The Flower Man

By: Vincent Zandri

Narrated by: Andrew B. Wehrlen

Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

Hard-boiled mystery. Mayhem. Murder...  

"Sexual harassment in the workplace will not only ruin your career, it will get you killed."  

Private investigator and anti-hero Steve Jobz has screwed up big time. He had one too many the night before, and it gave him the courage to text photos of his naked chest to his hot new coworker at the State Department of Insurance Fraud Agency. While the lovely Kate is keeping quiet about the texts, Jobz feels like the boom is about to come down on him when his boss orders him into her office. Seems homicide detective Nick Miller wants a face-to-face with the former cop.  

But what Miller wants has nothing to do with Jobz’s texts. Instead, they have everything to do with a local television news personality known to all as "Mr. TV". Much like Jobz, the lovable news anchor has also texted photos of himself to a coworker, but these photos were not of the relatively tame chest-high variety. Rather, the pictures were taken below the belt. As a result, Mr. TV is not only getting sued, but is being issued death threats from the victim’s Russian immigrant father.  

When Miller assigns Jobz to personally watch over Mr. TV and his cougar wife, Janice, what he discovers is that the couple are up to their necks in more than just a sexting scandal. They are in fact broke and living on cash that is coming from a very unlikely source: the Russian mob. What follows is a quagmire of sex, shootouts, serial murder, and a quirky private detective who just can't keep himself from getting in trouble with the ladies.  

Like The Embalmer, the first novel in the new Steve Jobz PI series created and written by Thriller Award-winning, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Vincent Zandri, The Flower Man culminates with an explosive climax and promises to keep listeners glued to their chairs for hours. For fans of Michael Connelly, Robert B. Parker, Charlie Huston, Jim Crumley, Lee Child, Brett Battles, and more. 

Nab this thriller today before it's too late!

©2018 Vincent Zandri (P)2018 Vincent Zandri

Loved the twists

I love a good murder mystery with a lot of twists and this listen packs them in. Just when you think you know what's happening and who's doing it, things changed. It was great.

I loved the main character Jobz. The narrator portrayed him to perfection. Jobz didn't always know what was going on and he found himself in the thick of things quite often. Wehrlen's narration of Jobz was very complete; I loved how he portrayed the internal dialogue.

I didn't catch book one but it wasn't needed to get into this book. Judging from this listen, book three should be hoot.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Jobz Is Back and On the Case

4.5 out of 5 stars

Jobz is back and thrown into the thick of it in The Flower Man.  Researching a famous tv news anchor leads him to places he wouldn't imagine - along with finding some unwanted things along the way.

One of my goodreads updates for this was "Pretty good so far. I liked the first Jobz thriller. His personality makes me laugh. Even if he is kinda a womanizer." - I've written another review of a mystery where the main character was a womanizer - but for some reason the way that Zandri writes about Jobz - it's... forgivable I guess?  I can't explain it - but you can call me out for it if you'd like.

I don't know why, the idea that Jobz day job is looking into fraud while also looking into these crazy people (the first book still sits on my mind - that one was messed up).  The Flower Man wasn't nearly as brutal but there were still some brutal scenes and imagery in this one.

The entire book is set around a backdrop of sexual harassment - both from the "tv guy" and from Jobz himself.  I won't give too much away - but I wanted to warn people in case they were bothered by scenes like this.

Overall, I thought that the second Jobz book was a great follow up and I'm really curious how Zandri will continue with this series.  I hope there are more - they're well thought out and enjoyable.  Especially with Wehrlen at the helm for the audiobooks. I requested a copy of this audiobook for review, this has not affected my opinion in any way.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

better than book 1

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

This was a better book, for me, than the first book. The narration was really well done. Thankfully they didn't focus as much on the Steve Jobz thing or his past. I guess you could say this book got me to buy into the series more. So, as long as Andrew Wehrlen continues to narrate them, I'd be open to more books in the series.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Awesome Twists!

I loved the twists in this book! Vincent Zandri excels at writing gripping books with unexpected twists. Steve Jobz is a complex character that fits the storyline perfectly. Andrew B Wehrlen does an awesome performance. I love how he gives various characters distinguishable voices. I requested this review copy audiobook and have voluntarily written this review. I will definitely listen to more by this author and narrator.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Jobz on the case once again!

Steve Jobz is on the case once again. This time Detective Miller has Jobz keeping an eye on a television news caster known as Mr. TV. Mr. TV, or Terry is a well-known womanizer with a penchant for sending naughty photos of himself. His latest victim is a female coworker who files a sex discrimination case against him. In retaliation Terry oddly files a counter suit against the coworker and what’s even stranger has filed for unemployment since being suspended from his highly paid job. Considering these odd events, Jobz is sent in to find out what is going on. What he uncovers is a conspiracy of sex, drugs, and the Russian mob. Follow Jobz as he unravels this bizarre tale, putting the puzzle pieces together. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

AWESOME!!

Loved this audiobook! Steve Jobz is a great character! Great story, all kinds of crazy stuff going on (read summary for detailed info), and it's well-written and awesomely narrated. Steve's a guy that most can relate to in one way or another. It all fit together perfectly! I am interested in reading more about Steve Jobz! Highly recommended for a fun, action packed thriller. Check it out!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

"Who loves ya, Baby?"

Steve Jobz (no, not that one) thinks he could be in trouble - he can't remember if he sent an inapropriate text in the night, in a drunken state, to the lovely young new employee at the State Unemployment Agency where he works. If he had, and boss Henrietta finds out, it could cost him his job. Ironically, Detective Miller requests his help again, this time to act as protection for Terry McGovern, news anchor for Fox News and the highest paid broadcaster in Albany, himself accused of sexual harassment. "To err is human, to sext is normal" but in this case it could get them killed.

Written in Vincent Zandri's distinctive snappy, fast paced and sardonic style, this is a good second in series story filled with colourful characters, murder and unforgettable visual images, like a severed head under a pile of red rose petals. Recounted, with occasional angst and much humour, in the first person by Jobs himself, this is an easy read book to thoroughly enjoy and made even better when performed by Andrew Werhlen. Becoming Jobz with a laconic, quick talking persona, Mr.Wehrlen really brings this slightly disreputable investigator, with all of his angst, to life - and gives individual voice to the other characters, too.

My thanks to the rights holder for freely gifting me a complimentary copy of The. Flower Man, at my request, via Audiobook Boom. I had previously read, and enjoyed, the eBook version so knew exactly what to expect as far as the story was concerned and it is a tribute to both author and narrator that I actually enjoyed it even more this time round.