Double Homicide

By: Jonathan Kellerman, Faye Kellerman

Narrated by: John Rubenstein, Lou Diamond Phillips

Length: 6 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Faye and Jonathan Kellerman. Wife and husband. Each a best-selling author on her and his own. Now these masters of the crime novel are writing together for the first time, thrilling us with two riveting tales of murder and suspense.

Double Homicide: Boston
Basketball is an obsession in Beantown, producing emotions that run hot even in the coldest winter. This time, a flagrant foul during a college match leads to a fatal shooting. With the life of its star forward cut short, the entire city is putting pressure on Detectives Dorothy Breton and Michael McCain to find the perpetrator.

For Dorothy, who's raising two teenage boys on her own, the case hits close to home. She knows the victim's mother; their sons played on the same team. To Mickey, who's given up the fight against his bulging waistline, the investigation is poor consolation for being alone this holiday season. Together, they're looking to make an open-and-shut case, until startling evidence comes to light. Now two experienced cops can either keep it simple...or do what's right.

Double Homicide: Santa Fe
It's Christmastime, and police officers Darrel Two Moons and Steve Katz are expecting the usual gang assaults, feuding spouses, and alcohol-related misdemeanors. Then the call comes in from the Historic District: the reported death of an art gallery owner whose bludgeoned body stretches across a bleached pine floor like a big, nasty still life.

When he was in the NYPD, Katz saw more homicides weekly than he's seen in Santa Fe in three years. Two Moons, an Army brat and ex-Marine, is discovering his roots among local Indian potters. But everything personal goes by the wayside as they unearth the victim's enemies and follow a trail of motives that lies buried like layers of paint. As biting winds blow through town, Two Moons and Katz enter a dangerous world where murder has been perfected to an art form.

©2004 Jonathan Kellerman and Faye Kellerman (P)2004 Time Warner Audiobooks

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Finalist, Mystery Fiction, 2005

"Crisp, smart....The Kellermans get it just right." (Kirkus Reviews)

OK, I guess

Although it is unusual for a husband and wife team to write a book together, one would be hard pressed to nominate a better pair than these. In order to avoide the possible conflicts that could arise from such a joint venture, the Kellermans took a safe route in its format by dividing the book into two relatively separate parts. OK, so far. What I got, I think, is two novellas pasted together. In addition, I'm still looking for the end of the book. It seemed to me that the ending of the book was accomplished in the final thirty or words. Given the proven talents of both authors, I was somewhat disappointed. However, the book (warts and all) is still better than many others being flogged these days.the other within its genere being flogged these days.

disappointed

Not up to the standard I have come to expect from Kellerman

Two are not equal.

I’m a long time fan of Jonathan Kellerman. Though wife and son have also authored, they are not Jonathan. The first half of this book was awesome. The second half, I restarted 3 times and eventually fell asleep to it. I also love John Rubenstein narrating.

Junk

This performance was a piece of junk. Spent money on something that I thought would be good
from the Kellerman‘s and it turned out to be terrible and too short. Can’t believe I actually bought this thing

Disappointing

I'm a big fan of Jonathan Kellerman, but these two stories were a real disappointment. Neither the plots nor the character development were particularly good, resulting in a couple of bland short stories (novellas only based on their length) with not much to recommend them.

If you really like either of the Kellermans or both, then go ahead and try Double Homicide. Otherwise, save your money...

Two are not always better than one

If you are interested in how a detective lives, thinks and works a murder then you should enjoy this book. The detectives are interesting and the character development is at least decent.

However, if you are interested in taking part in solving the crime, or at least seeing the gradual unfolding of the mystery, then you will probably be disappointed when you finish each of these short novels. It only makes sense that something had to give, since each of the two books included in this title are only about three hours long.

I rated this as a 3 - although 3.5 is probably more accurate - because I liked what I read but finished the book feeling unfulfilled. Give me ONE full-length Kellerman novel any day of the week!

One good story, one good reader

I enjoy shorter works and was happy to see the Kellermans working together because when they're on, they produce some of the most enjoyable crime fiction I've had the pleasure to read or listen to. Unfortunately, when they're off, they can be way off.

Such is the case here. "Boston" has a good plot, interesting characters and decent ending. "Santa Fe" has an interesting plot, good characters and an abrupt ending that left me cold. I liked all the main characters. I wouldn't mind meeting them again in other forays into shorter novels for the two of them.

The one thing I also have to ding this title on is John Rubenstein reading "Boston." I can't stand his narration style. It grated on my nerves making it hard to finish the story. His Bostonian accents sounded Southern and many of the minor female characters came off as shrewish and obnoxious when they really weren't. I much preferred Lou Diamond Phillips' narration in "Santa Fe" and hope that he does more audiobook work as I'd love to listen to him read again.

So, should you buy it and listen to it? Hard choice. I'd have to say that if you really love the Kellermans, you should enjoy this. If you liked most of their books, you might want to give this a pass.

Could have been so much more.....

I consider myself a big Jonathan Kellerman fan having read or listened to every one of his books. I am not a Faye Kellerman fan having read none of her books. I was excited about this opportunity figuring I could enjoy Jonathan and maybe become a fan of Faye. Neither happened. When I finished the listen, I was sure that part of each story didn't make it in the download. Surley I missed downloading part 2! Unfortunately I didn't. Each story has great potential, each is unfilled. It would have worked better if each of them wrote part of 1 story instead of 2 stories. Hopefully this won't delay the next J. Kellerman book, but I know that's only wishful thinking.

Double very disappointing!

Two for one

Well done Kellerman! This set of stories is so nice to read after the other books they write. No angry sex or swearing.