Criminal Intentions: Season One, Episode One

The Cardigans (Criminal Intentions Series, Book 1)

By: Cole McCade

Narrated by: Curt Bonnem

When a string of young queer men turn up dead in grisly murders, all signs point to the ex-boyfriend - but what should be an open-and-shut case is fraught with tension when BPD homicide detective Malcolm Khalaji joins up with a partner he never wanted. Rigid, ice-cold, and a stickler for the rules, Seong-Jae Yoon is a watchful presence whose obstinacy and unpredictability constantly remind Malcolm why he prefers to work alone. Seong-Jae may be stunningly attractive, a man who moves like a graceful, lethal bird of prey...but he's as impossible to decipher as this case.

And if Malcolm doesn't find the key to unravel both in time, another vulnerable young victim may end up dead.

Contains mature themes.

©2018 Cole McCade (P)2022 Tantor

Painful to finish

So many potholes. Painfully slow. It was incredibly hard to finish. Glad I got on sale and didn’t waste a credit.

Good story. Good narration.

I enjoyed the plot, the characters, and the narration. This is the first book in a long series, and it has the feel of an author finding their way. The mystery is interesting, but the tension I appreciate in a dark murder mystery isn't quite high enough. I like the pace at which the reader is getting to know the main characters and the tension between them. This book was engaging enough to have me investing in the first season of this series.

Riveting series! Start it now.

Disclaimer - if you're looking for insta love m/m romance, this is not that. If graphic descriptions of murder scenes isn't something you want to hear, maybe try the written books so you skip over the disturbing parts.

OK, that said, I absolutely love this series. The characters are so vibrant and interesting, and you learn more about each of them as the series continues. The writing and narration are wonderful. Each episode is a new crime but there are also overarching plots that develop through the series, like the romance that slowly develops and sinister goings on in the background that get revealed later in the series. If you are a fan of Criminal Minds or SVU, you will probably like this series.

hanging onto every word

Listening to this book made me understand why people like to watch reactors watch their favourite movie.

I love Criminal Intentions series already, but the reading itself was skilled, slow, and non intrusive. It helped when at first I was struggling to negotiate with my own impression of the character voices.

Still, the professionalism shines through, and the story itself is unforgettable but aluring even after the... is that my seventh re-read?

Yes, it is. There will be nr 8!

Very Nice

Good story, characters, narrator is obviously following context so it's easy to get immersed. Also it does feel very like a televised crime drama only with the advantage of knowing what's going on inside the peoples' heads. Nice subtleties too. I don't rememer the last time I gave a book 5 stars in all 3 categories.

Slow Start But Great Mystery

A nice start to what is apparently a very long series, this one is pretty dark and gruesome in that the murderer chops off body parts of young men. This new pairing of cops, Malcolm Khalaji and Seong-Jae Yoon, have to learn to work with each other in the Baltimore PD. Seong-Jae is new to the department but holds a higher rank than Mal and subtly makes sure he remembers that.

There's good chemistry between the two and I'm sure they'll eventually be partners in more than one way. I liked the narration by the end but at the beginning I found the narrator's voice for Khalaji (pronounced Ka-la-gee) very off-putting. Deep and gravelly, it grated on my nerves a few times but it did indeed match his growly personality and it grew on me.

Overall, as stated above, a nice start.

Thank you Audible Plus for the audiobook loan.

Gripping Detective Procedural

Two Baltimore Police Detectives who are newly assigned as partners have to solve a series of gruesome murders of gay university of Maryland students.

They prefer to work alone, but are forced together. And slowly they find they don’t make a bad team. I had a couple of questions—but overall the murders are solved sufficiently.

Narrator uses different voices well and consistently.

Fun and Thrilling Cop Procedural

Great narration, solid characters that engage and keep you interested the entire time. The murder case is engaging, original and keeps the plot rolling thrillingly. Can’t wait to follow Malcom and his new partner into the next mystery.

Read my review.

This was the hardest to read and listen to, because of the visual I saw when I read and listened to it. Which is just a problem I have. I love this series! I’ve read all 29 and I’m waiting on the next ones. I LOVE the 2 main characters. I really enjoy series and this one is outstanding! Sit back, relax and enjoy! The writing is outstanding!

Good Listen

This had a storyline that kept me engaged throughout. This story kept me wanting to come back to listen.