1st To Die

De: James Patterson

Narrado por: Suzanne Toren

Imagine a killer who thinks, "What is the worst thing anyone has ever done?"--and then goes far beyond it. Now imagine four women --a police detective, an assistant DA, a reporter, and a medical examiner --who join forces as they sidestep their bosses to track down criminals. Known as the Women's Murder Club, they are pursuing a murderer whose twisted imagination has stunned an entire city. Their chief suspect is a socially prominent writer, but the men in charge won't touch him. On the trail of the most terrifying and unexpected killer ever, they discover a shocking surprise that turns everything about the case upside down.©2001 by James Patterson; All Rights Reserved; (P)2001 by Time Warner AudioBooks

I LOVE the Women's Murder Club

Being a fan of James Patterson, I was delighted to come across this book which was much different than the Alex Cross stories. The whole idea of a successful group of women coming together as friends to solve murders was great. I thought the story had just the right amount of twists in it, and it kept me on edge most of the time - which is mandatory for a good mystery novel. I liked it enough to listen to it twice. The narrator was ok as well - not distracting like some books I've listened to. I recommend this for any mystery/suspense fans.

It Seduced Me!

When I bought this audiobook, it didn't have much going for it, as far as I was concerned. An author who churns out mysteries on a seemingly weekly basis; female main characters, who no doubt hate men and constantly try to show them up; and a plot built around a super-criminal directly descended from Hannibal Lecter...all of these preconceptions almost prevented me from reading (listening to) it.

However, all my prejudices were wrong, I'm happy to say. The characters were realistic and compelling. Yes, the women are competing with their male colleagues, out of necessity and because they're professionals. The villain's identity kept me guessing until the very last page. The plot moved quickly, and there were several clichéd plot contrivances that the author could have used, but he stayed away from them.

The only thing that prevents my giving this book five stars in every category is the narrator. She's generally good, and does a fine job of using inflection during dialogue to help differentiate the members of the Women's Murder Club.. However, there are also quite a few male characters, and the narrator used one and only one voice for every male character: an annoying, raspy nasal whine. It wasn't irksome enough to make me stop the book, but the irritating voice sometimes pulled me out of the narrative and broke the magic, if you will. It's a shame, too, because the narrator's voice was normally pleasant and easy to listen to.

I like this book so well, I'm getting ready to buy the next one, with a "2" in the title. I'll even give the narrator another chance.

Great!

This was an awesome story and very easy to listen to. Twists and turns - love and friendship. Awesome book.

Great detective story

What made the experience of listening to 1st to Die the most enjoyable?

I enjoy detective stories and this one did not disappoint. The is the first of the Women's Murder Club I have read.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the twists and turns of James Patterson's story the best. You could guess, but never really know what would happen next.

What about Suzanne Toren’s performance did you like?

Ms Toren's ability to perform the various characters with just the right amount of drama made this audible book suspenseful and believeable

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

I was totally surprised by the end of the book.

Any additional comments?

If you like mysteries, you will like this one.

Great story but not so great narrator.

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

Very nice story with lots of twists.

What didn’t you like about Suzanne Toren’s performance?

Toren seemed to be way too dramatic for portions of the story that didn't require any. I think she read with a lot of exclamation points added.