Beat the Reaper

A Novel

By: Josh Bazell

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff

Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Meet Peter Brown, a young Manhattan emergency room doctor with an unusual past that is just about to catch up with him. His morning begins with the quick disarming of a would-be mugger, followed by a steamy elevator encounter with a sexy young pharmaceutical rep, topped off by a visit with a new patient - and from there Peter's day is going to get a whole lot worse and a whole lot weirder.

Because that patient knows Peter from his other life, when he had a different name and a very different job. The only reason he's a doctor now is thanks to the Witness Protection Program-and even they can't protect him from the long reach of the New Jersey mob. Now he's got to do whatever it takes to keep his patient alive so he can buy some time...and beat the reaper.

Beat the Reaper is not just the only work that will be compared to Quentin Tarantino's films, Grey's Anatomy, and Chuck Palahniuk - it's also the most original and entertaining debut thriller you'll listen to this year.

©2009 Josh Bazell (P)2009 Josh Bazell

Crazy story and I loved it

Haha what a crazy story but I loved it. Not my usual type of audiobooks but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator was great. The writing style was as if you were hanging out at a bar listening to someone tell a great story.

Good Book and Performance. Bad Production.

I gave this 5 stars because it is entertaining, well written and the reader is excellent. However, out of nowhere, electronic music will start playing in the background (almost foreground) and distract from the story and performance. It's like a B action movie - not good. Again, the book is very entertaining and the reader does a great job in the Audible version.

Listen and You'll Love it

This book was short but packed with everything you can imagine: mafia hits, love story, revenge, betrayal…The list goes on and on. The writing is fantastic and very funny. The book description does not do this book justice. The main character Pietro/Peter goes on a roller coaster ride throughout his life and you would love to just tell him to stop and walk away from it all. By far the most surprising part of this book is about the last 15 minutes – WHAT AN ENDING! Out of all of the books that I have listened to, this by far has the best narration. You must LISTEN!!!!!!!! Download the book and I know you won’t regret it.

Awesome.

This was recommended to me by a fellow editor, and I’m thankful that it was. Bazell’s writing is reminiscent of Chuck Palahniuk, and Petkoff’s pacing and tone match perfectly. The narrator is also pretty skilled at accents. Our protagonist, Peter, introduces himself as a doctor in a Manhattan hospital, but we quickly learn about his past as a mob hitman, and how those two worlds collide. It was a great car listen, and a promising start from a new author.

Great New Talent in Crime Fiction

My headline's a bit of a cheat, as defining this book as crime fiction is a little unfair. It's much more than that. The lead character Peter--AKA Pietro--works as an ER doc, but with a secret; actually a plethora of secrets. It's a page-turner, as opposed to a literary masterpiece, which is how I prefer audiobooks. The author's writing style is reminiscent of Don Winslow's earlier stuff, or Elmore Leonard, or perhaps Chuck Palahniuk.

I also loved the narrator, Robert Petkoff, who I had never heard of. Whoever made the decision to match this particular narrator with this particular story made an excellent choice. Poorly matched narrator-story combos are a bit like ordering carrot cake and getting spice cake with a couple of carrot shavings and plain vanilla icing, while great ones are like ordering a slice of carrot cake and getting the real deal--a piece of actual carrot cake, with thick cream cheese frosting.

Gory and dark

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I probably would not recommend this book just because it makes you feel so dirty and sick after listening. If you are into crime and gore, or really need a book to keep you awake on a long drive, this one will keep you on your toes.

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

Absolutely not.

Any additional comments?

Very dark, graphic and sexual. I wish I had been warned. I would not have bought his book.

Great mix of grittiness, action, humor, and medicine

I re-listened to this book 10 years after my first time, and it was just as fun and compelling. I am a physician, so I appreciated that the medical content is well informed. The sardonic, black humor is intellectually both low- and high-brow, a combo I tend to like. I also enjoyed the protagonist, who, absent a few deeply buried strands of moral fiber, would be a complete sociopath. Next up in my queue is a re-listen of Wild Thing. Wish there were more in this series!

Intense

I came in with low expectations, but due to getting it on a 2 for 1 deal, it being short, and a personal recommendation, I decided to give "Beat the Reaper" a chance. And I'm so glad I did. This was as fun as it was intense. Just don't take it too seriously. Great narration too.

Very Funny Dark Comedy

Would you listen to Beat the Reaper again? Why?

Yes! I work in a hospital so I found his thoughts related to medical system hilarious! The character's demeanor is jaded and cynical but it fits adding an interesting layer to the story.

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

Very interesting/refreshingly new plot. I wasn't sure how it was going to end!

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

The narrator did a great job with creating individual voices which adds to a great story. When you can listen to an audiobook and get drawn into the story and forget you ARE listening to an audiobook - that is a successful reader.

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

I found myself looking forward to listining in the morning as I got ready for work so I could find out how the character was going to get out of the next sticky situation.
The story was a dark comedy with a romantic side and a suspense/thriller side. It was a nice mix and a roller coaster ride for your emotions!

Any additional comments?

This one was a real surprise. I got it as it sounded like it might be good but I found it to be great!

Gangsta' Funny

...fast paced comedy-drama-thriller..
I enjoyed the book and if this is a series, will probably purchase another.
Satisfying twist.
The descriptions of the locations are easy to visualize, felt like I was walking under the boardwalk along side "them".
The minor mentor character "Dr. Marmoset" would make an entertaining spinoff series.