Red Zone

A Calvin Watters & Charlene Taylor Mystery, Book 1

By: Luke Murphy

Narrated by: Sharon Huff, Conner Goff

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

The prodigal son...

Calvin Watters hasn't been back to USC since the day his scholarship and humility were stripped from the former running back. Calvin had cut all ties to the school but now finds himself pulled back, when a woman's dead body is found on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum football field.

...returns home....

Detective Charlene Taylor's new homicide case, a freshman cheerleader’s murder at USC, is complicated. Charlene knows that the USC football team is a close-knit family, and getting inside the trusted circle, as a cop, is unlikely.

Calvin Watters is a game-changer....

When Calvin and Charlene meet up on the Coliseum turf, Charlene sees an opportunity to use Calvin to penetrate the Trojan family circle. Little does the detective know, Calvin is now an outsider at USC, no longer welcomed - with many who will go a long way to see the former football star fail.

Can Calvin and Charlene work together to uncover the truth, or will their egos interfere with what could be a powerful partnership?

©2020 Luke Murphy (P)2020 Luke Murphy

Great book!

This is my second Book by Luke Murphy and it did not disappoint! I love crime drama and murder mysteries and also a series where I can follow the characters. I highly recommend!!!

A little trite but suspenseful

This story bordered on triteness and cliché, but I like these characters and the suspense kept me listening.

Sharon Huff and Conner Goff performed well, but there were several technical issues such as the end of some words being truncated and some duplicated texts where the narrator repeated or started over. These were obvious and briefly interrupted the flow of the story, but nothing severe enough to cause confusion.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Twists and turns!

Well-written. Held my attention throughout with twists at the end.

Sharon Huff and Conner Goff did a great job narrating and bring the characters to life.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Loved it!

I loved this book very much! The story was rife with intrigue and the two main characters played off each other very well. Kudos to the author for not making them a love interest!!

I kinda guessed the whodunnit but I liked how the author made it work. You gotta love a mystery that keeps you guessing.

The duo narrators were a great choice since the story was told from two different perspectives. I hate to add a neggie to a book that I enjoyed but there were too many editing errors to not mention them (I stopped counting at three.) Still, even with that, the performance by both narrators was very good.

I couldn't figure out if this was a USC love story or not but I enjoyed having the story play out there.

"The signs of concussion can be subtle."

The murder of a cheerleader at Calvin Watters' old football stadium has him flying into L.A. to join forces with Detective Charlene Taylor and her partner Larry in the investigation. This time, Calvin brings along his girlfriend Rachel as well as reuniting with old friends and his brother.Sent

As with previous stories in the Calvin Watters series, this is a mystery thriller full of intrigue and twists, the characters flawed and as important to the story as the plot itself. Mostly well written, despite occasional trite phrases such as 'a tough shell. She would be a hard nut to crack', almost from chapter one the book becomes intriguing and un-put-downable. There is a lot about American football, though.

Red Zone brings together two series, both of two volumes, that of the one time football star whose knee injury ended his sporting career, now turned P.I., and the second built around Charlene, the feisty detective. Whilst this reader had read both of the Watters previous books, this was my first encounter with Charlene. Interestingly, both narrators from each series, Connor Goff and Sharon Huff, have been employed to narrate those sections of this book pertaining to the characters from their previous novels. and it works well although the constant change of voice can be a little disconcerting. It is well performed by both, although the editing could have been improved, with some repeated phrases not removed and audible clicks from sp!icing points.

My thanks to the rights holder of Red Zone, who, at my request via Audiobook Boom, freely gifted me with a complimentary copy.

I love getting in the zone with a good book

I loved this book. I like the fact that the authors two characters from his different series have come together in this one book and despite there differences or hang up they work well together. Don't worry if you haven't read or listed to the previous books because the author does a very good job of giving you a little bit of back ground but not going into to much detail that those who all ready know get board. I like both of them as individual characters as both are strong and independent but at the same time loyal and slightly damaged, they feel like real humans and are like able.The mystery was good and with a number of suspects and even motives it kept you guessing until the end. There was also a lot of twist that you don't expect, so it keeps you on your toes and the story just flew by. The story might be set around a college football field but you don't need to understand football to enjoy because the story is focused on the investigation. The author has also set it up for this next book (not really a cliff hanger because the story does have an ending) so he prepared to want to get the next book. The author knows how to craft a good mystery that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat and I can't wait for more.
When a cheerleaders body is found on the playing field, Calvin Waters an ex superstar of the team turned private investigator is called in. The problem is an injury put an end to his playing career and he didn't leave on the best of terms. Can be put old grudges behind him and get the job done? Charlene Taylor is a homicide detective and the dead girl his her case but she gets stone walled by the college at every turn. Then a kid confesses and the higher ups want to wrap up the case, despite her gut feeling that it isn't right. The P.I and the detective might just have to work together to solve the case because it is a case of not what you know but who and the killer knows them.
I liked the fact that the author got both of the narrator's from the two series together for this one. It worked well and I liked there style because you always knew who the main focus of the chapter was, as the two characters ran there own investigations.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.