Kill Me

Alan Gregory, Book 14

By: Stephen White

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Throw out everything you think you know about twists, turns, and surprises.

Get ready for the next big thing.

Get ready to meet the Death Angels.

We've all been there. A loved one or a dear friend becomes desperately ill or is tragically injured. Someone - maybe even you - says, "If that ever happens to me, I wish someone would just . . . kill me."

What if you could choose when to die? But once you decide, you can't change your mind - ever.

Welcome to the next step in the evolution of suspense fiction, an in-your-face/what-would-you-do topical thriller. Kill Me is a brilliantly conceived roller-coaster ride that zeros in on some of the most contentious issues of our time.

Kill Me brings Alan Gregory face-to-face with the most challenging case of his career. As always, White's characters are indelible and the dialogue is dead-on, but Kill Me is fresh and thought-provoking in a way that's so uncommon in crime fiction. Kill Me delivers on all the promise of White's earlier work and then raises the bar in an unforgettably inventive tale of life and death. This is the book that you won't be able to stop listening to, but more to the point, this is the book that won't go away. Listeners will be asking each other: "What would you do? If you could sign up - really - would you?"

©2005 Joe Halderman (P)2006 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Bizarre, thrilling, and oh so much fun." ( Booklist)
"A thinking person's thriller." (Jeffery Deaver)
"Hill masters the quirky moments of this thriller with just the right amount of irony and dread." ( AudioFile)

Great Story. Read with box of tissues.

A different type of Alex story but still great writing and Dick Hill did it justice as always.

Allan Gregory

I am sad that the series has ended. I have enjoyed all of his books. Wish there were more. But I also understand and respect Stephen White’s decision to end it with 20 books.

Impressed!

Brilliant. Impossible to turn off. Narration excellent too. Can we please have more of Mr White.......

Interesting subject, but...

This is a very thought provoking subject. The story kept my interest, however it was slow... Some of the inane conversation between the two main characters...speaking in cryptic riddle banter back and forth to each other during extreme instances of life and death, was just ridiculous. The narrator, Dick Hill, started off some lines strong and would go down to an inaudible whisper. Turning the volume up did not help, as then parts of the lines crashed into your ears...however the recording itself was not very crisp. This is the first Stephen White for me and I like his writing style...just not sure this was a good choice as his first for me to read.. I will be giving him another try, however.

Great Read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it difficult the put down my ipod as I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. The story line was very unique and although I read many thrillers it really was something new.

Filling out a "Living Will" is terrifying enough..

Would you consider the audio edition of Kill Me to be better than the print version?

I have always preferred the Audible.com audio Edition to Print, if is "Unabridged." However, I wouldn't say 'better.' The advantage to the print Edition, is the ability to continue improving one's reading capabilities and also, the enjoyment of having character voices/identity developed in the imagination.

Audiobooks take away the, "sit by the fire with a good book." They make us lazy, in everyday reading; yet provide an entertainment outlet, I find more enjoyable than TV. You can listen to an Audiobooks while sleepy, in bed; and fall asleep as it were like someone was reading you a bedtime story. With paper novels, there usually comes a time, when you have to just put the book away; yet you are still stuck with the racing thoughts of the day.

Finally, Audiobooks create a character's voice, personality, and subtle imaginative identities, that are hard to rid yourself of, if trying to read a paper version afterwards.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Kill Me?

The very beginning of the book, (not the author notes). The immediate excitement, adrenaline rush, foreshadow, and an understanding of a glimpse into the future of the storyline, is a great way for the book to start. I WAS HOOKED, truly, from the beginning.

Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

For me - It is obviously the main character. I suppose I remember from H.S. English, the Protagonist of the storyline. The most ironic part of the book; however, is that the Protagonist was his very own Antagonist. However, when push comes to shove; the "villainous 'Company," is actually carrying at the role of Protagonist. I LOVE IT! The infamous, yet seldom seen: "Who should I look at as the good guys?"

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The book, constantly reminds us of our mortality, and the ever ticking clock. However, to spare my family and friends the suffering and eventual "possibly, slow death;" is selfish, in addition to being stoic. As I said before, a living will, basically takes all decision making out of the hands of our family, and directs the doctors what to do. While this seems like a protective maneuver for your family and friends, from making tough decisions; it also makes them powerless in being there are caring for a loved one. Our clocks tick to fast as they are, nudging the second hand forward, doesn't seem right.

Any additional comments?

One of the best reads on Audible, thus far. Moves forward at a mind blowing pace, and is well-written. The storyline is developed carefully, as to foreshadow; yet not give away too much before it is time. It is one of those books, written so well by the author; with such free creativity - it makes you realize the sad conclusion: There will never be another book, just like it. I feel as if someone treated me to the best slice of German Chocolate Cake, shredded the only copy of the recipe, and suddenly died.

Predictable ...

I could tell after listening to about 30 minutes of the book what was going to happen. I'd rather be surprised. Not many surprises in it. Most of the characters were unlikeable, especially the main one. Men will probably like him more than women. He's rich, powerful, handsome, and very arrogant. I can see how this book could easily be made into a movie. Seems like the author had that in mind when writing it.

Great "stand alone" novel.

some confusion with narration, trying to separate voices of characters. But fascinating storyline. First Stephen White novel that brought tears to my eyes. Very different from others in Alan Gregory series, and it can stand alone. Great listening in audio book format.

A Twisted View

Psychologist Dr. Alan Gregory only has a walk-on part in this one. The "what if.." part of this story rings so true. What if doctor-assisted suicide was illegal in your state? Oh, wait - that's true for about 50 of our states. OK, what if you were given a shortened life and a dismal death? Would you pay someone to kill you "accidentally"? I, for one, would seriously give that some thought. Well, the main character here is faced with that. Omigoodness! What if that turns out to be wrong? Or not? Or... Trust me, you will not want to put down your iPod on this one.

The best, most unexpected Stephan White yet

This is unlike any of Stephan White's other books. Dr. Alan Gregory is not a main character and we meet him only a few times, though his roll is central to the unfolding of the story.
The central question of the book is pertinent to everyone's life and much of the rich discomfort within the story is because it is so close to home. It is not a perfect book and there are moments that are annoying because they fit too easily. But, once I got through the first couple of chapters I was completely hooked. "Kill Me" has a satisfyingly superficial protagonist and a soulful deuteragonist (can that really be the right word?) who both change convincingly and unexpectedly, dragging the reader through truly intense suspense before finishing the book in a completely satisfying wrap up with almost no loose ends. Read it. It's disturbing, original, soulful and fun.