Cooler than Blood

By: Robert Lane

Narrated by: John Martin Byrne

Jenny Spencer is missing after a violent encounter on a beach. Her aunt, Susan Blake, asks wisecracking PI Jake Travis to intervene. Susan and Jake spent only one dinner together and both felt an instant attraction. Jake walked away. He was, and is, committed to Kathleen.

As Jake and his partner, Garrett Demarcus, close the circle on finding Jenny, they discover that Kathleen's past ties to organized crime and Jenny's life are strangely entwined. They fight a two-front battle to find Jenny and to protect Kathleen.

But by protecting Kathleen, will Jake become the type of man that she could never love? Does he have a choice?

Robert Lane's second standalone Jake Travis audiobook delivers a tour de force of suspense, intrigue, and humor, deftly wrapped in Lane's trademark literary overtones.

©2015 Robert Lane (P)2015 Robert Lane

Less exciting than I expected but still enjoyable.

Cooler than Blood is the second book in the series, and, although I could definitely tell that I was missing some background, I didn't have any trouble following the story by starting with book two. The book features a private investigator named Jake Travis, and he is contacted by an old acquaintance to find her missing niece, Jenny. This seems straightforward enough, but Jake's task quickly takes multiple detours that put him in contact with and pit him against drug dealers, mobsters, and crooked cops. He is aided in the investigation by his neighbor, Morgan, and his partner, Garrett, and I especially enjoyed his interactions with them and his girlfriend, Kathleen. Interspersed throughout the story are chapter describing Jenny's internal struggles to stay sane in the face of multiple kidnappings. I found the story interesting, and I enjoyed all the secondary characters, but I never really connected with Jake. His internal dialogue was a little too irreverent, and he was much to self-focused for my tastes. However, the mystery was interesting, and I would probably continue the series if given the opportunity.

John Martin Byrne's narration is the best part of this audiobook. He has a very smooth delivery, and he uses the right level of emotion for the varying moods of the story. He differentiates very well between characters, and he narrates the female voices with equal skill as the male.

I received a copy of this audiobook at my request in exchange for this honest review.

Good beach read

Being a resident of Fort Myers Beach, this was a very enjoyable read because of the accuracy of the various locations mentioned by name. Not just some generalized locations, but real establishments on the island.

Very well done

This was my first book by the author and I will have to pick up more by him. The story kept you engaged and the characters were very lifelike. You find yourself being slowly drawn into the world and caring about the people who live there. The narrator did a great job of adding life to the story and keeping you wanting to hear more. I received a free copy of this audio in return for an unbiased review.