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By: Philip Kerr

Narrated by: Nigel Carrington

Houston publishes so many books a year that he can't possibly write them himself. He has a ghost team; writers, agents, publishers. So when he takes a year out to write something of quality, a novel that will win prizes, a lot of people stand to lose their livelihoods. Now Houston, the prime suspect in his wife's murder, has disappeared. He could be anywhere and there are many who'd like to find him.

©2014 Philip Keer (P)2014 W F Howes Ltd

Critic reviews

"A high-concept novel tackled in unabashed fashion." ( Independent)

"A cracking thriller ... the story unfolds at a white-knuckle pace with a sense of the unknown that is genuinely disturbing." ( The Times)

Terrific Dialogue

Enlivened by extraordinary narration. I listen to a lot of audio books & Nigel Carrington’s character differentiation and development in this story is extraordinary. Which frankly is the breath of life for the book as it is comprised almost entirely of dialogue. The story is compelling, twisty and well paced — only diminished by its end which seemed a terrible let down after such a strong lead-up. Almost like the author had written himself into a corner and just gave up. Kerr is a great writer though and the wit and sparkle of the dialogue and plotting are well worth the credit!

First non Bernie book I've tried

Huge fan of The Bernie Gunther series and not disappointed by this title at all

Superior

The superior literary quality is evident from page one. It is replete with references to the work of other writers which I found lends depths of meaning. The story line is beautifully ironic, including that it is written in a style that the author defines as not being commercially successful. The narration is unparalleled. There are elements of Byron’s “My Last Duchess” as the true nature of the protagonist is revealed layer by layer. After the end, there is much to ruminate over. Mr. Kerr’s ability as a writer is exceptional.

Great mystery/thriller - great performance

Great story. Really enjoyed the twists and the inherent irony. The reading was one of the best I've heard so far.

Love Phillip Kerr novels

I love the characters and plots as well as the voicing! A shame Phillip Kerr has passed

Definitely not his best

Would you try another book from Philip Kerr and/or Nigel Carrington?

Really enjoy Philip Kerr's novels, especially the Bernie Gunther series. This book, though, is lacking. The story is ok but nothing special. The narration, however, is exceptional.

Add Kerr to your list. Do it now.

Kerr meters out the suspense, keeping things on the boil all the time, none of it spoiled by formula and none of it predictable. He is a deft hand at dialog and the plot is tight and plausible. No heroic papering over holes at the end. Well, much less than I'm used to, and much more artfully done.

After adding Kerr, add Nigel Carrington. He really brings this book to life, and given the abundance of dialog of this book, good narration is particularly important. Are all Kerr's books like this? Don't know, this is my first. But I'm eager to jump into March Violets to find out.

Enjoyed the story immensely

Not sure if it was a good story with a great narration or good narration and a great story. Either way the outcome is excellent. I enjoyed this immensely.

A bit hamfisted

I like the Gunther books I’ve listened to. This one didn’t do it for me.. a bit hamfisted on its commentary on readers like me.

WHERE'S BERNIE?

I can imagine that we won't see any more Gunther novels now that Philip has passed on, and I'll miss both characters.

This standalone is good; I love the details mostly. I live near Monaco, so this was of special interest to me!

Good, though not great, plot. Intriguing characters. Just long enough to hold my interest. Not Kerr's best work, though...