Working Fire

By: Emily Bleeker

Narrated by: Kate Rudd

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of When I'm Gone comes a compelling novel of a bond between sisters, tested by tragedy...

Ellie Brown thought she'd finally escaped her stifling hometown of Broadlands, Illinois; med school was supposed to be her ticket out. But when her father has a stroke, she must return home to share his care with her older sister, Amelia, who's busy with her own family. Working as a paramedic, Ellie's days are monotonous, driving an ambulance through streets she'd hoped never to see again.

Until a 911 dispatch changes everything. The address: her sister's house. Rushing to the scene, Ellie discovers that Amelia and her husband, Steve, have been shot in a home invasion. After Amelia is rushed to the hospital, Ellie tries to make sense of the tragedy. But what really happened inside her sister's house becomes less and less clear. As Amelia hangs on in critical condition, Ellie uncovers dark revelations about her family's past that challenge her beliefs about those closest to her...and force her to question where her devotions truly lie.

©2017 Emily Bleeker (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved

Not recommended.

Struggled to finish bit I did make it! Predictable, did not enjoy the reader, and repetitive thoughts and behaviors throughout which made it boring.

Robotic performance, annoying geography

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The narrator was like listening to an automated voice teller reading the text. You could almost hear the pause as it searched for the word.

What was most disappointing about Emily Bleeker’s story?

I was annoyed that there were so many fictional places and geography mixed in with the true. Also, the resolution of the mystery was not satisfying and the cliffhanger type quality not intriguing enough for me to search for whether the story continued in a next book.

What didn’t you like about Kate Rudd’s performance?

No emotion. When it was shifting character there was just something wooden or robotic through the whole thing.

What character would you cut from Working Fire?

n/a

Don’t waste your time

Trite, predictable story; simplistic writing; one-dimensional characters. More of a romance novel than a suspenseful tale.

Boring

This book was slow, boring, and melodramatic. The characters were not well developed and the girls were weak and slow-witted. This narrator is nauseating to listen to. She enunciates too clearly, making the voices seem so contrived. Also, she speaks too slowly and melodramatically.

A Thoroughly Unlikeable Woman

The good daughter is smart and unlikeable and the good wife is stupid and unlikeable, and neither character gets any better as the chapters shuffle on....

Good story

There were points in the book where it felt like the narrator was reading to first graders. Much of the narration was fine but only 30% through book and had to comment.

Really??

I was enjoying the suspense of “what really happened that day” and storyline going present day to flashbacks until they merged into THE day but the ending was a huge disappointment. I felt there were big holes in the story that were never really explained and think I may have liked it more if it ended prior to the “18 months later” segment. That ruined the entire story, in my opinion.

Good story

well written story but I disliked both sisters with theit constant denial. The end left me with even more dislike of Elle with her lying by omission to the man she is supposed to love. The story was interesting but the only likable characters were not the focus

Tone it down

Liked it but struggled to finish it. Narration was little over the top. Normally I like Kate Rudd

Predictable

This was an easy Listen, but very predictable. Worth the credit but not the best I've ever listened to.

Vicky J

very good book, a nice but of suspense

The book was well structured with interesting characters & good plots & well performed.

Not my usual read but worth it.

Not the usual type of story I read or listen to. Good twists and turns and within the story a sensitive portrail of an individual living with dementia.

Family life can be a danger !!!

A cracking story with exciting and nerve jangling episodes throughout the book. Continuous and fluent dialogue, plenty of twists , what a good story. . A must to read/listen to