallen into this web of lies and deceit? And the third one is the story of Girgio Cattaretti and his empire, and of course, the great ending to this intertwined, fast paced, well written thriller!

Sue Sharp, the narrator, does a top notch job on the voices of the characters, especially in the ones with the Italian accent. Magnifico!

I highly recommend it.

Such an incredible ride

I am a romance reader through and through. But sometimes I come across a different genre and give it a shot. Quite a few years ago I found The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and was surprised by how much I loved it. I'm glad I asked Mike Wells to allow me to review an audio copy of this book. Lust, Money, & Murder was equally as good. I was on the edge of my seat rooting for the heroine. Elaine was a kick-ass heroine too. She was likable, smart, determined, successful, and strong.

Wells did an amazing job with the suspense and mystery. I was highly entertained and as a bonus there was a little romance that I didn't expect.

The audio version was pretty great. The voices and accents the narrator had to do were done so well. She tackled all of the voices incredibly and I enjoyed the whole experience.

I will definitely keep my eye on Wells and, perhaps, take a dive into more of his books.
I recommend this for anyone who enjoys strong female characters, murder, mystery, and suspense.

Lust money & murder

What made the experience of listening to Lust, Money & Murder the most enjoyable?

Lust, Money and Murder takes the listener into the life of Elaine Brogan This strong female protagonist is hit from every direction, and the entire story I was holding my breath wondering what would happen next. Packed with nail-biting suspense, intense action scenes, and exotic settings,

Enjoyed the Book and Loved the Audio

Would you listen to Lust, Money & Murder again? Why?

Yes, it's a compelling complex story with lots of nuances to follow, and I'm sure I would enjoy it even more after multiple listenings.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lust, Money & Murder?

Wow, so many, but that would be a spoiler alert. When she finds out the man that wronged her and her father and inspired her to become an agent will never be caught by her, it changes her.

Have you listened to any of Sue Sharp’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not, but I liked her reading and the variety of voices she used to define the characters.

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

It was emotional and intense during the action sequences.

Any additional comments?

Love this author and highly recommend all his books.

A wonderful romantic thrill ride!

Any additional comments?

Lust, Money & Murder by Mike Wells is a wonderful mystery, suspense, thriller with a dash of romance thrown in that will keep you on the edge of your seat for the whole ride. I was actually given a review audio copy for my honest review, so I'll make mention to the audio version as well but first, a brief synopsis.
Our heroine is named Elaine Brogan. We follow her life from child to adult. As a child, she had a knack for puzzles. Her father was completely devoted to her and gave her everything he could and couldn't afford. Elaine's life seemed to revolve around money and when a tragedy strikes, she goes into the Secret Service to seek out her own revenge but when that goes awry, she transfers to Bulgaria. While there, she finds herself working closely with her boss, Nick, who's smart, handsome and roguish. By Nick's side, Elaine finds her groove and quickly makes a name for herself as the girl who can spot fake money a mile away and everyone in the agency wants to use her but getting her away from Nick will take an act of God because she's falling in love with him, fast! Ok so maybe not an act of God but how about bad guys whom want to use her for their own nefarious purposes. Soon Elaine is sent on wild goose chases across the globe, no one is to be trusted and survival is the only goal.
I'm personally not usually a mystery type of person. I love my strong heroines', my alpha males and my HEA which usually aren't in mystery books but OMG is it ever in this one. The story is told from Elaine's POV and through her eyes, we see a life of naiveté through rose colored glasses but also someone who's brilliant in her own right. Yes she has her moments of extreme stupid but don't we all? She does definitely learn from those moments and tries not to fall into the same traps. She's also is a survivor. She doesn't rely on the hero to come rescue her. There's moments in the story that she seems backed into a corner with no way out but then she finds the little crack in the window to rescue her own bacon.
If you can't tell, I loved the characters, the action is high and the HEA is wonderful. The audio reader is absolutely brilliant as well. She brings life to the book with each character having a distinct voice and it's delightful to follow along. I honestly think that for this book, I would recommend the audio version over reading it on your own.
Definitely highly recommended!

Very enjoyable!

I would recommend this book to all my friends and family. Voice was perfect for this story.