Rogue Island

By: Bruce DeSilva

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman, Bruce DeSilva - introduction

Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Liam Mulligan is as old school as a newspaper man gets. His beat is Providence, Rhode Island, and he knows every street and alley. He knows the priests and prostitutes, the cops and street thugs. He knows the mobsters and politicians - who are pretty much one and the same. Someone is systematically burning down the neighborhood Mulligan grew up in, people he knows and loves are perishing in the flames, and the public is on the verge of panic. With the police looking for answers in all the wrong places, and with the whole city of Providence on his back, Mulligan must find the hand that strikes the match.

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction written and read by author Bruce DeSilva.

©2010 Bruce DeSilva (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Edgar Award, Best First Novel, 2011
• Macavity Award, Best First Mystery Novel, 2011

"This tremendously entertaining crime novel is definitely one of the best of the year." (Booklist)

"The smallest state bursts with crime, corruption, wisecracks, and neo-noir atmosphere in Bruce DeSilva's blistering debut." (Kirkus Reviews)

"Rogue Island 'has raised the bar for all books of its kind.'" (The Dallas Morning News)

looking forward to next in series

great book and interesting plot; will read next in series to follow liam and his exploits

Could not make it through

Although this may have a wonderful story, I cannot fully comment. I admit to being an unusual reader. I greatly dislike vulgar speech. The F word repeated so often does make any book for me virtually unreadable. I made it through a few hours, then stopped. I realize I am not the audience for this book, but I personally appreciate it when someone else writes a review that comments on such strong language.

Two hours of my life I'll never get back!!!

If you enjoy inane chatter from dull characters then this book is for you. For the first five chapters I couldn’t decide if it was the narrator, slow storyline, or the dull characters that made me want to turn my ipod off. But I stuck with it and by the end of the tenth chapter I decided it was all of the aforementioned issues plus the main character is a guy that even his mother couldn’t stand. The guy has cutesy names for his car, wife, and who knows what else. The author takes great pains to explain the obvious to the reader/listener?

In the introduction the author states that Evan Hunter sent him a note advising him to write a novel based upon reading a “nice little story” he had written. Hunter was wrong. Here’s a note for the author, "you should have written the dog story." It had to be better than this story.

Tries Too Hard to be Noir

This novel tries too hard to be a hard-boiled film-noir novel and it fails miserably. It's a cheap imitation with a main character that is so unlikable that you'd like to see him get hit way before the book is over. Want a good read in this type of genre? Read some Jim Thompson, or early James Ellroy, or Richard Stark or Charles Bukowski or Dashiell Hammett.

Not worth it.

What would have made Rogue Island better?

A story that didn't have curse words in 99% of the sentences. I curse - sometimes it's even fun, so no one reading my comments should think I'm some prude. However, this book surpassed fun cursing or mean cursing - I have to wonder if the author could have written the story with less of it. Did he think the incredible amount of swearing really enhanced the novel? I sure didn't think so.

What could Bruce DeSilva have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Less swearing and perhaps not such a convoluted story line.

What didn’t you like about Jeff Woodman and Bruce DeSilva (Introduction) ’s performance?

The narrator may have nailed the way people in Rhode (Rogue) Island speak, but it was over the top.

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

When I was able to follow the story line (which wasn't always) I enjoyed the plot, but as I said, the story was somewhat convoluted, which made keeping track of who was doing what somewhat challenging.

Any additional comments?

The author should try again. Next time, use curse words sparingly and see what happens.

One of the best books I have read? NO!

Well, I made it to chapter 14! That's it for this grade school level writing. How so many people could give this a great review is just totally baffling to me. The narrator is terrible...I don't know whether he is using his real accent (annoying) or if he's talking with that accent on purpose but it just does not work. He's not as bad as Scott Brick but close. The story is the worst part...slogging along and about as boring as it gets. Maybe I'm wrong and I just didn't invest enough time with it. Maybe I should have waited until the middle chapters but I had to give up. Waste of time. Sorry.

OK mystery, loathsome characters

What would have made Rogue Island better?

some marginally sympathetic characters

What could Bruce DeSilva have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

see above

What three words best describe Jeff Woodman and Bruce DeSilva (Introduction) ’s performance?

acceptable narrator

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

Nausea

Any additional comments?

Got this as a deal-of-the-day. Finished it because the main mystery was intriguing, but the protagonist and most of the other characters were dislikable to loathsome. Some threads were left unresolved, but I would not listen to another book in this series even if it was free. Fans of George R.R. Martin might like this series, but I did not.

Disappointed in an Edgar Winner

What disappointed you about Rogue Island?

The voice of the protagonist did not fit his character. It was sort of Phillip Marlow meets Fletch. The sort of thing Dennis Lehane might have written in high school. He really wore out somewhat clever phrases and names. Calling his Bronco, Secretariat the whole book was a bit much. It was cute calling his cub reporter, Thanks Dad got old pretty quick. The plot was inventive and the author created some very good characters.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Rosie and Veronica were good characters. They were strong and believable. Their dialogue rang true.

Would you be willing to try another one of Jeff Woodman and Bruce DeSilva (Introduction) ’s performances?

Not if Jeff Woodman was doing the first person voice of a 39 year old Pulitzer prize winning, jaded anyone. It was like Justin Bieber reads Mike Hammer.

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

Disappointment.

Any additional comments?

Hope Bruce Silva keeps writing, the plot was good.

Is the author trying to be Harlen Coben?

I went to school in "Rowd island" and I think the accent is technically ok but overdone. Take away the accent and what is left? Don't see how it would fly on the printed page.
Nothing unexpected...I won't listen to the next book..

A disappointment

Decent plot, interesting vignettes about Rhode Island, shallow characters,difficult to accept the story line, and not read by a very good reader.