Crescendo

By: Deborah J Ledford

Narrated by: Christina Cox

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

One dead woman.A missing child.The diabolic father who will do anything to get his son back.The female cop who risks everything to keep the boy safe.CRESCENDO - Redemption with a Bullet.

As the only female Native American officer on the Bryson City, North Carolina police force, Inola Walela, must always play her A game. All bets are off when during a routine traffic stop the passenger insists her son has been kidnapped but is struck by a car before Inola can glean any hard facts. Obsessed with the possibility of a missing child out there somewhere, Inola defies the force and her fiancé, Sheriff Steven Hawk as sets off on a deadly journey to find the missing boy.

Produced by IOF Productions Ltd. Producer, Deborah J Ledford. Engineer/Editor, Nick Fainbarg.

Author DEBORAH J LEDFORD is a 2014 Anthony Award Nominee for the audiobook version of CRESCENDO. Three-time nominee for the Pushcart Prize, other novels by the award-winning author include STACCATO and The Hillerman Sky Award Finalist SNARE.

READER: A native of the Toronto area, CHRISTINA COX is an actress best known for her leading roles on several series including Defying Gravity for ABC and Blood Ties for Lifetime as well as guest starring as Officer. Zoey Kruger on Dexter. She is also known for the feature films The Chronicles of Riddick and Better Than Chocolate. As Co-Executive Producer and star, Christina recently helped resurrect Nikki & Nora--the most watched never aired pilot in history--as a web series. A self-confessed design junkie and devoted yoga practitioner, Christina currently resides in Los Angeles.

©2013 Deborah J Ledford (P)2013 IOF Productions Ltd

A Familiar Profile

Inola Walela must be the best name ever! Along with a solid plot, fast-moving action, and intriguing characters, that's a good reason to give "Crescendo" a try.

We have seen it before, of course. The female cop - a misfit, conflicted, complicated character with secrets in her past. She's hesitant to commit to a personal relationship, she rarely confides in anyone, and she's unsure of herself and her position in the Department. Most of the men on the squad don't fully trust or accept her. Her dedication to solving her case, however, and exceptional skills make her a good cop, and she's willing sometimes to break the rules in pursuit of justice.

Still, Inola and her fellow characters are appealing, and the story grabs you fast. Ledford is a good writer, and Christina Cox narrates with clipped, no-nonsense enthusiasm and considerable skill. I'm definitely willing to continue with this new series.

My one reservation is whether, in the summer of 2014, we are becoming a little less trustful and accepting of the well-meaning cop who may exceed and/or misinterpret authority. In fictionl, we have accepted much in law enforcement that is more questionable when presented in the real streets of New York City or St. Louis. Will (and should) that make stories like this less popular?

Fast Paced Police Procedural

What did you love best about Crescendo?

I appreciated the author's grasp of the ability to capture that we, as humans, often misjudge what others think of us and that sometimes we must take chances to rectify the mistakes we make.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Crescendo?

The final scene (don't want to give away any "spoilers"

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narrator did a fine job reading the story, I wish there would have been more voice characterization.

Any additional comments?

Officer Inola Wilela finds herself amidst a tumultuous sea of havoc and uncertainty that begins with what seems like a straightforward traffic stop and turns into a battle to save a young boy. The father of the boy, a manipulative mad-man, begins a relentless pursuit to find his son so he can cash in on his inheritance. Inola vows to keep the boy safe but he is determined to locate the boy at any cost, no matter how much violence and bloodshed ensues.

Inola, being the only female police officer for the Bryson City force in North Carolina, is no stranger to psychological competition, but can her fortitude and strength of mind help her “keep it together “ through the raging chaos in both her professional and personal life? Together, with the help of her fiancé Sheriff Hawk, an ex-con of a computer whiz and a streak of luck or two, Inola vows to bring the mad-man down even if it means costing her the badge she so dearly loves.

This police procedural hits the ground running and keeps the action moving. During the few breaks in the action, readers learn more about Inola, what makes her tick, her thoughts and her dreams. I appreciate the author’s ability to capture that we, as humans, often misjudge what others think of us and that sometimes we must take chances to rectify the mistakes we make.

The story moves along quickly, but even so, I was routing for Inola and her comrades and finding myself getting more and more attached to their personalities and abhorring the “villain” increasingly as the story went on; all signs of a well-written story. The last scene admittedly made me cry indicating I was definitely in tune with the characters.

It was a first read for me by Deborah Ledford and I would definitely read another especially if it meant I could find out how Inola and Steven Hawk’s relationship develops.

I would warn readers that there is some strong language in this one, but violence and crime usually lend themselves to this in general.

Christina Cox narrates and does quite a good job “reading” the story, but if you are expecting much in the way of character voices it is not quite there. I found her tone and pace to be right on the mark, but I had hoped for a bit more when it came to the actual voices. This is my personal preference and I would not discourage anyone from this narration as she does a fine job of relaying the story in a genuine manner.

Overall I would rate this one at 4 stars which for me means …Very good book. I enjoyed it, perhaps even had a hard time "putting it down". I would recommend this book to others.

Action packed and Mystery

Inola Walela is the only Native American police officer on the Bryson City police force. The stories setting is in North Carolina which I truly love. Inola often feels like she has to work harder than others to prove herself to them. When a routine traffic stop occurs everything she's worked so hard for begins to tumble but she can't set by and do nothing.

Steven Hawk is Inola's fiance` but he's also a sheriff in another district. To get to the truth about everything that's happened she must defy rules from her police captain and from her fiance`. She has this continuous nagging that there's a child out there and she must find him because no one else believes or is willing to do anything to see if she's right. Inola sets out to do her own investigating and find the truth, the boy that she knows exist, and what really happened to have caused this traffic stop to go so wrong.

A wonderful story with a great story line. The character development was really great. A page turner, if you enjoy reading. It's action packed from beginning to end. I was hooked from the start and it has a lot of on the edge of your seat action. This book is filled with lots of emotions and it will surely intensify yours as well. It's a fast paced and quick read that I'm sure anyone would love, no matter if you're reading or listening. You will become hooked as you see and envision the story unfold. At times I found myself lost in the story so much that I felt as if I was there.

Any author that can make you feel as Deborah J. Ledford made me feel did something right. Great character development, a wonderful story line, and the origin of where the story takes place could all be true. I have to give five stars for everything. The narrator did an excellent job. I knew who each character was by hearing their voice. Christina Cox did a wonderful job in her narration of the story. I knew who each man was at the times they spoke and I could tell which woman was speaking as well. Christina mastered her role at performing this story. I can only hope that this author considers in adding the first two books to Audible. I know that this can be read or listened to as a stand alone story but most people that will come across this book will wonder where the first two books are at. To be honest, the majority of people won't get the audio book because the first two books aren't available. I highly recommend giving some thought into adding the other books to Audible. After listening, I would get the first two books. I promise you that and others would also.

I highly recommend everyone to read/listen to this story. I'm confident that you'll enjoy it as much as I did. I know you'll also enjoy Christina Cox's performance as much as I did as well. I was gifted this audio in exchange for an honest and truthful review. I hope anyone that looks at this audio and sees that it reads book #3 won't let that stop you from purchasing it. This is a stand alone book and can be read without reading the first two books, so please don't let that stop you from getting this audio book, you won't be disappointed.

Inola Comes Alive in this Narration!

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

I would say this book sits comfortably within the top 15% of all books I've listened to this year. It's professionally done, with a lovely narrator who seems to really understand the main character and her complex personality. I really loved her voices and could distinctly tell the difference between Inola, Stephen, Elise, and all the others. Even the little four year old boy (Brandon) was wonderfully portrayed!

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

Absolutely! Even though I'd read the book last year, I was still completely captivated, rooting Inola Walela on, yelling at her or the others to look behind them or hurry up, and worried about that little boy and Inola's grandmother.

Which character – as performed by Christina Cox – was your favorite?

Now that is a very tough decision. I loved so many of them, even the minor characters like Stephen's mother and sister, and Cody, who died within the first few pages. Of course, Inola is wonderful (she's the star!), but I sometimes got mad at her for not telling Stephen what she needed to tell him - for not trusting him to love her no matter what happened, and for not sharing her activities with him! But that's Inola, she is so independent!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - I wanted to savor it for a few hours each day. I didn't want it to end too soon!

Any additional comments?

Ms. Ledford has a smooth and engaging writing style that captivated me from her very first book. I'm glad to hear she is writing another book in this series!

Inola kicks butt!

Note: Even though this is Book 3 in the series, it worked just fine as a stand alone.

Bryson City, NC isn’t known for its diversity. But that hasn’t stopped Cherokee Inola Walela from excelling at her chosen career – city police officer. In fact, she and her partner are running late to an awards ceremony where they will both receive commendations. Yet a tense traffic stop sends Inola chasing after a missing child and a dangerous man. Unfortunately, there is very little info to go on, and Inola has been placed on administrative leave after a shooting that left her partner dangerously wounded. Meanwhile, Sheriff Steven Hawk tries to maintain his objectivity while also supporting Inola. They relationship faces several challenges in this book.

There was quite a bit to enjoy in this modern-day mystery. Inola and Steven make a fascinating couple. She is stand-offish and not a cuddly type person. Steven is goal oriented and steadfast. She has worked very hard to prove herself worthy and yet still feels that she isn’t good enough. Steven knows he is good enough but also sees the worth in those around him. I really loved watching the interactions between these two. They are so human, with faults and worries and joys and triumphs. I am really hoping to see the other books in this series make it to audio.

The mystery had several points to pull together and, for the most part, it was done well. We meet the main antagonist, Preston, right away. He has a side kick, Hondo, who is the more experienced and competent of the two. Preston’s father is dying and isn’t willing to leave Preston an inheritance unless Preston has reproduced. Now Preston is trying to track down his ex-wife and son in order to take his son to the lawyers and have them run a paternity test and set the will. Pretty soon, a traffic stop eliminates Hondo from the mystery and Preston has to muddle through on his own. Meanwhile, the police are left with too many questions and too many bodies. Inola believes there is a missing child out there and she can’t stop looking.

There are several side characters that I enjoyed. Inola’s mom, Elise (spelling?), was a quiet, steady character that gave enticing clues as to Inola’s childhood. Edgar, who recently finished his prison sentence, has been assigned a stint of community service with the Sheriff’s department. Lorie Krager (spelling?) is a rookie city police officer who doesn’t hesitate to flaunt her assets (even though she has a brain and is mostly competent). There’s several others, of course, but these especially stood out to me.

I really only have one issue with the storyline. A chunk of the mystery hinges on determining the identity of a woman involved in the traffic stop (which occurs near the beginning of the story). She had just withdrawn a large amount of money ($20, 0000 or $25, 0000). Bryson City is a small town with few banks. Yet the cops don’t think to look into bank surveillance records and info until nearly the end of the book, days later. To me, this seemed like a really obvious and pretty quick way to determine her identity. Hondo, who was with the woman, is a very distinct man. Plus, there are only 2 banks (the exact number is revealed late in the story) so it would not take the cops long to question the bankers and figure out who the woman was, etc. Of course, if they had, this book would have been a bit shorter and I would have had less time with Inola and Steven, who I grew found of.

Narration: Christina Cox did a great job with this book. She was the perfect voice for Inola Walela bringing to life her strength and determination, and her insecurity in personal relationships. Cox had distinct male & female voices, including accents (when needed). She also had an adorable little boy voice. Excellent narration!

What I Liked: The lead characters were great!; interesting mystery; great side characters; very satisfying ending; Inola’s insecurities in personal relationships made her real.

What I Disliked: There was one very obvious line of inquiry that would have speeded up the mystery yet the cops didn’t pursue it until near the end of the book. This is a small criticism and didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Very Villiany

This was a good fast paced crime thriller. I was afraid I would not know what was happening because this is the third book in the series, but it can definitely stand alone. Inola is a outstanding officer in the Bryson City, NC police dept. and has very good instincts, however, she never expected a traffic stop to turn into a murder/kidnapping mystery. The unfolding of the case was exciting and revealed itself with good timing to keep the story interesting. There is also a bit of romance that has its share of ups and downs. The characters are rich, evolved and easy to connect to. This was my first book by this author and I was not disappointed.

A Must Read!

Any additional comments?

This is an excellent suspense novel with outstanding characters. Ledford does a great job of developing characters that feel real and have depth. The storyline was not too graphic, but very tense. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

The narrator was excellent. One of the best I've heard in a while.

All in all, it was a great read. I would recommend it to anyone who likes suspense novels. Don't miss this one!

Take The Time To Listen - You Won't Be Sorry!

What did you love best about Crescendo?

I loved the way that Deborah weaves a story. Her characters are strong, and they play off each other well.

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

Christina is a brilliant actress and she shows that in her narration of this book.

Any additional comments?

An amazing story set in the Great Smoky Mountains, If you haven't listen to this book, you should!

Fantastic!

What did you love best about Crescendo?

Deb Ledford is known for creating characters you'd want to know in real life. Crescendo is a great example of why she's earned that reputation.

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

Crescendo is a tightly woven story. Nothing feels predictable, but by the end, I felt like it couldn't have wrapped up any other way.

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

I could listen to Christina Cox all day. She delivered Ledford's story brilliantly. I'd read Crescendo before, but listening to Cox tell the story was a whole other experience. I look forward to Ledford's other novels being translated into this medium!

A thriller to keep you turning pages!

I have both read the book and listened to the audiobook version of this outstanding thriller. Deb Ledford deftly creates very real and fully developed characters that propel her story as she moves seamlessly from one exciting scene to the next. We understand each character's motivation (psychological and professional) and we care deeply about what happens. With a background in law enforcement, I found her depiction of the investigation, professional rivalries, procedures and emotional involvement to be spot on.

In the audio version, Christina Cox uses her voice perfectly to evoke images that accurately reflect the mood and pacing of each scene. She is a pleasure to hear, and portrays a wide variety of characters so well that it is easy to get completely lost in the telling of what is truly a ripping good tale.