Hooked

By: Polly Iyer

Narrated by: Francesca Townes

High-priced call girl, Tawny Dell boasts a client list that's part Fortune 500, part Five Families. With a PhD in art history and a tidy chunk of money stashed offshore, she hangs up her G-string with plans to retire to a Mediterranean island to open a gallery. Lincoln Walsh, NYPD sex-crimes investigator, has other ideas. He wants Tawny to work undercover at a high-class bordello to discover if a murdered call girl worked there.

The club, nicknamed Upper Eighties, is owned by an ex-hedge fund manager who'd do anything to hook Tawny into his harem. In exchange for Tawny's cooperation, Linc's office, in collaboration with Treasury, will see she avoids prison for failing to pay Uncle Sam his share from years of illegal earnings. But Tawny gets more than she bargained for - another dead prostitute, a mob boss who's an old client, and romantic stirrings for the hot New York cop sending her back into the world's oldest profession.

©2013 Polly Iyer (P)2013 Polly Iyer

A mystery of characters more than plot

This isn't a cozy mystery, and it's not a hard-boiled detective story. It's a sometimes laugh-out-loud novel of characters living in a bad world of their own making, doing bad things that they often would rather not be doing. There's a good bit of sex and sexual tension in Polly Iyer's story. (Hello? A lot of the action takes place in an upscale brothel.) In one scene, the tension is hot, then in the next it's deliberately off-kilter and all kind of wrong. The narrator, Francesca Townes, does great voices but she doesn't "just" do voices. Through her narration, the players in this audiobook become real and involving, with actual conflicts and dynamics. Listening to this story done like modern radio drama by a single narrator was just so damn entertaining, my only complaint is that it wasn't longer. I was having such a good time that I didn't want it to end. Definitely recommended.

A fascinating story--I loved it!

I really enjoyed the book, but I read it some time ago, so I got the audio. I’m so glad I did. Polly Iyer's writing is outstanding; the no-holds-barred plot is credible and well-thought out, leaving no loose ends. The frank language and situations range from tender to funny to bone-chilling, definitely not a cozy read. Tawny Dell, a high-class call girl trying to leave the life, is caught in a web of murder, blackmail, and deceit. She’s a fascinating heroine, and the other characters add depth and humor.

The entire cast is intriguing, and narrator Francesca Townes brings them to life with a perfect blend of emotion, wit, and menace. Her voice is fantastic and the characters are easy to identify, from the cool intelligence of Tawny to the sincerity of Walsh to the mesmerizing elegance of Mario Russo. Townes’s interpretation of Benny made me laugh out loud. I can’t imagine a more perfect narrator for this book.

This is a story I’ll listen to again. I highly recommend it.

Great characters, great narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I’m listening to more and more audio books lately, and this one’s a keeper! Whether they were the good guys or the bad guys, the characters were incredibly intriguing, and the narrator did a terrific job capturing each voice. My favorite was Benny. I hope I never meet the guy, but he sure was entertaining! Hooked has lots of suspense and a good bit of humor, and the ending surprised me. Good stuff!

What about Francesca Townes’s performance did you like?

Good steady pace, clear and very good job doing several characters, some with accents.

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

A new twist on the world's oldest profession.

Fun characters, great writing and narration

This wasn’t my first audiobook but it was my first on Audible. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I like mysteries about people rather than just whodunit plots and “Hooked” delivers. I didn’t know what to expect but this was a well-written story with some interesting characters, and then some of it is just adult (sex) enough to be fun. And it was surprisingly funny. I laughed aloud often while listening to this book.

I thought that the narrator did an excellent job, too. She has a nice voice and did all the characters really well. I looked her up here on audible but am not interested in any of her other narrations at this time although I would definitely buy another book she narrated if I liked the story.

I loved Benny in the whole book! But I wouldn’t want children to listen to him ;) Also, the epilogue between Tawney and Linc was very satisfying, even though it’s mostly just the two of them talking. I didn’t like Tawney very much at the beginning of the story but as Linc and she grew closer she became softer and nicer until she’s the kind of person you can imagine being friends with. I enjoyed that because that’s how people actually are. I think that’s the writer’s talent and skill, and also the narrator.

This book was a gift to get me started on Audible, and I was really impressed at how good it was. The writing and the narration were as good as the books on CD that I get at the library. I’m thinking about getting Polly Iyer’s other book here. This is my first audiobook review, I hope I did it correctly.

Polly Iyer did a great job!

I would love to listen to it whenever I have time! The Polly did a great job about the book and i would like to recommend this one to my friends!

Brilliant Thriller, Full of Unexpected Surprises!

What did you love best about Hooked?

This is a slick, sassy, sexy thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I fell in love with the characters, who in spite of their failings were incredibly memorable and unique. No for those seeking pure and wholesome stories, this examines the seedy underbelly of the call girl world in New York City, but it isn't what you might expect. This book was full of humor, intrigue, and romance. One of the most amazing parts of this story was the author's ability to transform a sleazy character who would normally be hated by most decent people, into the "normal" world, and have you, the listener, accept and care about him in spite of his misdeeds. I loved the main characters, of course. Lincoln was a guy's guy - wonderful, with a complex and compelling backstory. Tawny was also a great heroine, in spite of her checkered past. You couldn't help but love her, and at least partially understand how she ended up in this world. What really shocked me, however, was how Ms. Iyer made me LOVE the guy who ran the whorehouse (Benny) and even care for the Mafia Kingpin. I never would have imagined this - but this author pulled it off, brilliantly.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

There was never a moment to rest - Tawny was in danger from the moment the book started. Excellent suspense and tension!

What about Francesca Townes’s performance did you like?

I have listened to many narrators. But Ms. Towne's performance was among the VERY best I've ever heard. Every voice was distinct and unique, and I never got confused as to who was speaking. I loved her voices, especially Benny and Lincoln. Outstanding work. I'd like to see more books narrated by this superb actor.

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

I felt sorry for the lover of Colin, Richie. He was a big, dumb, obedient schmuck who just did as he was told and thought everything would be "okay." Another one of the many characters I enjoyed in this book!

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend this taut thriller for anyone who loves the written word - it is so tightly written, it flows so naturally, the dialog is so on target - it's just a spectacular piece of fiction.

Could not get into it.

Would you try another book from Polly Iyer and/or Francesca Townes?

No

What was most disappointing about Polly Iyer’s story?

I found it very uneventful. I kept waiting for it to get interesting but it never did.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Francesca Townes?

The narration was good. Just a bad story

Do you think Hooked needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No

Any additional comments?

It is like a bad soap opera.