Deaf Row

A Mystery

By: Ron Franscell

Narrated by: Jim Meskimen

Retired to a small Colorado mountain town, former Denver homicide detective Woodrow “Mountain” Bell yearns only to fade away. He has failed in so many ways—as a father, a husband, friend, and cop—he fears he wasted his chance at a meaningful life.

When Bell stumbles across a long-forgotten, unsolved child murder, his first impulse is to let it lie—but he can’t. He is drawn into the macabre mystery when he realizes the killer might still be near.

Without help from ambivalent local cops, Bell must overcome the obstacles of time, age, a lack of police resources, and his own personal flaws by calling upon the unique skills of the end-of-the-road codgers he meets for coffee every morning—a club of old guys who call themselves Deaf Row. Soon, this mottled crew finds itself on a collision course with a serial butcher.

More than a tense mystery, more than an unnerving psychological thriller, Deaf Row is drawn from Ron Franscell’s career as a bestselling true-crime writer and journalist. It’s a novel of men pushing back against time and death, trying not to disappear entirely.

Deaf Row is a moving, occasionally humorous, portrait of flawed people caught in a web of pain and regret.

©2023 Ron Franscell (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

A great read for a cold winter’s night

Great characters, chilling storyline (and Colorado winter setting), and fantastic narration by Jim Meskimen. He brings each of the members of Deaf Row to vivid life! Highly recommend this engaging book!

Wow! Well written intriguing story

Story telling at its best. I spent time in a parking lot waiting to go in due to not being able to stop listening to this well narrated book.

Very good

As an old timer I particularly liked this book and recommend it to one and all

Compelling

The story moves you along so well. Quite compelling, Great characterization. Also a bit spooky which is wonderful!

Dead Row

Wonderful, Excellent, Can't wait for the next book with these characters, they have become friends

So entertaining!

This book is so well written. Funny as well as interesting. I found myself sitting in my truck after I got to my destination because I had to wait for a stopping point. So good!

Deaf Row rivals Stephen King’s best - minus the gore

The Deaf Row geezers are beautifully drawn characters. I see a future for them in the movies or maybe a TV series. Ron Franschell is well known in true crime; now he’s earned his place n fiction. I can’t wait for what’s to come!

Excellent characters

This is so fun to listen to and to hang out with this group of guys. I think I know them all!

Love it and listen to it often! I hope it becomes a movie!!!!

Old men with skills

Loved the characters in this story. Each was unique and relatable. Great winter listen

Another intriguing book by Ron Franscell

As always, Ron presents characters with unique personalities and how they came together in his crime fiction novels. Deaf Row is no exception. From the old Police Detective Woodrow “Mountain” Bell and his friendship with aging retired but still volunteering Father Bert Clancy. Bell’s ex police partner Jazz, and the rest of the Club, Ron brings friendship and intrigue to Deaf Tow when he meets a resident at a local skill nursing facility and learns of the murder of the man’s daughter when she was a teenager. Bell begins investigating the cold case and the end result is very shocking. Definitely a must listen or read.