Hell & High Water

THIRDS, Book 1

De: Charlie Cochet

Narrado por: Mark Westfield

When homicide detective Dexter J. Daley’s testimony helps send his partner away for murder, the consequences—and the media frenzy—aren’t far behind. He soon finds himself sans boyfriend, sans friends, and, after an unpleasant encounter in a parking garage after the trial, he’s lucky he doesn’t find himself sans teeth. Dex fears he’ll get transferred from the Human Police Force’s Sixth Precinct, or worse, get dismissed. Instead, his adoptive father—a sergeant at the Therian-Human Intelligence Recon Defense Squadron otherwise known as the THIRDS—pulls a few strings, and Dex gets recruited as a Defense Agent.

Dex is determined to get his life back on track and eager to get started in his new job. But his first meeting with Team Leader Sloane Brodie, who also happens to be his new jaguar Therian partner, turns disastrous. When the team is called to investigate the murders of three HumaniTherian activists, it soon becomes clear to Dex that getting his partner and the rest of the tightknit team to accept him will be a lot harder than catching the killer - and every bit as dangerous.

©2014 Charlie Cochet (P)2023 Charlie Cochet

A new world discovered - yay!

This author has created such an amazing world with shape shifters and humans. How this happened is totally believable. The characters are diverse and the situations realistic. The Thirds are a mix of human and others trying to keep the peace in a world which is in a state of flux. This story revolves around Sloan and Dex, characters with strong emotions but will the past let them go?
Highly recommended for those who enjoy a romance / mystery with a little fantasy to top it off.

Awesome

I love this book. I have already purchased the 2nd book in the series. Can't wait to start it.

Perfect

I loved the story it was perfectly blended with the story and the alone moments between the two man characters.

A Fantastic Sci-Fi Romance Thriller

I first listened to this book in 2016 and remember enjoying it, but I never reviewed it and I didn’t listen to the rest of the series at that time. In 2019, I re-listened to the book and instantly fell in love with Dex, Sloane, and the rest of the THIRDS team members. As soon as I finished this book I immediately consumed the rest of the series with great enjoyment.

Hell & High Water introduces us to a world where genetic mutations from a biological weapon has created Therians, humans who can shift into animals like wolves, tigers, jaguars, etc. Therians are powerful and require a different type of police force that is equipped to deal with their strength and deadly attributes. Dex is, a homicide cop who quits the Human Police Force and gets hired at the Therian-Human Intelligence Recon Defense Squadron (THIRDS). Due to the fear and bigotry surrounding Therians, Dex makes himself persona non grata with the human police force when he turns in his partner after his partner kills an unarmed Therian. The plot of this book revolves around the fallout from Dex’s decision to do what was right, as well as his adaption into the THIRDS team, all the while trying to figure out the mysterious murders of HumaniTherian activists.

The worldbuilding was phenomenal and intricate. If Charlie Cochet hadn’t put all the little touches that she did in her world building, it would have been hard for me to have the necessary plausible disbelief needed to enjoy this story. I particularly enjoyed the technology that the THIRDS agents used. The characters were wonderfully complex, and I was impressed how each character felt so unique and well developed.

Mark Westfield was a perfect choice as narrator for the audiobooks. He embodied Dex perfectly and knew how to deliver the lines so that the humor of the moment came through. His performance was spectacular and I enjoyed it immensely.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars. Charlie Cochet is a talented writer. She’s crafted a story that has an action-packed plot, tempered with humor and sexual tension. Her characters are well thought and felt like real people. This is a wonderful start to a fantastic sci-fi romance thriller.

Really technical

So there was a LOT of minute detail about military weapons, the armored vehicles, the computer programs etc. If that is your thing, then you will really enjoy that part. I found myself lost and wishing the description would just move on already during those parts.


The parts that were actual story were good although I figured it out almost from the beginning of the who done it, but there wasn't a lot of aggravation that the agents didn't figure it out or that they did dumb things.

I wouldn't list this as a romance book at all, there isn't really a lot to me that shows them really falling for each other besides being drawn to each other, so it was odd they went from not liking each other much to sleeping together, but I absolutely did see how Sloane was enamored by Dex, just not the other way around. Dex was a funny, sweet, smart and likable character. It just kind of felt like the teams accepted him a little to easy, with in a week it was all good, when they ran off many other replacements, but in a week he was pretty much accepted.

The narrator was excellent, the writing was good. Great world building, interesting take on shifters, interesting crime to be solved and well thought out characters with distinct personalities and histories.

Almost to much detail, it kind of felt like an info dump or that the author assumed the reader knows all about guns, weapons, types, styles, on and on.

Not a ton of sex scenes so if that is what you're expecting this isn't your book, but I enjoyed that. The book didn't rely on that to fill the book, there was actual plot which is hard to find in a lot of books.

This is really more of a crime action scifi book with a smidgen of a relationship added in, absolutely not a romance book with a mystery/crime in it, so be prepared. But I do recommend this book it held my attention, lots of plot and well written.

Wow!

I am astonished by the world building within our own timeline and changing things to suit the purpose and outcome of the author's needs for the book. I adore DeX, something tells me Sloane is always going to be scrambling to catch up mentally.

The beginning of a great series!

*this review contains minor spoilers*

Be prepared for a whole lotta Alpha Males. Therians is a species that came to be after a virus was released in a world and people got a vaccine for it. I won't go into much detail here, listen and you'll find out the rest.

Dex was a detective with the human police but things happen (again you'll need to read this to find out more) and he gets promoted to the THIRDS, a Therian-Human police force, where he meets Sloane, his captain and sparks are igniting like New Year's fireworks show.

Really there's a great premise, with incredible world building and story revolving around Therians and humans. Maybe a bit too heavy handed in the politics and a little less on the romance but since this is a series with the 2 MCs here starring in most of the books I can understand why this 1st book is so more focus on the world.

When it comes to Dex and Sloane there were some instances that the "conflicts"/space that needed to be put between Sloane and Dex, because Sloane's partner and lover was killed a year or so ago, felt forced and not portrayed smoothly for the story to flow with no gaps.

The villain was a bit obvious, especially after he and Dex went out and he started on how bad Sloane is, but I could cope with that.

I do wonder how Sloane and Gabe -his dead partner- managed to keep their relationship a secret, with only Ash knowing. I mean just how only for the job where they, when they were on the job?

But those are small things to me, easily dismissed for the whole of the story revolving Therians, the politics going on, the banter and the UST.

Mark Westfield did an amazing job narrating, with various voices, nuances and great pace.

Amazing start!

After seeing this series recommended over and over I finally dove in and boy am I glad I did! Excellent start to a 10 book series. I figured out who the baddie was early on but that didn’t stop me from loving the way the book got to the reveal and the cliffhanger ending got me running to download book 2 right away. The chemistry between the two MCs is good and the banter is great. Can’t wait to see where the rest of the series goes.

Hands & Eyes Free To Enjoy

Loved the book but hearing it made me love the story more. I don't usually like audio books but I can see how it can make enjoying your book even more.

Wow! What a great adventure this was!

Wow! I totally loved this book! I can't hardly wait to listen to the rest of the THIRDS... Please Audible....hurry up and get this entire series on here!

I have to admit...starting out... I thought this was going to be a long drawn out boring book, half-way at an attempt to mix m/m romance with paranormal suspense...but NOPE! What I got was a complete emotional roller coaster! I totally fell in love with every single character... to included the relationships among Destructive Delta (the THIRDS team).

I wish there was a bit more smexy time...but the smexy time added to the story...the story didn't revolve around it... which is always a plus....

The side relationship with Dex's brother and Sloane's BFF...well now... that is going to be one interesting book! Oh let's not forget the two silent team members... Trust me...once you listen you will definitely know what I am talking about.

All in all this book was great. Dex was a cop, who got transferred to the THIRDS because he testified against his crooked partner. Fortunately for him, his brother and "dad" are members of this new shifter team of cops. Dex is cooky and off the wall with his antics but he is a great cop... and Sloane well...he comes off as this tough shifter team leader, but he was simply a man trying to cope with the loss of his lover. I loved the build up and angsty moments between Dex and Sloane...

Hopefully book 2 will flesh out their relationship a bit more...

So worth a credit or sale... Narration was good..not great...but good!