The Murder Bag

By: Tony Parsons

Narrated by: Colin Mace

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Twenty years ago seven students became friends at their exclusive private school, Potter's Field. Now they have started dying in the most violent way imaginable. Detective Max Wolfe follows the bloody trail from the backstreets and bright lights of the city, to the darkest corners of the corridors of power. As the bodies pile up, Max finds he is fighting not only for justice, but for his own life....

The gripping first novel in an explosive new crime series by Tony Parsons, bestselling author of Man and Boy. If you like crime-novels by Ian Rankin and Peter James, you will love this.

©2014 Tony Parsons (P)2014 W.F. Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"Propulsive ... If The Murder Bag marks the launch of a new crime series, count me in." ( The Times)
"A tense debut crime novel with a dose of dry wit" ( Daily Express)
"Impressive, page-turning ... Told with conviction and at an ever increasing pace" ( Daily Mail)
"Truly emotive crime-writing is a rarity, and The Murder Bag looks set to win Tony Parsons many new fans in the genre" ( GQ)
"Spectacular! Tense and human, fast and authentic." (Lee Child)

THERE SHOULD BE MORE THAN 5 STARS FOR THIS 1

This is by far the best book I have read all year, maybe longer. And I can't say enough about Colin Mace. What a pleasure to listen to. This is one of those books that when you finish you have to digest. You can't go into your library and start another one right up.

Some one else's review made mention of no real gore or vulgarity, they were correct. The crime scenes were so well written you didn't the gore.

There was a point when I 'figured out' at least part mystery/crime but then you think you have the whole story and wham there is a twist I did not see coming.

Love the father/daughter/dog relationship. It's heartwarming.

And Colin Mace - WOW not sure I have listened to him before but I would seek out others that he has read. The different accents were wonderful, transition flawless, and just his voice-perfect.

I hope this becomes a series!!!

Can a narrator make a good book great?

Colin Mace delivers a performance that puts him in a class with Ray Porter, Frank Mueller, Will Patton and Eduardo Ballerini. He hasn't read a lot on audible, but surely this is a breakout performance.

In the first chapter we are witness to a brutal rape and murder that occurred some 20 years ago. In present day, suddenly men responsible for the crime begin to be murdered one by one. Obviously revenge is the motive, but what makes this novel so easy to enjoy is how the detectives unravel the mystery.

The characters are well developed and thanks to Colin Mace, we are emotionally drawn into the life of a truly gifted detective.

This was a great experience.

refreshing

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though the story line was similar to others the characters and writing were so well done it seemed new and fresh. Even with the disturbing subject matter it was never base, vulgar or graphic. The writing allowed the listener/reader to see without being disturbed. First book in a long time I listened to with rapt attention, rewound when I thought I'd missed a nuance... Yes a nuance, it had that...enough said?

Great Start to a new Trilogy

After finishing this audio book, I checked out this author and found out this is the start of a trilogy. My first thought was -- "only 2 more books with Max Wolfe!" I can honestly say I will be grieving halfway through the 3rd book if this character's story ends. I imagine by that time Tony Parsons will be selling lots of books and his editor will be thinking up ways to continue the story with DC Wolfe, his young daughter and their dog.

I don't know this author but he must have a strong writing background. I particularly loved how there were violent, heart-beating scenes, but no goriness. The author's knowledge of police procedure and his strong plotting of the story was a delight to me. I didn't want to stop listening as I drove closer to my home. I thought up errands in order to continue my drive and the listen. Colin Mace is a wonderful narrator -- top notch!

Even if you think you have it figured out, you will still want to hear every word. Especially since a twist is awaiting you in the end. Loved it!

The narration makes all the difference

Would you listen to The Murder Bag again? Why?

if I listened to it again, it would be for the narrator. He really added both drama and realism to this novel and compensated for its flaws.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Murder Bag?

The very beginning when we are introduced to the protagonist.

What does Colin Mace bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The characters in this book were fairly well developed. The plot was certainly suspenseful and interesting but not as tight as it could have been. At times, the story moved a bit slowly. Colin Mace got into the character of the "flawed investigator" so thoroughly that he made the reader forget the less polished aspect of this novel. This was a great listening experience.

Any additional comments?

An entertaining, semi "noir" police procedural that could have been tighter. The narrator made it multidimensional. I recommend it.

Excellent

Any additional comments?

Really well written page turner. Left me wanting more. I would love to read a series featuring the lead character. A credit well spent!

An intriguing detective mystery.

What made the experience of listening to The Murder Bag the most enjoyable?

Excellent narrator and gripping mystery

What did you like best about this story?

The characters come to life

Which character – as performed by Colin Mace – was your favorite?

Max Wolf

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

When Max Wolf's ex-wife visits him and their daughter

Any additional comments?

A really good listen. The novel captures one's interest and one cannot wait to keep listening

Good book+Excellent narrator = Very good audiobook

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this book but I do think Colin Mace's performance made a good book very good. Main character Max reminds me of Luther (television show) and my husband, who is English tells me it's because Colin Mace has the same accent. But I think it's more than that. Like Luther, Max never backs down, runs head long into trouble, and keeps going until he figures out what's going on. Well, anyway, if you liked Luther, I think you'll like this book. After reading the reviews and subject of Book 2, I've decided to skip that one and I am already listening to Book 3.

Fabulous Writing and Performance

Any additional comments?

This book is so well written, and the narrator is first-class, too. It's a classic murder mystery with a lead character who is so true-to-life, and he's someone that you quickly come to understand. I'll be reading more of Tony Parsons' books, that's for sure

I could not put this book down

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book is a great listen. I really could not stop listening. The story was good and the narrating was outstanding. I did not want it to end and can't wait for the next one. I tell everyone about it.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Every time I thought I new who did it I was wrong.

What about Colin Mace’s performance did you like?

Colin was absolutely marvelous. What a story teller.

Any additional comments?

Loved the book and guaranteed to listen to it again. Get busy on the next one. I'll be the first in line.

Standard, but a high standard

Detective with a troubled home life, serial killer on the loose, red herrings a-plenty, sound familiar. Since JK Rowling plunged in, they're all at it. Good fun, great writer, of course, but in a long-tradition of predictability.

Should and could have been so much better

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Nearly gave up on this about half-way through but I started again and got to like it better second time around. The pity of this book is that there were just too many improbables and glaring holes in what could have been a really good plot and story-line. There were some nice touches of characterisation especially around the lead character BUT equally it got rather too long and drawn out around daughters and dogs in particular!

Would you recommend The Murder Bag to your friends? Why or why not?

Probably not because there are just too many improbables and absolute holes in the story.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narrator was not too clever around accents and changing voices. It's quite off-putting that he swallows loudly very frequently but in spite of that I did get to like him more as the book went on.

Could you see The Murder Bag being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

No. Mainly because of the improbabilities!

Any additional comments?

Shame. Just a bit more care and less tedium around unimportant issues, this could have been pretty good.

Almost but not quite.

Most of this book was exciting and captivating and very well narrated. It flows along very nicely until the final hour when it didnt really resolve very well at all - or maybe I was a feeling a bit tired. It was as if Tony parsons suddenly 'lost the plot' All that apart it was a good listen and I am sure it will become a good series over time.

Promising but ultimately disappointing

I was so looking forward to Tony Parson's first crime novel but was really disappointed with The Murder Bag. I loved Parson's early novels but have found his more recent ones pretty tedious and difficult to engage with so thought a change of genre was a great idea. Parson's writes really well, I liked the main character, Detective Max Wolfe and the story line was promising. However there is just something about this novel that doesn't work , it feels as if Tony Parsons has researched into how to write a crime novel - he's done it well but there is no substance to it. I felt that the pace was too slow, I wanted more characterisation and less boxing and dog scenes. I understand that there will be more in the Max Wolfe series and I will keep listening as I think both Tony Parsons and Max Wolfe could have a future in this genre.

I LOVED this book!

I just loved this book and am at a bit of a loss now it is finished. I was not sure about the narrator when I listened to the preview but ended up really enjoying his rendition. It has everything - blood thirsty murders, sex, violence, suspense and tenderness. Excellent, a bit different and very enjoyable. I look forward to the future episodes if this proves to be a series.

Thoroughly enjoyed this

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the crime genre, even to anyone who's a bit hesitant, it was a food plot and I found the characters very well drawn. On top of that it was really well read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Murder Bag?

So many it's hard to choose but the grumpy sheep was brilliant.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Again, hard to choose, but probably the scene where Wolf punches the guys taking the mickey out of the lovely Stan.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Don't want to add spoilers so will just say some scenes did make the tears well up!

Any additional comments?

As I said in the title I really enjoyed this, the narrator was brilliant I thought, his accents were believable and he portrayed the right amount of emotion. Will look for author and narrator again.

Tense thriller would make great TV

Would you consider the audio edition of The Murder Bag to be better than the print version?

The narration is outstanding. If It had been poorly read it would have ruined it for me. This narrated took on the persona of all the characters to perfection.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Max Wolfe the main character. I could actually believe he was a real person rather than a character of fiction his part was so well written.

What about Colin Mace’s performance did you like?

Everything, his performance was stunning. He brought so much to this book I could not put it down.

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

Yes definitely

Any additional comments?

More please. Unlike the previous review I found this to be a fast paced thriller. I related to the family life of the main character, its what made him human. If you like Michael Robotham's books, narrated by Sean Barrett then you will enjoy this book. Author and narrator have blended well together.

Why Did No-one Tell Me?

This book has been in my library for ages, and having recently listened to this and the second in the series it feels like I've just discovered a secret that pretty much everyone else already knew about! This is an excellent thriller made even the more entertaining by Colin Mace's fitting narration. He simply has the voice for Max Wolfe who is a character that's very easy to get behind. Tough, resourceful but with a vulnerable side and a deep love of his young daughter Scout who is the product of his failed marriage they are a very modern family of two.

The story is clever and has some real twists to it making the whole thing pretty much ten hours of almost perfect thriller entertainment.

Great

This was a compelling read from the start. The introduction to the main character was tremendous detective Max Wolfe takes no prisoners, he does his own thing but gets the job done.
No messing about straight in with a murder followed with an old style whodunit - a group of rich boys/ suspects start getting murdered and det Wolfe is on the case to unravel the story.
Excellent narrator and there were parts of this book where I nearly cheered out loud! If you enjoy a real good v bad tale with a real macho hero then here it is. I hope this is the start of a series (much better than the Silk Worm!)

Excellent

What did you like most about The Murder Bag?

Hope this is just the first of Woolf books. Likeable characters, gripping, interesting plot,maintains suspense to the end.

What does Colin Mace bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Excellent,intelligent reader - respects the words and doesn't feel that he has to be Olivier, (One of them was more than enough.)Brings the character to life. Perfect voice for main character. Please use him more often