Still Midnight

By: Denise Mina

Narrated by: Jane MacFarlane

Alex Morrow is not new to the police force - or to crime - but there is nothing familiar about the call she has just received. On a still night in a quiet suburb of Glasgow, Scotland, three armed men have slipped from a van into a house, demanding a man who is not, and has never been, inside the front door. In the confusion that ensues, one family member is shot and another kidnapped, the assailants demanding an impossible ransom. Is this the amateur crime gone horribly wrong that it seems, or something much more unexpected?

©2010 Denise Mina (P)2010 BBC Audio

Jigsaw Puzzle

I love the way the author always presents the storyline in chunks that gradually fit together. It is stimulating and keeps my mind alert as I try to work out what the final picture will look like. The narrators for this author are always amazing. A total package!

Still Can't Decide

I'm pretty ambivalent about this book. It was good, but.... yea, doncha just hate that... At one point in the book there was a comment about how the language of some people could "make a porn star blush." Well, some of the language in this book would fit that category. The story itself was excellent, though it did move around quite a bit in time and space, but after a few minutes you get used to it. The narrator, Jane MacFarlane, was excellent! Have never heard her read anything before, but she did an excellent job with this one. You have to understand that I was born and raised in the US, so my ear for Scottish accents may be way off, but Ms. MacFarlane was wonderful creating the atmosphere and accents of the Scottish setting for this book. All in all, I mostly liked it, and will probably listen to the next book, but the language and the fast scene changes were a bit much, and tended to confuse rather than enlighten. But, as we all know, that's just my opinion. <><

Great book - incredible reader

First book I’ve read by Denise Mina and I really enjoyed it. The reader, Jane MacFarlane, is absolute perfection!

Jumpy story line

I don't like it when the author shifts a scene and the narrator keeps reading like its the same paragraph. It takes a minute to figure who's talking. None of the characters are in anyway like able. Maybe it's a cultural difference but I spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out what was going on.

I'm a Fan

Would you listen to Still Midnight again? Why?

After a long long time maybe. I only listen to non-fiction and classics more than once.

What other book might you compare Still Midnight to and why?

Not fair, Denise Mina is unique. Her locations, her characters can't be met anywhere else I know of.

What does Jane MacFarlane bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her beautiful (appropriate) Scottish accent and a subtle way of reading I really appreciate. I hate the drama kings and queens. I want to hear a story. I don't want to hear someone emote.

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

Don't want to spoil the experience for anyone. There were a lot of great moments and lot of moving ones, not sentimental, just really deep.

Any additional comments?

I've said it, I'm a fan. If you don't like naturalistic characters and a little squalor with your stories, you won't like most of Denise Mina. I also highly recommend "Deception." I don't think it's available here. Don't bother with abridgments. The FLAVOR of her work IS her work.

Left me hanging big time

It gets you wrapped into this awesome story and then complelety leaves you hanging. And not in a good way. There is no conclusion to the book at all.

The ending, or lack thereof, left me disappointed

The characters were well-developed and real. The plot interesting. I was excited, thinking I had found a new author to follow and then, all of a sudden, the.

Yes, that's what it felt like. I even went back and rewound, thinking I must have missed something. To me the story just hung there. It was so well written until that moment that I might just go ahead and give Ms. Mina another try...but not quite yet.

Still Midnight

This is the first book I have read (listened to) by Denise Mina. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked the characters in the story as well as the plot. Jane MacFarlane has a pleasant voice. I will be purchasing more Denise Mina books on audible.

Boring

Thought I’d quit but managed to stick it out. Won’t read another by this author.

Excellent & I am very discriminating.

Wow. Incredibly well done, only Ann Cleeves does it better, and honestly her books are just different. So very happy to find a new (to me) writer of such talent.