Patchwork People, Book 2

By: D B Martin

Narrated by: Rob Groves

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

The dead can still talk - as Lawrence Juste is about to find out - and what they have to say is deadly.

A tense psychological thriller for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl with No Past.

He thought he'd eluded the nemesis from his past - even made some kind of atonement for abandoning his family by defending his sister's child against a murder charge. His black had become a mere dirty grey, with the possibility of being bleached enough to still make High Court Judge if he'd played his cards right, hadn't it?

Someone obviously doesn't agree.

Someone who persists in taunting him with notes and lies that lead nowhere but to more lies.

Someone who clearly wants him to dig even further into his buried past in order to clear his name.

Someone who might have already murdered once, and is ready to murder again. But they're already dead.

For Lawrence, the twisted saga of deceit, intrigue, and conspiracy continues as his family expands and the real truth behind his past begins to surface in this, the second book in the Patchwork People trilogy.

©2014 D.B. Martin (P)2016 D.B. Martin

Layered Mystery, Psychological Thriller

What made the experience of listening to Patchwork People, Book 2 the most enjoyable?

This is the second work of a Trilogy. I had the pleasure of listening to Book One, "Patchwork Man" a few months ago. I was hooked on the story of Lawrence Juste, his past and the secrets that are chasing him. I couldn't wait to read more.
In conjunction with the story line, Rob Graves' excellent narrative work was perfect for this story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lawrence. The story is told from his point of view and experiences.

What about Rob Groves’s performance did you like?

Rob Groves has what I call a "soft" British accent. Cultured, easy on this American's ear! lol He has a good storyteller's sense of drama, pace. Without being overly dramatic. And he possesses a range of voices for the many (!) characters in this work.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I strongly empathize with the things Lawrence is dealing with. Betrayal, death, legal etc.

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this second book as much as its predecessor, and look forward to Book Three!

Thank you for the opportunity to review it!

This review copy audiobook was provided by the author at no cost. I am happy to give my honest review of it.

Thank you, Debrah (D.B. Martin)!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

WOW. Satisfying, edge-of-my-seat book

I was captivated by Book 1 ... Book 2 surpassed it in both performance and mind boggling twists. The author's skillful writing, excellent character and plot development, and the narrator's delivery of the story, made this an unforgettable book, one I didn't want to pause for even a moment. So happy this is a series!

I was gifted this book in exchange for an unbiased review... And I feel honored to do so.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

great second book in the trilogy

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher. I was very impressed with this book. It started a bit slow for my liking, but it picked up and kept right on going. Full of the same super complex characters as the first book, there are so many twists in here that you never know what you think you know. Love the narrator. Very easy to listen to. I found myself upset at the end of the book because I didn't want it to end. I needed more. Good thing there is another book then.

Even better than the first!

This series is so good! It will keep you guessing even if you think that you've figured out what the characters haven't. I could see this being made in to a movie series. The characters are so multidimensional, the story so complex with twist & turns. Also if you are a fan of To Kill a Mockingbird you'll love how often it is referenced & how it pays homage to the book.
I'm ready for the next one!
I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.

Intriguing

Great mystery, suspense that was a pleasure to listen to. Loved being given the chance to listen and review for an even greater author. The story flowed along at a great pace .

The end of the beginning

What did you love best about Patchwork People, Book 2?

While “Patchwork People” starts with a short summary of the events of the previous book, one should really read “Patchwork man” to fully grasp the plot details. The author, D. B. Martin, does not waste the reader’s time by retelling and rehashing the events of the first book. Not a second is misused; and the action jumps right in where book one left off. It is a fast-paced book with twists and turns at every juncture.

What other book might you compare Patchwork People, Book 2 to and why?

I usually don't enjoy books written in first person, but I loved this series. Sometimes in other "first person" books I find that the main character spends a lot of time in superficial thought or pondering, and the author reveals important details in artificial reflections, but that is NOT the case with in these books. D. B. Martin unfolds the action before both the character and the reader together. There are no wasted passages with characters "thinking" about unrelated details just to get them into the plot line.

Which scene was your favorite?

Just as with book one (Patchwork Man) “Patchwork People” peels off layer after layer of the past and dumps the past right onto the stage of the present. As the past is revealed, one would think that the present would become clearer, but it remains as murky as ever, in fact it becomes even more complicated. The characters become more complex as their past miscalculations are revealed.

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

If I had the time, I would certainly have listened to this book all in one setting just so I could keep up with the almost frantic pace as the characters seek answers to their "problems." As it was, I made the time to listen so I could finish and find out the answers.

Any additional comments?

Rob Groves did a great job with the audio as he did with book one. The narration was easy to follow, and his articulation and intonation were excellent. He was able to produce the different voices and expressions needed for the varied characters. He did a nice job with the voices of the female characters as well, which is often difficult for male narrators. I listened both on a portable device with headphones and with an external speaker attached to my device. The dynamic range of the production was appropriate for both listening devices. There were no distortions or other difficulties that interfered with listening.

Carefully Woven!

Lawrence closed one case but his life hangs in the balance as more and more of his past comes forward. At the same time he learns answers to secrets swept under the rug. My opinion of Lawrence is I don’t so much like him but I do feel for the life he carefully stitched together in an effort to progress and fulfill his career. Sometimes though he’s a bit blind and uncaring. That changes through the progress of this series.

D.B. Martin tightly weaves the plot and while it thickens beware of the twists. That’s my favorite part of the series is I don’t know what to expect. Each puzzle piece is dropped one at a time and they don’t immediately fit. When I think of the name Patchwork to me it relates to not only how “patched” the characters’ lives are but the story is like laying out hundreds of patches and fitting and piecing them together one at a time.

Rob Groves narrates this second book giving the series verbal consistency. Overall his performance is good.
Well done!

Edge of the seat thriller

~ another book I just couldn't put down till my eyes blurred and the clock was saying 3am time to sleep ~ kept me right on the edge till the last page ~ great job and love the storyline ~ will I tell much about the book absolutely not and ruin it for you just know you must get this one ..

“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”

I love this series!!!!

Any additional comments?

Start this series with book one to really get the feel for Lawrence and his world. Then get on the phenomenal ride that is book two!!!! I. Could. Not. Stop. Listening.

This story picks up right where book one ends and does not miss a beat. The twists and turns and the who did it and why just kept coming. I had a couple "did that just happen" moments as well!!

I wasn't particularly fond of the Cat/Kat and Lawrence relationship but I got over it. The narrator wove such a great story and kept you so immersed that I just kept listening for what came next. And the what came next was always thrilling.

I loved the letter at the end and it was a perfect setup to book three. I can't wait!

"Twisty, twisty, like the cap on a bottle sealing"

Any additional comments?

Another death in the large family of once repected barrister, Lawrence Juste. And this time it's even closer to home - in his own home, in fact! Still caught in the complex web of lies and relationships he desperately needs to unravel the facts if he is not to be held for the murder of his sister. But who can he trust to tell him the truth? Who, other than the murderer, knows it anyway? Mysterious parcels arrive with cryptic clues. Who is sending them? It can only be Margaret, his wife. But Margaret is dead, killed in a hit and run accident. And then there is Danny ...

This is a stunning book of twists and turns, a tapestry of interwoven lives, once left behind but now returned with devastating consequences. The second in the Patchwork People trilogy, it excels even the first book for intrigue and mysteries. Told in the first person by Lawrence Juste himself we are confused and conflicted, desperate and terrified along with him as no one seems to be what they appeared. And having only recently redound his lost, very large, family he can only take them at face value until proven wrong.The writing is good the characterization excellent and all is enhanced by Bob Grove's narration. He becomes the embattled barrister, confused and drawn into something he thought left behind: emotional feeling. Mr.Grove's voicing of all the other protagonists is also distinctly individual and recognizable, making their identification easy. And his soft English voice is very easy on the ear.

This is a book I would most definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys a well crafted mystery to untangle, heavy on interesting chapters each acting on their own motivation. Be prepared to make assumptions only to have them dashed away soon after as other facts are revealed - or are they lies, too? Wonderful. The second in the trilogy, I would recommend also that the reader starts with the first book, Patchwork Man, to get the fuller understanding of both Juste's background and character, and the predicament iin which he is trapped. It will also help with the identification of the. numerous characters involved here, especially family members. It will not disappoint.
An immensely enjoyable series so far. Now the final book of the trilogy awaits me. I purchased it as soon as I finished listening to this one, so completely involved am I in this twisting, intriguing, fascinating tale.

Better than The Girl on the Train!

Any additional comments?

Having listened to the first volume of this trilogy, I snapped up this second volume as soon as I saw it. Although this second volume, Patchwork People, could easily stand on it’s own, the compelling story was probably richer for me having listened to Patchwork Man first. A combination of tight, captivating writing and a highly skilled and versatile narrator makes this title a “must listen”. I can’t wait for Patchwork Pieces - volume 3 of this incredible trilogy.