The Reapers

A Charlie Parker Mystery

By: John Connolly

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

Charlie Parker Returns in a tale of settling blood debts - past, present, and future.

As a small boy, Louis witnesses an unspeakable crime that takes the life of a member of his small, Southern community. He grows up, moves on, but is forever changed by the cruel and brutal nature of the act. It lights a fire deep within him that burns white and cold.

Now, years later, the sins of his life are reaching into his present, bringing with them the buried secrets and half-forgotten acts of his past. Someone is hunting him, targeting his home, his businesses, and his partner, Angel. The instrument of revenge is Bliss, a killer of killers, the most feared of assassins. Bliss is a Reaper, a lethal tool to be applied toward the ultimate end, but he is also a man with a personal vendetta. Hardened by their pasts, Louis and Angel decide to strike back. But when they mysteriously disappear, their friends are forced to band together to find them. They are led by private detective Charlie Parker, a killer himself, a Reaper in waiting.

Connolly creates a world where everyone is corrupt, murderers go unpunished, but betrayals are always avenged. The Reapers is sure to terrify and transfix.

More mayhem? Listen to another Charlie Parker mystery.

©2008 John Connolly (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

Critic Reviews

"Connolly has crafted one of the most darkly intriguing books this reviewer has encountered in more than three decades of reading crime fiction.... To call this a page-turner is to damn it with faint praise. Veteran crime fans will want to savor every note-perfect word. " ( Booklist)

I love John Connolly

I love John Connolly's books---and I am especially fond of Louis and Angel. That's why this audio book was a disappointment. The story is great but the narration falls flat. In several places(especially in the second half) it sounds like it was dubbed over by someone trying to sound like Mr. Guidall. The reader has a fine voice but had some trouble staying in voice for Louis (mostly ok though) but never really got a handle on Angel's voice. At times he sounded like Detective Colombo trying to do a Cheech Marin imitation. I liked how he voiced Parker and his Willie Brew and Varno were great.

Hard to get into

This story has been very difficult to get into and keep the timeline straight as it is constantly going to flashbacks requiring the listener to back up and try to reorient. I do find my mind drifting more than usual requiring me, again, to back up and refocus. It is very slow and very difficult to make one even care much about the characters. I have liked other John Connolly stories but this one isn't his best.

didn't meet a John Connolly/G Guidall expectation

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

No one unless they like senseless meaness and no characters with any likable
qualities

What do you think your next listen will be?

James Lee Burke's latest

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Added more depth to the quality of certain characters' voices

What character would you cut from The Reapers?

all of them

Any additional comments?

It sucked, I only continued it in the hope it would get better.

Great!

Enjoyed the story, narration and the inside look into Louis and Angel's relationship. Good character development is really where the author shines.

Good read but difficult to follow at times

This was a good read but there was so much going on that it was difficult to follow at times. From the beginning to the end, I was a little bit lost on the characters and what they were doing and how they fit into the story.

Great story, AWFUL NARRATION

Charlie Parker has a small role in this book. It is a great story about Louis and Angel. The Narration however is horrible.

Poor Willy

Better than dying of old decrepit age in a nursing home. My 4rth time listening.

Hate this book !!! UGH

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I wanted to listen to a detective book with Parker. This was not a detective book. A bunch of killing and character after character of people who surround Parker. Ugh again.. NO STORY AT ALL.. SOOOOOOO boring.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Reapers?

none

What didn’t you like about George Guidall’s performance?

hmmm I like narration and ONLY that. the story sucked.. !!

What character would you cut from The Reapers?

there is no story. no character building.. such a farce.. I am going to return this right now.

Really dredful.

I never made it to the end. The story is nothing but slow and tedious. It is a waste of time, and money, in every way possible. I wouldn't bother with anything from this author

Yuck!

I tried twice to listen to this and just couldn't do it. Boring narration, bad story- lots of short statements that make for a choppy distracting listen. I liked Mr. Guidall's narration a lot on the Walt Longmire books, but not this one. Very sorry I wasted money on this one.