Flanagan's Dolls

By: Warren Adler

Narrated by: Kevin Scollin

Josh and Emily Flanagan return to their hometown in upper Michigan to open a funky antique shop, which they hope will provide a sane and comfortable retirement. Both have pursued successful careers in Manhattan: she as an appraiser of antiques for an auction house, and he as an insurance adjuster in the field of art and antiques.

A man seeking to purchase an antique doll for his ailing grandchild opens up a Pandora's Box of hidden family secrets and intrigue that results in bitter hostility and murder. Josh and Emily, through brilliant deduction and imaginative enterprise, discover the clues that lead to the solution that lies at the heart of this mystery. As characters they are similar in conception to the witty bantering loving couple, Nick and Nora Charles of the famed Thin Man series created by the mystery writer Dashiell Hammett.

©2010 Warren Adler (P)2016 Warren Adler

Puns of Fun

This cute Small Town mystery is hefted with interesting characters, relationships, collectors of curiosities, and a bursts of darkness. Author Warren Adler meticulously toggled between complete and sometimes lengthy passages that were light and fun and those that hefty with staid seriousness. He didn’t so much blend genres as he proficiently excises one from the other and often keeps them totally but seamlessly separated within the same body of work. Flanagan, the flawed main character does not take himself too seriously and loves to fill the air with puns, one-liners, and all sorts tete-a-tete wordplay on idioms. He most often employs this kind of humor with this point-counterpoint with his wife, Emily, with whom he has shared “years of intimacy and companionship.” On the other hand, as a result of having had years of insurance fraud experience, Flanagan instinctively sniffs out trouble and incongruence, and unconsciously gleans from lessons learned as an investigator to solve problems into which he cannot resist throwing himself. Sometimes he does this at the expense of rocking tenuous relationships, a tendency away from which he wife tries to gently steer him. The primary riddle in this mystery is not just who committed a murder and why, but whether or not a murder was indeed committed. The story is fresh and with a rather unique locale backdrop. Despite having some elements of predictability, the narrative overall was pretty much unpredictable. I must add that the role of Caesar, Flanagan and Emily’s engaging dog, added an especially enjoyable layer of fun and interest, and helped to highlight particulars of several other characters.

I really liked the narrator. He was crisp and clear without losing a feel for a natural, flowing conversational voice. Well done!

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you Audiobook Boom.

ENJOYABLE, REFRESHING AND FUN!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The relationship between the Flanagans is refreshing and easy to love. The characters and story line are very well written and developed. Each character adds to the mystery making the book all that much more enjoyable. I was a fan of Warren Adler already but after listening to this book, I am a bigger fan than before.

Kevin Scollin is simply amazing with his narration of this story. He brings each character and the story to life better than if I was to read it for myself. He has a very pleasant tone to listen to, along with great pace and inflection.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com

haunting..

I was also able to read an advanced copy, and I loved it. Fast paced, witty, fun, touching, and tough all rolled into a story with a hero that you will want to come back to again and again. It made me see that 'wrong' isn't always as it seems, and I look forward to many more nights spent with Warren Adler..


This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com."

Baited Breath? I'm Hooked

What made the experience of listening to Flanagan's Dolls the most enjoyable?

Similarities to Nick and Nora Charles. The venerable detecting couple. Warren Adler gets it right, with both Josh and Emily Flanagan, playing straight man, er, person for each other's repartee. A fun romp. Not a deep serious murder whodunit, but with enough mystery to add something to the playful banter. Kevin Scollin was perfect. Good pace, that hint of sly wit as the dialogue moved quickly. He kept it under control for easy listening and comprehension by this listener.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flanagan's Dolls?

I found the discovery and description of collectibles that the Flannigans came across interesting. The exchanges between the couple kept my interest.

Which scene was your favorite?

The overall interplay throughout the work.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Lol Waiting with baited breath, I'm hooked...

Any additional comments?

Warren Adler is versatile. This is the fifth or sixth audio book I've listened to by Adler. Each one is different... Flanagan's Dolls is light fare. Very well written. Thank you for the opportunity to review it.This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

Flanagan's Dolls

“This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.”

Husband and wife retire and move back to their hometown in upper Michigan. Their business of selling antique dolls brings them into a mystery. Was the much loved older woman murdered or did she die of natural causes or accidental. The couple investigates and reason out clues to solve the mystery. Twisty tale and intriguing listen.

The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed.

Okay story, good narrator.

Would you consider the audio edition of Flanagan's Dolls to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

It was a decent story, not something I would go out of my way to listen to again. It seemed a little disjointed, a little forced.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I spent most of my time groaning at the bad puns.

Any additional comments?

This book was given at no charge in exchange for an honest review.

Good story

Overall this is really easy to listen to. No foul language or inappropriate moments described. It's a simple story of who done it that I was not able to figure out. Usually I can figure out who and why. I felt the acting was a bit overboard when the narrator was being the main character, otherwise it was OK. I almost didn't listen to the book because of his town with this character, but decided to go ahead and eat I'm glad that I did. If you like a good mystery you will like this book. I received this at no charge from audiobook boom for my honest and unbiased review.

Thrilling and Kept me glued....

Where does Flanagan's Dolls rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It was a pleasant, refreshing, yet thrilling listen. I became entrenched in the story and loved the narration. It was beyond words, an audible masterpiece.

Any additional comments?

The narrator's voice was strong, impactful, and steady. It drew me into the story and kept me guessing till the end.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Very Enjoyable

What did you love best about Flanagan's Dolls?

I very much enjoyed the humour of the main character. The plot was well thought out and kept you guessing until the end.

What other book might you compare Flanagan's Dolls to and why?

I would actually compare this to the Donald Strachey Mysteries by Richard Stevenson. While the plot lines differ, the humour comes through in both authors.

What about Kevin Scollin’s performance did you like?

Mr. Scollin's voice would be great as a radio announcer. Well modulated, with enough tonal changes to indicate different characters in the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked the back story of the dolls, why they were important.

Excellent narration of a fabulous book

I have had the privilege of reading several of Mr. Adler's novels, I would rank Flannigan's dolls up there with the best of them. I have always felt that the journey was just as important as the destination. I had this book figured out pretty early in the novel however the writing kept me engaged so I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written book. I received this book at no cost to me from the author publisher or narrator for an honest review even if I did not receive it free of charge I would gladly pay a full credit for it.