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Night Passage  By  cover art

Night Passage

By: Robert B. Parker
Narrated by: Richard Masur
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Publisher's summary

After a busted marriage kicks his drinking problem into overdrive and the LAPD unceremoniously dumps him, 35-year-old Jesse Stone's future looks bleak. So he's shocked when a small Massachusetts town called Paradise recruits him as police chief. He can't help wondering if this job is a genuine chance to start over, the kind of offer he can't refuse.

Once on board, Jesse doesn't have to look for trouble in Paradise: It comes to him. For what is on the surface a quiet New England community quickly proves to be a crucible of political and moral corruption - replete with triple homicide, tight Boston mob ties, flamboyantly errant spouses, maddened militiamen, and a psychopath-about-town who has fixed his violent sights on the new lawman. Against all this, Jesse stands utterly alone, with no one to trust; even he and the woman he's seeing are like ships that pass in the night. He finds he must test his mettle and powers of command to emerge a local hero - or the deadest of dupes.

©1998 Robert B. Parker (P)1998 Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.

What listeners say about Night Passage

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    296
  • 4 Stars
    176
  • 3 Stars
    110
  • 2 Stars
    37
  • 1 Stars
    40
Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    216
  • 4 Stars
    106
  • 3 Stars
    74
  • 2 Stars
    59
  • 1 Stars
    64
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    301
  • 4 Stars
    131
  • 3 Stars
    56
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    21

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good book, bad narration

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Richard Masur?

Richard Masur isn't a bad narrator, but the book sounds like a low-quality mp3 made from a third-generation audiotape duplicate recorded from a shortwave broadcast. Audible should ditch this recording and get something better. And unabridged.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Difficult to follow

The story is slow, but much of that is a necessary result of character development. The narrator's enunciation, delivery, and accents were difficult to understand. His tone and tempo seem inconsistent with the time and place of the book's setting. Listen to the audio sample prior to purchasing.

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17 people found this helpful

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

Must Have Been Read Over the Phone

I read this particular book several years ago and looked to receiving the audio version. Much to my regret I neglected to listen to the sound sample. The audio transmission sounds as though Richard Mazur is reading it over a cell phone circa 2001; given the sound quality of this one I can find no reason whatsoever to recommend it.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Bad quality audio

Any additional comments?

This recording need to be replaced. It is very poor quality. The story and performance might be fine but it was hard to hear.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Poor quality audio, not a good reader

I love Robert B Parker books, I started with Spencer and then found Jesse Stone. I tried listening to this book on my iPod but gave up after about an hour. Someone needs to re-record this story as it sets the stage for the rest of the Jesse Stone books. This reader just has no emotion, and the audio quality is fuzzy.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good Book Bad Quality audio

The book is a good setup of the character. You feel for Stone in his internal struggle with his ex-wife. The audio is really poor and needs to be updated. I hope someone takes the time to do it. Audible Are you listening?

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • S
  • 09-02-06

Vintage Parker

As always, Robert B. Parker manages to combine self-analysis, social commentary, macho heroics, and sly humor into a great mystery story. I'm not sure what the audio equivalent of a "page turner" is, but I thoroughly enjoyed each chapter and eagerly moved on to the next. Jesse Stone is not quite as funny as Spenser(my all time favorite mystery hero), but he is a complex and interesting character. Night Passage is well worth the listening time.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

poor reader. older or poor recording. good story.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

no, the story was ruined by the recording and the reader.

What did you like best about this story?

Typical Jesse Stone novel and a good start to the series. Read the paperback unless this
is redone.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Richard Masur?

No character to his voice. Monotone.

Do you think Night Passage needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

stupid question for this context. It's the first of a series.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

needs a new reader

What did you like best about Night Passage? What did you like least?

The story is wonderful and Robert B. Parker's characters are, as usual, colorful and great.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jesse Stone

What didn’t you like about Richard Masur’s performance?

He sounds like he is in a well.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

yes!

Any additional comments?

I wish audible would have it re-read. I would buy it again.

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3 people found this helpful

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

Story is great, but presentation disappointing

I was hoping to hear Tom Selleck read the story, so I was probably disappointed anyway. I had never heard of Richard Masur.
Sadly, an "A" story read by a "B" actor.

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3 people found this helpful