The Crime Writer

The classic mystery has traditionally been the domain of intellectuals to which Gregg Hurowitz certainly belongs. He has not only met the mystery challenge with verve but has included humor in the well placed yet self effacing remarks of his protagonist.

Drew, the writer, experiences a series of "life as is hoped for" setbacks. From a small cadre of friends, he acts on their advice and encouragement to overcome life's obstacles by using his own talents to prove his innocence.

As Drew forges his own investigation, he becomes a Big Brother to a 14 year old delinquent, gains the trust of a brutalized psychologist, accepts protection from the Rottweiler/Doberman, Xena, Princess Warrior, gets street wisdom from a baseball pro, and discovers treachery in one of his trusted friends.

All in all, Gregg Hurwitz is the author who does not judge the human condition but describes it sincerely. His protagonist, Drew, defies a defeatist attitude and pursues justice using his own talents and the knowledge of his friends.

The mystery is my favorite of literary styles. To have humor cleverly inserted into the prose is especially enjoyable.

J. Black

Great characters and I love how Gregg writes women. I didn't want this book to end and I couldn;t put it down. It's fast paced and packed with emotion and nail-biting action! This is one of my favorites of Gregg.

I stayed up way too late reading this book, I just couldn't put it down from start to finish.

The main character of course but I love how Scott played the main characters love interest too. It's really hard to pick a favorite because all of the characters were awesome and so uniquely different.

I practically read this all in one sitting! Thanks you Gregg and Scott, you make my daily train commute painless.

Initially the story was intriguing and I was excited to see where it was going, but then as we got more into the main character I got annoyed with him. His constant overly romancing of descriptions as well as continuing to make stupid moves and then barely paying for them. I believe I've heard the narrator before and I believe I enjoyed his previous work - but here I think my opinion was tainted by my annoyance of the main character (sorry Hurwitz). I'm sure most people will enjoy it, I'm just difficult to please and feel like sharing it as my hand goes numb from holding my phone while I write this. Does anyone really go through these? I don't think they do, and so for the random person who does and has continued to read this all the way through I say "Watch out!!! There is a monster at the end of this book" the undocumented autobiography of Grover was delightful and also totally made up...

I knew I was in trouble when the entire drive home (45 minutes) was spent in an over-wrought description of LA. Yikes. Scott Brick is not the right narrator for this book. There is drama in every single word.
The description reads great, the book doesn't.

this is the kind of book I usually get into right away. It is written in a compfortable and well know area for noir thrillers--LA.
And I think the author had a compelling story here but it is comletely undone for me by the ever-overwrought reading of Scott Brick. I wish Mr. Brick could learn to just say things like a normal person, not a man under extreme stress every second of his life.I cannot sustain interest when so much at stake ALL of the time, even small things. Mr. Brick can do the occasional brilliant personification of a character, so I realize he has talent, but I wish he wouldn't feel it neccessary to show-boat all the time.
This may be my last Scott Brick book for a while. Too bad, he read a lot of good ones.

Another example of a good idea that wasn't. Hurwitz's story has some interesting twists and turns, and in the hands of a better writer, this one could have been great. I would have loved to have seen what Michael Connelly or Stephen Cannell could have done with it. It shocks me that at the conclusion of the reading, an interview with the author revealed that he had been an essayist before starting a new career in fiction. One would think that an accomplished essayist would not have had to put a simile in every single sentence (or maybe it just seemed that way). After a while, it was nauseating and totally detracted from the story. Memo to writers: WRITE THE STORY AND STOP TRYING SO HARD! A great tale will flow, on its own, and doesn't need verbage describing a bruise over the protagonist's eye as "sprouting broken blood vessels like the hairs on Medusa's head". Ugh. To borrow from Hurwitz's style: like a child oversated on dime-store chocolate who finds he no longer wants his dinner, I won't be going back for more.

i found this book to be a difficult read. i thought the narration was tedious and the story very implausible and boring. would not recommend.

This book is depressing even for a crime thriller, the main character just went thud for me despite Scott Brick (and I usually like Brick a lot) and his OVER-narration; he just goes way too far here, it is performance art gone crazy. Unless you love the writer, and even if you do, THINK TWICE.

Yes. It is a great listen. All of Hurwitz's books are.

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow. The prosecutor is blamed for a murder of an ex lover.

Yes and Scott Brick's performances are great in all the books I have listened to. Great in this one also.

The chief of the morgue's situation.

Please keep writing more books. I usually read books in series because to me they seem to always be more interesting. But Greg Hurwitz's books are not series but they are GREAT AND VERY, VERY INTERESTING!! I highly recommend them!

One of the best books I have listened to or read in many years!