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Dead or Alive  By  cover art

Dead or Alive

By: Michael McGarrity
Narrated by: George Guidall
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Publisher's summary

Lawman turned best-selling author Michael McGarrity presents this thrilling Kevin Kerney novel—packed with gritty action—that “series fans will relish” (Publishers Weekly). Called out of retirement, Kerney must take up the hunt for a psychotic killer who’s been blazing a path of carnage from Texas to Colorado. Fortunately he’ll have help from his half-Indian son, Sgt. Clayton Istee.

More mayhem? Listen to all of our Kevin Kerney titles.
©2009 Michael McGarrity (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

What listeners say about Dead or Alive

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Rather be dead

Rather than focusing on the main characters of this series, Dead or Alive concentrates on a cold blooded killer that never makes a mistake and has no redeeming qualities. I kept fast forwarding, hoping it would get better but it just dragged on and on and on. I wouldn't listen to this book again at gunpoint!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Kevin Kerney at his best

Michael Mcgarrity and his Kerney family New Mexico saga matches Craig Johnson's Wyoming Longmire, story for story. The stories not only give you a view of the old west most Easterners never see, but they also weave , mystery, and crime solving along with the development of various personalities that you believe e are real people. My only critique is that the books are out of order for Kevin Kerney which causes you to backtrack.

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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take your antidepressant first

A few years ago I read a book in this series titled Everybody Dies. That should have been reserved for this book. I usually enjoy the Kearny series and it has been getting a bit too sweet with the wife and family...but Mr McGarrity went overboard fixing that in this story and he mixed saccharine with bitter to no good effect. I guess read it to keep the series outline in case it is necessary for the next book..but don't have a gun in the room you might be tempted to use it. George Guidall makes anything wonderful to listen to but this subject matter nearly overwhelms his narration.

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3 people found this helpful

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Rape, rape, rape - Really!!!

I’m not even through listening to this book but I think the rapes are ridiculous and unnecessary. I’ll finish it and just fast forward when I see a rape a comin’.

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2 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Unnecessary mayhem

I’ve enjoyed the Kevin Kerney series up to this book which is packed with unnecessarily gruesome details of violence and vicious sex — all designed, I imagine, to underscore the depraved nature of the villain. This book is not for the faint of heart. I hope, however, that the next installment in the series has less over-the-top violence and a more creative plot line.

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good one!

McGarrity, Connelly, and Sandford are my favorite mystery writers. McGarrity has stopped writing mysteries, I think this was his last. The bad guy is especially bad in this one, but it is an excellent story.

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Nicely Balanced

McGarrity is not good at big plots. His writing is stilted and unbelievably. But put in the west, among horses and he draws the characters so well you can smell them. This story may be too violent for some but that was needed to created the horrible antagonist. Despite the fact his characters act rationally, he creates tension. He never resorts to having the protagonist “run the middle of a street while being chased by cars.” And the ending was very nice.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not his best

Too much like John Sanford's 'Prey' series.
Not enough of Kevin Kearny in the story.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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My first review of a book..and now I must retract

My wife and I did not make it half way through the book before we had to stop listening. I wrote a nasty review... my first... and now I have to adjust it. The first part of this book is terrible, but I know you have to set the stage. We could not continue and we stopped, and I wrote a nasty review. A week later I decided to continue the book myself, out of stubbornness, and I found that it did improve later. I convinced my wife to continue the book around chapter 8, I think. I filled her in on what she had missed and then we both enjoyed the rest of the book. I don't know what set us off early in the book, unless the senseless killing just hits to close to the reality today, but if you can get through it, the last half is classic Kerney. We will listen to the next book, even though Guidall is not reading it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good as always

I am from NM and really enjoy Michael McGarrity's books as they are about this area.

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