Suspect

By: Robert Crais

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Thriller/Suspense, 2014

For 25 years, Robert Crais has written extraordinary novels of crime and suspense. He is "a master of crime fiction" (Associated Press); "his novels get better with every new book" (Portland Oregonian); "Crais is hands-down the world’s greatest crime writer" (The Huffington Post).

But in Suspect, he may have written his most remarkable novel of all.

LAPD cop Scott James is not doing so well, not since a shocking nighttime assault by unidentified men killed his partner, Stephanie, nearly killed him, and left him enraged, ashamed, and ready to explode. He is unfit for duty - until he meets his new partner.

Maggie is not doing so well, either. The German shepherd survived three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan sniffing explosives before she lost her handler to an IED and sniper attack, and her PTSD is as bad as Scott’s.

They are each other’s last chance. He was a young cop on the rise; she was bred to guard and protect. Now they are shunned and shunted to the side. They are suspect. And together they will set out to investigate the one case that no one wants them to touch: the identity of the men who murdered Stephanie.

Nine months and sixteen days later, they remained free. They were still out there.

What they begin to find is nothing like what Scott has been told, and where it will lead them will take them both through the darkest moments of their own personal hells. Whether they will make it out again, no one can say.

Thrilling, emotional, intense, with some of the best characters and well-crafted writing in all of crime fiction, Suspect is further proof that "Crais just keeps getting better" (Publishers Weekly).

©2013 Robert Crais (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Great!

Makes me wish I still had a shepherd in my life! My Timmie was the best dog on earth - a big, beautiful doggy bitch like Maggie, and tho she’s gone 40 years, I still think of her, pray for her & miss her so much. Touching story & performance. Thanx!

Really Enjoyed This Book!

If you could sum up Suspect in three words, what would they be?

Animal Lovers Read!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I could have if it was posible.LOL

Any additional comments?

Animal lovers will love this book. I am an avid lover of dogs especially, so I loved it. The relationship between dog and owner is truly amazing!

You have to love Maggie

You really can't fail with a good dog and a good man, both in recovery. The mystery part was so so but the relationships of the dogs and the men made up for it.

Good dog!!

Loved it. you even get a few snippets from the dog's view point!! Can't wait to start book 2.

enjoyed

loved this dog story. The insight on how a military dog works was interesting. learned a lot about dog training and how a pack functions. it will help me with my two dogs, I know they cosider me alpha.
Great detective book too

For dog lovers, romatics, police, or military

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

I would believe that I would have been equally satisfied.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Suspect?

The relationships lost, then transformed.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scenes where the relationships were lost at the beginning.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Looked forward to my commute so that I could listen.

Any additional comments?

Brought tears to my eyes! I love when I can invest emotionally in a story and identify with authentic charecters regardless of race or species!

Fabulous!

I fell in love with the story and Maggie. Hope more of Maggie and Scott are in the works!

Crime fiction readers and dog lovers: attention!

I read another review (sorry - I wish I remember who wrote it) that said, If you are a dog lover, this is the book for you. That's what drew me to this book and I was not disappointed! As well as being an engaging story, well written and excellently narrated, the dogs in the story were treated with respect, even admired. Robert Crais showed a love of dogs as well as thorough knowledge of their behavior. I loved this book and I know I will listen to it again.

good audio book

if you enjoy crime mystery and are a dog lover, this book is for you. Great twists and turns and wat, character development. can't wait for the next book!

Great suspense, police mystery with canine dog!

LAPD cop Scott James was working hard toward his career goal of becoming part of the Swat team. His goal is derailed one night when he and his female partner witness an assassination. After several masked men gun down two men in a car they turn their guns on Scott and his partner. They think they killed both officers but Scott survived his injuries, carrying guilt for his partner’s death.

Nine months later Scott has shifted departments as a last effort to remain on the police force. Scott teams up with Maggie, a retired military dog who was injured by an explosion that killed her handler. Scott is given a couple of weeks to prove that he and Maggie can make the canine team. He not only needs to retrain Maggie but he needs to train himself to become a ‘dog’ person and accept a dog as his new partner.

Scott is asked to meet with the new detectives who are working the murder case where his partner was killed. He is given access to all of the files and information. Slowly he uncovers discrepancies in the investigation. But the clues he finds bring a startling suspicion. A witness Scott interviews is murdered and Scott is being framed. Scott and his new friends, including Maggie, are in danger. Scott needs to pull the clues together before anyone else is killed.

I enjoyed the wonderful suspense as well as the author’s somewhat unique writing technique. The author presents the opening and later chapters from Maggie’s thought perspective. These alternate with chapters from Scott’s view and a few from the view of Scott’s new friend, one of the case investigators. Maggie’s perspective adds a whole new light to the intensity and emotion of the story.

I appreciated the unfolding of the murder plot almost as much as I loved the relationship that grows between Scott and Maggie. There were times I found my player hard to turn off. I will definitely seek more work by Mr. Crais. I recommend this title to readers of mystery and suspense, those who like police procedure and to those who love the dog element.

Audio Notes: MacLeod Andrews does a good job with the narration. He conveys Scott's angst and manages to portray a believable Maggie. The audio added to my enjoyment of this book and I recommend this as a fast paced, suspenseful listen.