• The Ryder Quartet

  • Volumes 1-4
  • By: Ian Patrick
  • Narrated by: Ian Patrick
  • Length: 30 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (36 ratings)

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The Ryder Quartet  By  cover art

The Ryder Quartet

By: Ian Patrick
Narrated by: Ian Patrick
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Publisher's summary

Four high-octane crime thrillers, each critically acclaimed as separate publications, now collected in a set. Hundreds of five-star reviews of the individual volumes testify to their reputation as action-packed thrillers steeped in authenticity and plausibility, reflecting the real world of police encounters with the dark world of crime.

©2017 Ian Patrick (P)2017 Ian Patrick

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What listeners say about The Ryder Quartet

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So true and well researched

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

Very entertaining and very real

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Ryder Quartet?

Like Fiona and Jeremy Ryder, my husband and I also fling ourselves in despair onto the lounge floor when The Sharks drop the ball five yards from the line. That was so brilliant.

Which scene was your favorite?

For me, the repartee between the cops and their spouses/partners was the most enjoyable aspect of the books. Married to a retired detective, who tells me that these books are UNCANNILY ACCURATE, I know a bit about the things cops have to deal with. I also know a bit about their passion for rugby. The discussions about rugby were hilarious (and very accurate, too, when it came to arguments about what happened in the world cup matches).

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

The attack on a family at the hands of thugs was very moving, especially the aftermath

Any additional comments?

I live in a suburb that is right at the heart of the action that is portrayed in these stories. It is quite nerve-wracking, in fact, knowing the features of the city and the topography of the surrounding beaches and sugar-cane fields, and hearing regularly about awful crimes that are committed in the same vein as those described in these books. I listened with rapt attention to the characters and their adventures.

We loved listening to these stories. They are so true to life.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Different and thrilling

Would you consider the audio edition of The Ryder Quartet to be better than the print version?

I preferred the text, to be honest. The narration was good but I loved being drawn into my imagination while reading.

What did you like best about this story?

The clash between good and evil against a background of whether justice is suited to ther worst kind of devils.

What about Ian Patrick’s performance did you like?

Nice comfortable narration with good accents

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

The attack on innocent people was very upsetting.

Any additional comments?

Very accurate and true to life.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Best ever description of a murder

I travelled to South Africa from my home in Plattsburgh a couple of months ago and while being hosted and shown around by friends I was struck by headlines every day about crime. So I started reading. Well. Did my eyes get opened, or what? Eventually, after too much reality, perhaps - or so I thought - I came across this series and it really blew me away. But I soon learned that although it is billed as "crime fiction" it really is just another extension of crime reality.

The series starts with some brutal action right at the beginning, to set the scene for criminal machinations that will follow, and then we follow the actions and adventures of Detective Jeremy Ryder and his team of detectives as they pursue the arch-criminal called "Skura". I loved all four of the books that make up this quartet, but let me try and say something about it by dealing almost exclusively with the last book in the series, called "Death Dealing", because I was so utterly moved by it and I still can't get it out of my head.

In this last book, right at the outset there is a startling scene in a prison, and then there are a few amusing passages where we explore with the lead character his investigations of how police work is undertaken in different contexts. There is some very astute analysis by the author but also some light-hearted glances at presumptions made among academics and others who pontificate about law and order - with the author clearly having some fun by recalling aspects of life that he and many of his readers will have experienced in some universities.

Then the book really gets going and it is very well written as the plot unfolds and we meet more fascinating characters. Then we get to the heart of things. Chapter 4 (with the title "Monday" - like all the books in the series the book is broken down into chapters reflecting consecutive days in a time spanning a little over a week) is probably - let me say exactly what I feel about this - probably the finest crime thriller description of a murder and its aftermath that I have ever encountered in my reading. It is breathtaking in its power, in the accuracy of its forensic detail, and in the depths of emotion that it explores. I found myself helplessly sobbing in parts, I have to tell you. It was brilliant beyond belief. The end of the chapter left me completely drained. I could go on at length about many facets of the book. Chapter 6 ("Wednesday") presents a startlingly accurate analysis of a person having a nervous breakdown, and again I was moved to tears in reading it. Chapter 9 ("Saturday") contains the physical and emotional climax to the book and - I won't spoil it for others - once again I was a helpless bundle of tears with the extraordinarily human and empathetic dimensions the writer brings to bear on the situation. The book - and the whole series - then closes on an amazing and totally satisfying and peaceful scene, with the dark reminder - subtly insinuated into the narrative - that there is always some evil crime lurking around the corner from our peaceful lives at home.

This is a book that will stay with me for a long, long time. I urge you to read it.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Stylish set of four crime thrillers

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

Thirty-something hours of audiobook action. What's not to like? OK, there's a little bit of slowing down at one point in the first book, to get readers and listeners apprised of the facts they need to follow the action, but then it soon bursts back into life. I thought all four books were really good. I gained insights into life in a province I don't know that well but that I certainly do see a lot of in the media. Downright awful criminals. Here they get their come-uppance, at least to some extent. But what's especially good is the cultural value I gained from listening to these books. I learnt a lot about police work and camaraderie and also about violent crime. And human nature. Good plot, well written, well narrated.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Ryder Quartet?

The devilish weapon right at the beginning - about thirty pages into book one - is a chilling moment. But then there are many more such moments. Like the attack on a family in book four. Maybe the best of all is the final c hapter of book four when Ryder goes on the attack.

Which character – as performed by Ian Patrick – was your favorite?

The two Afrikaans detectives Koekemoer and Dippenaar ("Koeks 'n Dipps") are a scream.

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

The attack on the dog at the end is really moving.

Any additional comments?

Good writing, good speaking, relevant and up-to-date drama. I liked it a helluva lot.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

30 hours of total absorption

I couldn't believe how totally absorbed I was in this over the course of a week, listening every night. The fact that the murders, events, mayhem and corruption all take place within a mile or so from where I live made it especially fascinating. But it wasn't just that. The stories are all so well structured and the atmosphere was so well created that I thought I was back in the old days when my family sat with ears glued to something called "Squad Cars" on the radio in South Africa ("They prowl the empty streets at night..."). The characters are so entertaining. The villains are - well - villainous, and the detectives are just like people I know and knew in the old days. I loved these stories and they all make for an interesting complete cycle, even though they are separate stories. The narrator was dark and mysterious, which was well suited to the narrative.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Brilliant and true to life

Would you consider the audio edition of The Ryder Quartet to be better than the print version?

Both are good. They were gripping and enjoyable to listen to and most of all they reflect the reality around this place where I live.

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

The characters are entertainingly real and believable, even the criminals: they are funny when drunk, evil when sober, and dangerous all the time. The cops are funny and witty and tease each other mercilessly while going after the bad guys when duty calls. The whole set of stories is very entertaining and the narration is particularly good. The reader has a mysterious voice and is always clear and precise.

Have you listened to any of Ian Patrick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, none so far.

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

There are a couple of gruesome murders but generally it was a pleasure to listen to.

Any additional comments?

These books are true to life and brilliant to listen to in the car or in the bath (which is where I spent most of my time with them), although I could have done with no swearing (but then I suppose that’s what cops and robbers do in real life), even though it was sparingly used. But what a thrill it was to listen to all of these books one after another.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thrilling collection of police-procedure mysteries

I loved this. I picked it up in a free promotion and it took me a while to get around to listening to it. But I'm pleased I did. Once I started I couldn't stop: in the bath, in bed, while driving, while waiting at the airport. This was real thrills all the way.

I loved the detectives. They are so funny and so human (the arguments about rugby were hilarious).

It is well structured and well plotted. Perhaps the narration was a bit too rushed, but the books themselves are utterly brilliant.

I read some short stories by the writer some time ago and liked them. But these are top class.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A really good listen in the car

I started tracking this author after I read some short stories by him and eventually, after many months of dithering, I got a copy of this audio-book on a free promotion. Persistence pays off. So this review is of the free audio version I got on the promotion (but the weird coincidence is, as I was about to listen to my own copy, I traveled with a friend who had also got the audio version of the same book so we listened together in his car to the whole thing during the course of a drive from Bloemfontein to Cape Town and back).

We thoroughly enjoyed this. The accents were good: they made the stories come alive. The details and the forensics and the types of weapon used are obviously very well researched (I get irritated when I read an author who doesn't know his Glock from his SIG-Sauer). I liked the characters of the Afrikaner detectives. They were a real hoot (and they know their rugby). Ryder himself is very like a Jack Reacher hero and a tough guy, but his side-kick Asian detective is equally powerful (and much faster: I loved the way they describe her sprinting abilities).

The whole thing is very well put together. Each of the four books leads into the next, but in fact they are all independent stories and you don't need to even read them in sequence, as far as I'm concerned. The best character of all is the dog. What a dog. What a champion. A very moving final scene of the whole series is tear-jerkingly wonderful, but I'm not going to spoil it all for others.

I see there's another book out. Will have to get that one, too.

Highly recommended.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Exciting to chase crooks through the undergrowth

Well I got this audiobook in a free promotion and it was the best gift for me at the time. So maybe I'm biased? No: I'm being honest here in saying that these four police crime thrillers are very, very good. In fact I'd probably give five stars but then people might think I'm only doing that because I got it free. That's not the case: I was hooked all the way and listened to these books late into the night then read them the next day and listened again. They are based on thorough research, you can tell, in a countryside I know well, it was a great experience to travel with the detectives chasing crooks through the undergrowth, and then having fun while the cops argued about rugby, and all sorts of real-life things that made the characters come alive. I enjoyed these books very much indeed. I was lucky enough to read while listening, because I got the e-reader version at the same time so I could read and listen together. The narrator knows these accetns well and the charactesr are so interesting and well created.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Classy thrillers

Wonderful, classy thrillers, all four of them. I read the e-reader versions then got the audible on a free promotion (because I'd bought the digital one) and listened to them along with friends and family. We all agreed: classy and wonderful thrills all the way. Believable characters, Superb ballistics and forensic detail (one of our party works in the field and marvelled at the accuracy of it all). Lovely characters who are believable and witty and funny, and some of them downright evil. Well told by the narrator, who used accents and distinguishing features of the voices quite well.

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3 people found this helpful