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Fall from Grace  By  cover art

Fall from Grace

By: Richard North Patterson
Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
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Publisher's summary

The mysterious, violent death of a prominent New England patriarch exposes a nest of dark family secrets in bestselling author Richard North Patterson’s twentieth compelling novel. Adam Blaine arrives on the island of Martha’s Vineyard to attend the funeral of his estranged father, Ben Blaine, a famous and charismatic writer who has served as patriarch of his clan for many years. A man fond of sailboats, good wine, and women other than his wife, Ben Blaine has left behind a string of secrets in addition to an emotionally distraught widow and his strangely aloof mistress, Carla Pacelli, a beautiful television actress who once had a drug problem.

As soon as Adam arrives, he discovers that Ben has disinherited his mother, uncle, and brother in favor of his lover, and begins to wonder if his father’s death - caused by an inexplicable fall from a cliff - might be murder. Using his training as a CIA operative, Adam skillfully seeks to obscure the evidence suggesting that a family member may have killed his father, while at the same time fighting to undo the will, which favors the enigmatic Carla. As he walks this tightrope, Adam risks his freedom and perhaps his life, even as he unearths increasingly disturbing family secrets never meant to be discovered, and which cause him to question his understanding of his own life and everyone around him - his beloved mother, uncle, and brother and, not least, Carla.

Filled with tight psychological intrigue that will keep readers guessing until the very last page, Fall from Grace confirms that “Richard North Patterson is one of the best in the business” (Time).

©2012 Richard North Patterson (P)2012 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

Fall from Grace is a stunning tale of betrayal and love - family members torn apart as the possible murder of the patriarch, whose power and prestige have dominated for decades, unravels secrets and scandals against the dramatic backdrop of the unforgiving Vineyard landscape. Richard North Patterson delivers thrilling suspense every time.” (Linda Fairstein, author of Silent Mercy)
" The Devil’s Light will grab you from the very first page and never let go. Patterson’s amazing storytelling is made all the better by his emotionally complex characters. I was intrigued.” (Kathy Reichs, #1 New York Times best-selling author of 206 Bones)
“Richard North Patterson is a terrific novelist.” ( The Washington Post)

What listeners say about Fall from Grace

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

The Usual Suspects

If you're a fan of the author you'll recognize all the characters. The loyal wife and mother, married to the domineering husband who's either cheating or beating. The loyal alpha son who protects his mother; the distant, timid, uninvolved brother and son. There is of course the other woman; in every R N Patterson there is the other woman. As always the story moves back and forth through time using flashbacks to provide texture and context to the narrative. If you've liked his novels previously then you'll most likely enjoy this one as well. Warning; if you're not familiar with the author and you are politically conservative you will not like this author.

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7 people found this helpful

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

Not His Best- But Still Worthwhile

I love Richard North Patterson so I always read or listen to his books. This was a fast moving story, the narration was good and there was some interesting psychology going on. It was not great- but certainly not a waste of time. I am glad I listened to this rather than read it though, since it wasnt really that original.

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6 people found this helpful

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

Worth my credit!

Would you listen to Fall from Grace again? Why?

Yes. I usually go back to the stories I give 5 stars too.

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

Yes, if the

What does Dennis Boutsikaris bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

He is the reason I decided to download the audiobook. Popular mysteries aren't usually my thin, but sometimes I'm open to trying something other than a romance novel and Mr. Boutsikaris sample was clear and strong and I can't explain how I was so drawn to his voice.

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

Patterson is an excellent wordsmith. I did not laugh or cry ... but I did thrill, gasp and sniffed through the scandalous plot. I liked that this story was set within the confines of a small town and that it navigated slippery family issues.

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5 people found this helpful

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

Not his best work

The book felt like one long therapy session. Each secondary character (who was still alive) poured his or her heart out to the protagonist who then had to make sense of it all. There was lots of talking and little action. It was very predictable and read more like a souped up romance novel than a mystery novel. The protagonist did have an interesting back story but it was not fully developed. I expect it will be fleshed out in subsequent books.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Patterson: Not at his best

Would you try another book from Richard North Patterson and/or Dennis Boutsikaris?

I've read several books by Richard North Patterson and have always been pleased. This time I was disappointed, not to the point where I'd never read another of his books, but this one was far from the best of his work. The plot was tedious and the characters were so self absorbed that I found very little to redeem them.

What could Richard North Patterson have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

There was not a single character with likeable qualities. I couldn't identify with any of them and therefore I couldn't like them very much either. I found that I didn't care what happened to any of them and by the end of the book, I was glad for them all that their story was over. If Mr. North had written even one compelling character I probably would have enjoyed the book more.

What three words best describe Dennis Boutsikaris’s voice?

Interesting Versatile Pleasing I like Mr. Boutsikaris as an actor and I like him as a reader.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Initially I was disappointed, then frustrated, and finally bored with everyone in the book.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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It was okay

RNP is an author I like because his plots are complicated and interesting. This one didn't have anyone you could really be proud of or cheer for. It was a somewhat predictible storyline. But interesting. It was complicated and I wish I could listen to it again but...no, I can't. When families are this messed up...I can't go back to the story again. Everything doesn't have to be feel good but this was depressing.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Kept me listening!

Would you consider the audio edition of Fall from Grace to be better than the print version?

I haven't "read" a book in a very long time. My commute is an hour each way so I've been listening to books for quite a few years now. I did listen to the unabridged version.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fall from Grace?

Finding out if a murder or suicide was committed.

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

Relaxing voice.

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

I did not have an extreme reaction to this book but enjoyed every minute of it.

Any additional comments?

I would highly recommend this book. Great story and wonderful reader.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Boring

I had expected more, the story was boring, characters were very unlikeable, i was glad when it finally finished. Didn't like the reader either, he has that annoying crackle, really annoyed me. I'd give it a miss

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable story, great narration.

This is a good story mixing a troubled family history and a murder mystery, and Dennis Boutsikaris did a great job of narration. None of the characters are particularly unique (prodigal son returning for the patriarch's funeral, gay son ostracized by the patriarch and sheltered by his mother, etc), but they're portrayed with enough realistic personality that they don't seem cliched. Enjoyable, if not award-winning quality.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Holds Interest

The characters are a bit too black and white for my taste, but I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. the last fifteen minutes were a saving grace.

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