The Basement

By: Stephen Leather

Narrated by: Luke Daniels

Length: 4 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

New York City. With a population of almost 19 million people, it’s easy to remain anonymous - even if you’re a serial killer, torturing and murdering beautiful young women. The killer has another victim right now, locked in a basement somewhere in the city. For NYPD detectives Turner and Marcinko, it’s their job to sift through those 19 million and narrow their list to the one before it’s too late. And they’re sure they have the right man in their sights.

Fusing alternating viewpoints with devastating precision, Leather’s top-notch thriller dives deep into the mind of a demented killer as tension mounts immeasurably. Turner and Marcinko’s prime suspect is screenwriter wannabe Marvin Waller. He is becoming increasingly frustrated by his lack of success and the cops think he might be channeling his anger into murder, yet he doesn’t seem to be at all concerned that they are hot on his trail. As Turner and Marcinko close in on Waller they have to wonder: is he the killer? And if he isn’t - who is? Only time will tell - and time is one thing they do not have.

An unrelenting vice-grip of suspense and fear, The Basement is the ultimate shocker with a shattering climax that will leave you battered, bruised, and broken.

©2011 Stephen Leather (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Nice twist at the end.

Great story & kept me interested. But the end was a twist then done, finished.......

"page turner'

Would you listen to The Basement again? Why?

No, because once the murdered is revealed I think it would not be as riveting.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

It's not easy to guess what was coming

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

yes

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

yes

Any additional comments?

I wish the author had more 'stand alone' stories like this book. There are too many 'series' books.

Pretty Good

Nice quick good story. The ending was a pretty good surprise. I really like this narrator.

Did Not See That Coming!

What an ending... Narrated well and - Did not see that coming at all!

The best thing I can say. .........

I struggled hard to get thru this book, it was almost a waste of time.

This is only my opinion.

it was a story within a story within a story. you never knew where you were since no chapters were mentioned. It ran together with hardly a break to direct you into each story. It seemed that the writer wanted to keep you confused between the screenplay writer and his numerous stories,, as he told you about the each screenplay he was writing and the main sorry about what was happening in the basement.

The final hour or so was the best part of the book.

The narrator was ok, not the best I've heard but certainly not the worse.

Wasn’t expecting that ending!

This author did a great job of making you believe it was someone else that was in charge of the events that took place in that basement! I enjoyed the book and the surprise. 🌸

Fun read

Saw this title on sale and decided to give it a shot. Really liked it. Fun, short read with an interesting twist.

A TRUE Thriller and a must read

The characters, story, narration, everything about this book is great. Perfect length to make the pacing from being rushed or sluggish.

Battered, bruised, and broken is right

The summary promised a police thriller that would leave the listener “battered, bruised, and broken” and boy did this novella deliver! Arrogant aspiring writer Marvin got under my skin so much as his POV walks us through all the ways he’s smarter than us- I just wanted to strangle him. And yet, the POV during the prisoner scenes was even more demented and unnerving. Great writing provides characters you love to hate and I simply could not tear my ears away.

The summary promises a “shattering” ending and even knowing to be on the lookout for a twist, it’s still surprising when it comes. I listened again with new perspective and respect the set up to the reveal.
The writing credibly portrayed criminal law and police procedure, from Terry Stops to the science of polygraph exams. Trigger warnings for female sexual and mental abuse, in part from the sharp writing and narration. This was one darkly entertaining novella.

Slightly disturbing, yet weirdly captivating

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

He brings the story to life and makes it more real and disturbing, yet captivating too. Still, I'm glad it wasn't longer.

Any additional comments?

I knew fairly fast I was being tricked, but never saw this end coming.