Shrouds of Darkness

Brooklyn Shadows, Book 1

By: Brock Deskins

Narrated by: Steven Jay Cohen

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York has a problem few are aware of. Creatures of myth and darkness prowl the night-shrouded streets, preying on those who won’t be missed. At least, those are the rules. Bodies are turning up, and their deaths are far from natural. Our kind’s existence depends on remaining nothing more than folklore and fairy tales, but someone has decided to break the rules. Now, it’s my job to stop a conspiracy before it threatens to expose the truth about vampires and werewolves. My name is Leo Malone, and when things go bump in the night, I bump back. If the price is right.

©2011 Brock E. Deskins (P)2017 Brock E. Deskins

Entertaining.

Leo Malone is hired to find a missing werewolf by his daughter. This same werewolf is an accountant to a mob boss, who contacts Leo to also find the missing werewolf. Being paid twice for the same job suits Leo fine and he accepts. But he didn't realise what an undertaking this would be. In his quest to find answers, Leo encounters rogue vampires, more mobsters and even a love interest. But add in the fact that dead bodies are turning up that seem to be ravaged by werewolves and all evidence points to the missing were! Is this a case of a were gone rogue too, or something else?

This was all sorts of awesome!! I listened to this while I was sick and it cheered me up and made me laugh out loud. I absolutely loved Leo. He is an antihero and a jerk at times, but his devil may care attitude was what made him so lovable. He may also be a hardass but he is a man of his word and has a sense of righteousness that appealed to me. It also helped that he was so funny and witty, especially with "Mo Money", the hilarious hacker Marvin.

The plot was fast paced and action packed. There was mystery, intrigue and plenty of fight scenes, and I few through the book. I also loved finding out about the Vampire dynamics and how they work.

In all, this was a fun, entertaining read. It was well written and developed and I so can't wait to read the second book in the series!!!

This is the first book I've listened to that was narrated by Steven Jay Cohen and I really enjoyed his narration. He was easy to listen to and read this well. He gave each of the characters their own personality and really brought Leo to life!! I will have to check out more by him.

I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.

Great story

This audiobook kept me entertained from start to finish. Vampire PI, Leo Malone, is hired to find a missing werewolf, who also happens to be the accountant of a mob boss Leo occasionally body guards for. Things become even more complicated as he uncovers treachery within the vampire ranks. This story has lots of action, intrigue, a bit of romance, great characters and hilarious repartee that will have you laughing out loud. I really enjoyed the main character, Leo. He is sarcastic, cunning, can be a bit of a jerk and has a propensity for violence, but he also keeps his word and has a sense of riotousness hidden underneath a hard exterior. The narrator, Steven Jay Cohen, managed to fit his voice to Leo’s personality perfectly, he really brought the character to life making you feel his strength, determination and uncertainties. I also loved his interpretation of the computer wiz, Marvin. The interactions between the two of them was hysterical. All in all, this an enjoyable, well written, action filled story that will keep you entertained and leave you wanting more.

Can't go wrong with this vampire PI novel!

Really enjoyed this read. I'm a big fan of fantasy/detective style novels and this did not disappoint. Vampires, werewolves, mob what more can you ask for? Grab this if you're a fan of Dresden Files style books :)

I received this audiobook for free in exchange for my honest review.

Vampire PI: It's a Good Listen

Narration:

The Narration of this book is pretty good. I haven't listened to this narrator before, but his voice is easy to listen to, and does a good job differentiating the protagonist from the supporting cast. I wouldn't mind listening to other books narrated by him.

Story:

This book didn't take long for me to get into. The opening sequence is filled with action and the author does a good job of teaching us about the world he's created via the actions of his characters and what is happening around them.

This is also the first Vampire book I can think of where the protagonist is a private investigator. It seems like there should be others, but I can't recall them so kudos to the author for taking the genre in a new direction. I also like that the main character is seemingly aware of the modern genre, as well as set in his ways. This seems like a far more realistic take on immortality than books that seem to have either completely modern vampires, or those that have been so out of touch for the last 30 years that they don't know what a cell phone is.

All in all there's not much to complain about. If you like vampire stories, you should like this book. There's lots of action, and a mystery that unfolds little by little from start to finish. There also aren't any wasted scenes as each one has a logical connection to those that follow. Overall it's a good listen. I'd listen to the second book.

Nicely done!

Paranormal meets private eye, meets mobsters! What could be better than that? The story flows nicely, with a great mix of humor and attitude! I thoroughly enjoyed it and can not wait for the next book in the series!

Definitely Awesome

This past year I discovered Mr Deskins, in that time he has become one of my "Can't wait til his next release". This audio is top notch and hope another one in this series would be out soon.

Top notch urban fantasy

I love vampire books. I especially love urban fantasy vampire books. This is partially due to how much I adored the Vampire: The Masquerade during my teenage years. So, I was all in for Brock Deskin's Brooklyn Shadows series that follow the adventures of undead detective Leo. Leo is a lovably repulsive character. A bit like Johnny Lawrence in Cobra Kai, he's stuck a few decades behind the times and compensates for it by being as big a jerk to people as humanly possible. Fans of series like the Dresden Files and the Hellequin Chronicles will probably find this book enjoyable.

The premise is a werewolf accountant who does work for the mob in New York finds himself kidnapped by forces unknown. Leo is hired by the werewolf's daughter to track him down and see if he's alive or dead. This proves problematic as while Leo is a decent enough detective, he's managed to burn every single bridge he's made in the supernatural community. The vampires of the Enclave loathe him as a failed Sheriff, the werewolves despise him as a vampire killer, and the police believe he's a multiple mass murdering hitman [which is true from a certain point of view].

The primary appeal of the story is watching Leo stumble around, offending people left and right in hopes that they let slip something useful to his investigation. What follows is a decent enough mystery that involves the mysterious "Cure" for vampirism that was long ago abandoned as unusually toxic, a sudden upswing in the vampire population of New York, attacks on the mob by forces unknown, and the planned installation of a London-esque CCTV network across the city.

Part of what makes the story work is Leo actively shoots himself in the foot repeatedly by not caring about anything other than himself. It takes awhile for him to put the pieces together because he ignores anything that doesn't directly relate to his case. He's really kind of a cruddy detective as his attitude, cynicism, and nihilism prevent him from developing much in the way of contacts. He has a couple of in a hacker named Mo Money (a self-granted nickname that Leo mocks repeatedly), a morgue attendant, and an incredibly effective lawyer but these are the exceptions instead of the rule.

I think my favorite character of the book is the police office Castillo. Castillo is basically the anti-Murphy for Dresden File fans. She's a dedicated hard-working female police officer absolutely set against our protagonist who seems to get away with murder, literally, on a regular basis. I actually support these two getting together and think it would be a spicy romance. Leo's actual girlfriend, Katherine, is interesting enough but doesn't have the same level of spark.

Does this book have any flaws? Eh, I found it a little weird that we opened up with a perspective other than Leo's at the start of the book despite this being in first person. I also feel like we could have referenced Leo's past with so many characters more. As a vampire, I feel like he would have some more interesting history with various characters. Still, this is a minor set of issues overall and didn't impact my enjoyment much.

In conclusion, I feel this is a solid and entertaining urban fantasy/horror adventure novel. Leo is an antihero that will be an acquired taste to some readers but I personally loved him. I recommend picking up the audiobook novel in particular since the narrator does a fantastic job.

Excellent start to an urban fantasy series.

With the slew of vampire urban fantasy that has hit the shelves in recent years, from romance with vampires to gritty urban grimdark, I wasn't sure where this would fit into that group. While the idea of a vampire detective isn't new, Brock Deskins' Leo Malone is definitely a great character who brings an added dimension of humor and determination you don't see in a lot of this type of character.

When a mob accountant is accosted outside his office by a gang of rival thugs, things get hairy, literally, as he turns out to be a werewolf. That's bad, since supernaturals are supposed to keep it hidden, and shredding some gangsters isn't very subtle. The vampire leadership is quite keen and strict about keeping it hidden from the humans.

This brings Leo Malone onto the case when the accountants adult children hire Leo to find out what happened to their father. The case turns out to be much more complicated that its seems, Since it seems there are forces that don't want him found, and will do anything to keep him from being found. Leo's complicated relationship with the vampire Elders isn't helping, as they would rather see him dead if they could than anything else. As he delves further into the disappearance, he discovers a much larger conspiracy that that threatens not only his life but exposure of the supernatural community in general, which could have far reaching consequences for all the supernatural nations.

Like his other books, Shrouds is a character driven book. The urban setting is fun, and you get immersed in it, but the characters are where the action is at, especially Leo. His attitude towards life and the vampire nation in general really make him a sympathetic character. You really root for him, even as he snarks his way from one discovery to the next. The secondary characters are well fleshed out as well, and the plotting if fast paced and never lags.

Steven Jay Cohen does his usual excellent job of bringing the story and characters to life. His Leo voice may be my absolute favorite he does. Just the right amount of snark for the part. His narrative pace is spot on, and smoothly flows throughout the book. He is definitely a reason to consider getting the audio version.

Loved it

I read/listened to this book via Audible, I loved it. The narrator did an amazing job at telling the story. He made brought out the attitude of Leo. This read was a little out of what I normally read but I was very pleased with the story. The story line and character build are both very strong.

Not your usual vampires vs. werewolves.

This is not your usual tale of vampires verses werewolves. I found it to be a cleverly designed mystery/thriller where a vampire P.I. stumbles into a territorial power struggle between vampires and the Mafia. The vampires use the werewolves as a distraction and patsy. Leo Malone the P.I. is hired by both sides of the conflict to find the same patsy and determine exactly what the heck is going on. Leo’s character is witty and the dialog comical. I found myself laughing out loud several times. The story moves along quickly, the characters well done and the narration is excellent. I enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Mr. Deskins. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

Supernatural Private Eye

A snarky supernatural detective is not a particularly new premise, but the author does a very good job of making both him and the story an interesting one.

The story starts out as a relatively simple one with the PI in question, the vampire Leo Malone, being hired to investigate the disappearance of a werewolf, but matters escalate quite quickly as this turns out to only be one part of a larger plot that causes a lot of problems for our protagonist even if he is being paid by more than one interested party to investigate it.

The author did a very good job of quickly fleshing out the world and the rules for the supernatural inhabitants in it while also keeping the action moving along at a frantic pace without it seeming too rushed at any point either.

I have not listened to anything else that this narrator has done before, but I found his performance to be a nice enhancement of the story with him nicely bringing the sarcastic and somewhat disconnected from humanity hero to life, while also giving distinct voices to the supporting cast.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and will be looking out for subsequent ones in the series and others from the same author.

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

Wonderful take on the antihero

Loved it
Can't wait for the next in the series leo was amusing to read about

Well what a ‘bloody’ ‘fangtastic’ Vampire / Werewolf novel.

Leo Malone is a vampire with supernatural capabilities, who lives in private seclusion amongst the mortal folk of Brooklyn, New York. He is employed as a mercenary bodyguard with what must be described as super power abilities and he also doubles up as a Private Investigator.

The story unfolds as Leo is hired by a female Werewolf, Catherine, to assist in finding her missing father.

Leo is an aloof and independent character yet during the adventure his feelings towards Catherine develop romantically and he also unexpectedly forms a fondness for a human, who assists him during his investigation. You’ve got to love Marvin as he cheekily plays with fire so to speak.

I truly enjoyed the way that Deskins has humorously written this book and especially because it’s from Leo’s perspective which makes you feel like he is telling you what’s happening as it evolves. It is action packed with copious amounts of gruesome fighting.

Stephen Jay Cohen, the narrator, brings Leo’s character to life, or should I say to death! Well he’s a vampire so I’m sure you know what I mean.
His wide variety of accents and intonations brilliantly complement the other character voices and bring them alive too.

There are several scenes when I truly empathise with the way Leo deals with some undesirables, even though his resulting actions are completely unlawful.
He is an absolute rogue entity and his relationship with the Police is somewhat strained but in-spite of this, he inwardly respects them, specifically a detective who would love nothing more than to bust and imprison him, only if she were able to find enough evidence or witnesses to prosecute him.

Overall this is a cracking Weres and Vamps book and I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment in this series Mr Deskins 😀📖😀.

This audio book was requested by myself and provided free by the author
The review I have given is voluntary and solely my opinion of this audiobook, which is completely independent and unbiased.

Really good PI story

If you could sum up Shrouds of Darkness in three words, what would they be?

Supernatural mystery adventure

Who was your favorite character and why?

Leo

What about Steven Jay Cohen’s performance did you like?

He was outstanding in his ability to narrate and bring about full understanding of each of the characters.

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

When Leo was led to feel again

Any additional comments?

This book was provided in expectation of a review.

It was a total surprise and I enjoyed it much more than I expected.

It had most everything one would expect from a book: Vampires, Werewolves, murder, weapons, romance and silliness. The author and narrator did an outstanding job making the book entertaining and fun to listen to.

The vampire is a PI who shuns the world due to his past and the story involves him being asked to find a missing person and eventually becoming involved in a much larger conspiracy and having to clean up a large mess without exposing the existence of the supernatural people to the humans.

I enjoyed the book and look forward to more books to follow.

fantastic story

first vamp/wearwolf story in a long time but well worth it, perfect mix of dramatic story telling and humour, Leo Malone is my kind of vampire, need to check if there is anymore in this series.

Have to share the news!!

Well, I’ve not even finished this book, but can’t wait to tell the world about this find!!
I’m completely hooked!!
I was on the fence about listening to this book as it’s not my go-to genre, but boy is it my genre now!!
It’s like a noire, detective, vamp, witty story and I love it!
This is the first time I’ve come across the narrator, so I don’t yet know if it’s his usual voice, but he reads this book with a perfect detective noire voice which hooked me perfectly into the story!
I’m enthralled by this book and I’m devastated that there’s a wait for the next...!
This is an unbiased review of a free review copy.

Brilliant

Took a while for me to get around to listening to this book and now I cant wait to read the next. Brilliant narrator, really brings characters to life and voices fit the personalities. Great story that is not predictable from the start like some books, really makes you want to find out what happens in next chapter. Recommend to any fans of fiction

amazing book

New York has a problem few are aware of. Creatures of myth and darkness prowl the night-shrouded streets, preying on those who won’t be missed. At least, those are the rules.
amazing book from start to finish

☺

I have 3 our 4 audio books by Brock Desmond. And Steven may Cohen thay are all very good 5 out of 5