House of Cards: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Detective Louis Martelli, NYPD, Mystery/Thriller Series, Book 2

By: Theodore Jerome Cohen

Narrated by: Gregg Rizzo

Who killed Matthew B. Richardson III? Banksters or Islamic terrorists?

The head of one of the largest investment banking and securities firms in the United States has been assassinated in Times Square in the middle of New York City’s annual celebration of Halloween, the Festival of the Dead. Louis Martelli, NYPD, is one of the first detectives on the scene.

The case rapidly spirals downward into a maelstrom of death and intrigue linked both to the financial meltdown of 2008 and international terrorism. Who is behind the murders, and why is the FBI attempting to shut down Martelli’s investigation before it even can get started? Martelli eventually learns the answers to these and other questions but not before discovering how two Wall Street financial institutions have been complicit in funding Islamic terrorism.

(Adult language)

©2011 Theodore Jerome Cohen (P)2018 Wordwooze Publishing

Really Enjoyed It! Gripping!

Loved this one!! I definitely have to read the first one in the series now, I really loved the characters, the sarcasm/smart-assiness of it all, and the mystery. Very interesting and thought-provoking look at the financial collapse a decade ago, it really gave me a good understanding of it, and when I see numbers my mind goes silly so that's saying something. Great murder mystery, and I can't wait to read more from good ole' Martelli. Great good, great narration.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Mystery and Mayhem

I enjoy how Mr. Cohen delivers his work when in an audiobook. Listening to the story is like watching a police movie in my mind. I have listened to previous Martelli books and have enjoyed them. Narrator Greg Rizzo does a great job of capturing the persona of Detective Louis Martelli.

Great mix of fact and fiction

A great detective story laced through with thought provoking facts about the 2008 USA financial/housing crisis. An assassination during the New York Halloween celebrations starts the ball rolling for detective Louis Martelli to be drawn into an investigation of murder, duplicity and terrorism. The author mixes truth with fiction brilliantly, bringing to light shocking facts about the corruption in the US financial world, while at the same time creating a thrilling murder mystery. The narrator also did a good job of bringing the story and characters to life. His pace was just right and his vocal intonation enhanced an already intriguing story. I really enjoy how this author interweaves financial market revelations into the basis of his stories.

Fallout from Wall Street

As an analyst who used to work on Wall Street, this story is frightening in its plausibility and accurate in its depiction of the meltdown snd the intricacies of financial dealings. Yet it is still a great thriller with several plot twists.

Overall I enjoyed it.

I received this audiobook for free in exchange for a review

Local cop thwarts FBI

This book is about a New York detective who has to find a murder suspect but has to do so while the FBI does not share information with him because they are more interested in the bank fraud which is funding terrorist.

The book has a good plot and the suspense and mystery is not solved until the end and it is not easy to figure out what is happening next.

The narrator was was very good and easy to understand.

The book makes you want to continue with the series because you develop a relationship with the characters.

This book was provided free of charge with the expectation of an honest review.

House of Cards

This audiobook is another mystery/ thriller that kept me in suspense from beginning to end.

More Truth than Fiction -- Learn More About the 2008 Financial Meltdown

Opening with a bar scene similar to that in Star Wars, this book quickly captures the attention of the listener . . . while providing a "tour" of the 2008 financial crisis (for which no one has gone to jail). The financial methods and how they were used is explained in detail so we learn more about what we maybe only were vaguely aware of at the time. I certainly understood bad banking business practices but this book has been researched giving alarming truths. It is also a mystery and keeps the reader entertained.

The characters and detective work remind me of an NCIS episode with a different story, people, and setting . . . of course. The colleagues have clever banter and good relationships while solving crimes.

Wishing everyone understood the situations described in this book and how people suffered because of it. Recommended to all!

Murder at its Finest

If you like murder mystery, this one is for you. Cops and mobsters will keep you guessing on who done it.

corruption

This was an intriguing multilayered story. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, I found out I was wrong abd more information comes to light. This grabbed my attention and held my interest to the end through a complex web of details. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrator did a great job bringing it to life.

A Silly Ole’Timey Detective Story

The best thing this recording has going for it is the narration; from a completely nostalgia aspect it reminds me of the old radio detective dramas in the 50-60's ... which I still listen to. That was what hooked me when I listened to the sampe and what ultimately saved the book. The series follows an NYPD detective (and military vet with a prosthetic leg) who plays fast and loose with the rules to get the bad guys ... not a plus in my book as it typically lends to lazy writing. In this episode, Martelli falls into a conspiracy involving a terrorist organization and a fraudulent hedge fund scheme Collateralized Debt Obligation (CDOs) and Credit Default Swaps (which were at the center of the financial crisis of 2008 ... of which the author apparently needs to go into great detail using info dumps thinly disguised as dialog. Too much unneeded detail is the watchword for this piece as the author shows off his mastery of jargon and testosterone replacements.

For some reason not completely clear to me (outside a typical manly measuring contest), the Martelli also needs to stay clear of the FBI (they guys that would normally get involved in this kind of thing) , so he engages in various hijynx to make them the rube here while he himself engages in extrajudicial activities that somehow never taint the case. Just for fun, he also throws in a few pontifical monologues a a jab or two at the HYPD administration ('cause they got nottin' better to do than get in the way of real police work). Then you have the cheesy ending that is cleaned up in the Epilogue …

I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

#HouseOfCards #MartelliNYPD #FreeAudiobookCodes