The Lizard King
The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Lizard King
Buy for $17.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Tony Ward
-
By:
-
Bryan Christy
About this listen
When Bryan Christy began to investigate the world of reptile smuggling, he had no idea what he would be in for. In the course of his research, he was bitten between the eyes by a blood python, chased by a mother alligator, and sprayed by a bird-eating tarantula.
But perhaps more dangerous was coming face to face with Michael J. Van Nostrand, owner of Strictly Reptiles, a thriving family business in Hollywood, Florida. Van Nostrand imports as many as 300,000 iguanas each year (over half the total of America's most popular imported reptile), as well as hundreds of thousands of snakes, lizards, frogs, spiders, and scorpions.
Van Nostrand was suspected of being a reptile smuggler by Special Agent Chip Bepler of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who devoted years of his life in an obsessive quest to expose The Lizard King's cold-blooded crimes. How this cat-and-mouse game ended is engrossing and surprising.
©2008 Bryan Christy (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLCListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Devil in the White City
- Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
- By: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 30,561
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25,246
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25,235
Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America’s rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his “World’s Fair Hotel” just west of the fairgrounds.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Rich Read!
- By D on 09-18-03
By: Erik Larson
-
The Dragon Behind the Glass
- A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World's Most Coveted Fish
- By: Emily Voigt
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 272
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 231
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 229
A young man is murdered for his prized pet fish. An Asian tycoon buys a single specimen for $150,000. Meanwhile, a pet detective chases smugglers through the streets of New York. Delving into an outlandish realm of obsession, paranoia, and criminality, The Dragon Behind the Glass tells the story of a fish like none other: a powerful predator dating to the age of the dinosaurs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A "must read" for all fish professionals.
- By Fishgen on 06-26-16
By: Emily Voigt
-
The Feather Thief
- Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
- By: Kirk Wallace Johnson
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,930
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,572
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,557
On a cool June evening in 2009, after performing a concert at London's Royal Academy of Music, 20-year-old American flautist Edwin Rist boarded a train for a suburban outpost of the British Museum of Natural History. Home to one of the largest ornithological collections in the world, the Tring museum was full of rare bird specimens whose gorgeous feathers were worth staggering amounts of money to the men who shared Edwin's obsession: the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. Once inside the museum, the champion fly-tier grabbed hundreds of bird skins - some collected 150 years earlier.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Unusual and true natural history mystery!
- By Sylvia on 04-28-18
-
Bushmaster
- Raymond Ditmars and the Hunt for the World's Biggest Viper
- By: Dan Eatherley
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
Raymond Ditmars (1876-1942), the first curator of reptiles at New York's famous Bronx Zoo, brought cold-blooded animals to public attention as never before. Through wildly successful books and movies, he inspired a generation of zoologists with his fascination for snakes, insects, and other misunderstood creatures. Ditmars was among the most celebrated naturalists in America. His reptile-collecting trips for the zoo spawned newspaper headlines across the world.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Lousy retelling of a pioneer herpetologist's life.
- By Anthony B. Ford on 04-02-18
By: Dan Eatherley
-
The Falcon Thief
- A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Search for the Perfect Bird
- By: Joshua Hammer
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 147
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 126
On May 3, 2010, an Irish national named Jeffrey Lendrum was apprehended at Britain’s Birmingham International Airport with a suspicious parcel strapped to his stomach. Inside were 14 rare peregrine falcon eggs snatched from a remote cliffside in Wales. So begins a tale almost too bizarre to believe, following the parallel lives of a globe-trotting smuggler who spent two decades capturing endangered raptors worth millions of dollars as race champions - and Detective Andy McWilliam, who’s hell bent on protecting the world’s birds of prey.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
What a crock of B.S.
- By Joe on 03-31-20
By: Joshua Hammer
-
Reptiles
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: T.S. Kemp
- Narrated by: Jack de Golia
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 8
In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Tom Kemp discusses the adaptations reptiles made to first leave the sea and colonize the land in dry conditions, such as their waterproof skin, their ability to expel almost dry waste products, their efficient use of external heat for maintaining their body temperature, and the amniotic egg that is laid and develops on dry land.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
very interesting
- By Lindsay on 07-20-24
By: T.S. Kemp
-
The Devil in the White City
- Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
- By: Erik Larson
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 30,561
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25,246
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25,235
Two men, each handsome and unusually adept at his chosen work, embodied an element of the great dynamic that characterized America’s rush toward the twentieth century. The architect was Daniel Hudson Burnham, the fair’s brilliant director of works and the builder of many of the country’s most important structures, including the Flatiron Building in New York and Union Station in Washington, D.C. The murderer was Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor who, in a malign parody of the White City, built his “World’s Fair Hotel” just west of the fairgrounds.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Rich Read!
- By D on 09-18-03
By: Erik Larson
-
The Dragon Behind the Glass
- A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World's Most Coveted Fish
- By: Emily Voigt
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 272
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 231
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 229
A young man is murdered for his prized pet fish. An Asian tycoon buys a single specimen for $150,000. Meanwhile, a pet detective chases smugglers through the streets of New York. Delving into an outlandish realm of obsession, paranoia, and criminality, The Dragon Behind the Glass tells the story of a fish like none other: a powerful predator dating to the age of the dinosaurs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A "must read" for all fish professionals.
- By Fishgen on 06-26-16
By: Emily Voigt
-
The Feather Thief
- Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
- By: Kirk Wallace Johnson
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,930
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,572
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,557
On a cool June evening in 2009, after performing a concert at London's Royal Academy of Music, 20-year-old American flautist Edwin Rist boarded a train for a suburban outpost of the British Museum of Natural History. Home to one of the largest ornithological collections in the world, the Tring museum was full of rare bird specimens whose gorgeous feathers were worth staggering amounts of money to the men who shared Edwin's obsession: the Victorian art of salmon fly-tying. Once inside the museum, the champion fly-tier grabbed hundreds of bird skins - some collected 150 years earlier.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Unusual and true natural history mystery!
- By Sylvia on 04-28-18
-
Bushmaster
- Raymond Ditmars and the Hunt for the World's Biggest Viper
- By: Dan Eatherley
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
Raymond Ditmars (1876-1942), the first curator of reptiles at New York's famous Bronx Zoo, brought cold-blooded animals to public attention as never before. Through wildly successful books and movies, he inspired a generation of zoologists with his fascination for snakes, insects, and other misunderstood creatures. Ditmars was among the most celebrated naturalists in America. His reptile-collecting trips for the zoo spawned newspaper headlines across the world.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Lousy retelling of a pioneer herpetologist's life.
- By Anthony B. Ford on 04-02-18
By: Dan Eatherley
-
The Falcon Thief
- A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Search for the Perfect Bird
- By: Joshua Hammer
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 147
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 126
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 126
On May 3, 2010, an Irish national named Jeffrey Lendrum was apprehended at Britain’s Birmingham International Airport with a suspicious parcel strapped to his stomach. Inside were 14 rare peregrine falcon eggs snatched from a remote cliffside in Wales. So begins a tale almost too bizarre to believe, following the parallel lives of a globe-trotting smuggler who spent two decades capturing endangered raptors worth millions of dollars as race champions - and Detective Andy McWilliam, who’s hell bent on protecting the world’s birds of prey.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
What a crock of B.S.
- By Joe on 03-31-20
By: Joshua Hammer
-
Reptiles
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: T.S. Kemp
- Narrated by: Jack de Golia
- Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 8
In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Tom Kemp discusses the adaptations reptiles made to first leave the sea and colonize the land in dry conditions, such as their waterproof skin, their ability to expel almost dry waste products, their efficient use of external heat for maintaining their body temperature, and the amniotic egg that is laid and develops on dry land.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
very interesting
- By Lindsay on 07-20-24
By: T.S. Kemp
-
Entangled Life
- How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures
- By: Merlin Sheldrake
- Narrated by: Merlin Sheldrake
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,977
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,377
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,369
When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Mycology for Everyone
- By Cephalopods Revenge on 05-12-20
By: Merlin Sheldrake
-
Jurassic Park
- A Novel
- By: Michael Crichton
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 15 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 42,618
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38,353
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 38,283
An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind’s most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them - for a price.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
CHAOS THEORY
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 01-30-16
By: Michael Crichton
-
1776
- By: David McCullough
- Narrated by: David McCullough
- Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 19,237
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 14,669
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 14,596
In this stirring audiobook, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence, when the whole American cause was riding on their success, without which all hope for independence would have been dashed and the noble ideals of the Declaration would have amounted to little more than words on paper.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Front Seat on History
- By Mark on 10-22-05
By: David McCullough
-
American Kingpin
- The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road
- By: Nick Bilton
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 19,613
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 17,671
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 17,622
In 2011, a 26-year-old libertarian programmer named Ross Ulbricht launched the ultimate free market: the Silk Road, a clandestine website hosted on the Dark Web where anyone could trade anything - drugs, hacking software, forged passports, counterfeit cash, poisons - free of the government's watchful eye. It wasn't long before the media got wind of the new website where anyone - not just teenagers and weed dealers but terrorists and black hat hackers - could buy and sell contraband detection-free.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
An honest portrait of DPR
- By Victor on 05-18-17
By: Nick Bilton
-
The Dinosaur Artist
- Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy
- By: Paige Williams
- Narrated by: Ellen Archer
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 145
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 130
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 130
In this 2018 New York Times Notable Book,Paige Williams "does for fossils what Susan Orlean did for orchids" (Book Riot) in her account of one Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton from Mongolia—a story "steeped in natural history, human nature, commerce, crime, science, and politics" (Rebecca Skloot).
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
More filler than Joan Rivers’ face.
- By Brandi on 03-13-19
By: Paige Williams
-
Flying North South East and West: Arctic to the Sahara
- By: Captain Terry Reece
- Narrated by: Joshua Bennington
- Length: 9 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
How can one pilot cram so much into a single lifetime? Climb into Captain Terry Reece's cockpit, fasten your seatbelt, and hold on for an exciting journey into the world of aviation. Born to a family of transplanted North Carolinians who moved to Washington State, a young Reece explored the hills of the Pacific Northwest. Hiking in the mountains and being a fire lookout gave him a taste of adventure, but he craved more-and he got it.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Bad Narrator
- By Terry M. on 03-05-22
-
A Sand County Almanac
- And Sketches Here and There
- By: Aldo Leopold, Barbara Kingsolver - introduction
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 538
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 462
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 456
First published in 1949 and praised in the New York Times Book Review as "full of beauty and vigor and bite", A Sand County Almanac combines some of the finest nature writing since Thoreau with an outspoken and highly ethical regard for America's relationship to the land.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great in some ways; in others, wtf!
- By RG on 06-22-20
By: Aldo Leopold, and others
-
River of the Gods
- Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile
- By: Candice Millard
- Narrated by: Paul Michael
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,510
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,322
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,317
For millennia the location of the Nile River’s headwaters was shrouded in mystery. In the 19th century, there was a frenzy of interest in ancient Egypt. At the same time, European powers sent off waves of explorations intended to map the unknown corners of the globe—and extend their colonial empires.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good book by Millard, narrator ruined it
- By Tally D Lykins on 05-25-22
By: Candice Millard
-
Wiseguy
- By: Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese - introduction
- Narrated by: Ari Fliakos, Corey Brill, Hillary Huber, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 2,738
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,442
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2,428
This is the true crime best seller that was the basis for Martin Scorsese’s film masterpiece GoodFellas, which brought to life the violence, the excess, the families, the wives and girlfriends, the drugs, the payoffs, the paybacks, the jail time, and the Feds...with Henry Hill’s crackling narration drawn straight out of Wiseguy and overseeing all the unforgettable action.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Finally unabridged
- By Rodney on 12-16-19
By: Nicholas Pileggi, and others
-
The Zoologist's Guide to the Galaxy
- What Animals on Earth Reveal About Aliens - and Ourselves
- By: Arik Kershenbaum
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 11 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 290
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 250
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 245
Scientists are confident that life exists elsewhere in the universe. Yet rather than taking a realistic approach to what aliens might be like, we imagine that life on other planets is the stuff of science fiction. The time has come to abandon our fantasies of space invaders and movie monsters and place our expectations on solid scientific footing. But short of alien's landing in New York City, how do we know what they are like?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A zoologist looks at what aliens we might meet
- By Elisabeth Carey on 04-06-21
By: Arik Kershenbaum
-
Fuzz
- When Nature Breaks the Law
- By: Mary Roach
- Narrated by: Mary Roach
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,489
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,253
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,244
What’s to be done about a jaywalking moose? A bear caught breaking and entering? A murderous tree? Three hundred years ago, animals that broke the law would be assigned legal representation and put on trial. These days, as New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach discovers, the answers are best found not in jurisprudence but in science: the curious science of human-wildlife conflict, a discipline at the crossroads of human behavior and wildlife biology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The footnotes
- By Alex on 09-24-21
By: Mary Roach
-
Venom Doc
- The Edgiest, Darkest, Strangest Natural History Memoir Ever
- By: Bryan G. Fry
- Narrated by: Archie Montgomery
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 9
Venomologist Bryan Grieg Fry has one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth: He works with its deadliest creatures. He’s been bitten by 26 venomous snakes, been stung by three stingrays, and survived a near-fatal scorpion sting while deep in the Amazon jungle. He’s received more than 400 stitches and broken 23 bones. But when you research only the venom you yourself have collected, the adventures never stop. Bryan recounts his lifelong passion for studying the world’s most venomous creatures in this outlandish, captivating memoir, where he and danger are never far apart.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I wish this book had 80 hours of listening
- By 007 A-Z on 10-04-21
By: Bryan G. Fry
Related to this topic
-
The Dinosaur Artist
- Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy
- By: Paige Williams
- Narrated by: Ellen Archer
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 145
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 130
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 130
In this 2018 New York Times Notable Book,Paige Williams "does for fossils what Susan Orlean did for orchids" (Book Riot) in her account of one Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton from Mongolia—a story "steeped in natural history, human nature, commerce, crime, science, and politics" (Rebecca Skloot).
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
More filler than Joan Rivers’ face.
- By Brandi on 03-13-19
By: Paige Williams
-
Poached
- Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking
- By: Rachel Love Nuwer
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 60
Our insatiable demand for animals - for jewelry, pets, medicine, meat, trophies, and fur - is driving a worldwide poaching epidemic, threatening the continued existence of countless species. Rachel Nuwer, an award-winning science journalist with a background in ecology, takes listeners on a narrative journey to the front lines of the trade: to killing fields in Africa, traditional medicine black markets in China, and wild meat restaurants in Vietnam. Through exhaustive first-hand reporting that took her to 10 countries, Nuwer explores the forces currently driving the demand.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating
- By Annie on 11-30-18
-
Oh, Florida!
- How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country
- By: Craig Pittman
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 102
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
Oh, Florida! To some people it's a paradise. To others it's a punch line. As Oh, Florida! shows, it's both of these, and, more important, it's a Petri dish, producing trends that end up influencing the rest of the country. Without Florida there would be no NASCAR, no Bettie Page pinups, no Glenn Beck radio rants, no USA Today, no "Stand Your Ground" - you get the idea.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
A book about the author's political views - boring
- By L. Burney on 03-03-17
By: Craig Pittman
-
Vegas and the Mob
- By: Al W. Moe
- Narrated by: Jason Sullivan
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 106
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 91
Las Vegas was the Mob's greatest venture and most spectacular success, and through 40 years of frenzy, murder, deceit, scams, and skimming, the FBI listened on phone taps and did virtually nothing to stop the fun. This is the truth about the Mob's control of the casinos in Vegas like you've never heard it before, from start to finish.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
From Bugsy to Binion
- By Patrick King on 08-20-14
By: Al W. Moe
-
Gangster Squad
- Covert Cops, the Mob, and the Battle for Los Angeles
- By: Paul Lieberman
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 95
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 88
Gangster Squad chronicles the true story of the secretive police unit that waged an anything-goes war to drive Mickey Cohen and other hoodlums from Los Angeles after WWII. In 1946, the LAPD launched the Gangster Squad with eight men who met covertly on street corners and slept with Tommy guns under their beds. But for two cops, all that mattered was nailing the strutting gangster Mickey Cohen. Sgt. Jack O’Mara was a square-jawed church usher, Sgt. Jerry Wooters a cynical maverick....
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Nothing Like the movie
- By KEITH on 02-21-13
By: Paul Lieberman
-
The Dragon Behind the Glass
- A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World's Most Coveted Fish
- By: Emily Voigt
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 272
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 231
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 229
A young man is murdered for his prized pet fish. An Asian tycoon buys a single specimen for $150,000. Meanwhile, a pet detective chases smugglers through the streets of New York. Delving into an outlandish realm of obsession, paranoia, and criminality, The Dragon Behind the Glass tells the story of a fish like none other: a powerful predator dating to the age of the dinosaurs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A "must read" for all fish professionals.
- By Fishgen on 06-26-16
By: Emily Voigt
-
The Dinosaur Artist
- Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy
- By: Paige Williams
- Narrated by: Ellen Archer
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 145
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 130
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 130
In this 2018 New York Times Notable Book,Paige Williams "does for fossils what Susan Orlean did for orchids" (Book Riot) in her account of one Florida man's attempt to sell a dinosaur skeleton from Mongolia—a story "steeped in natural history, human nature, commerce, crime, science, and politics" (Rebecca Skloot).
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
More filler than Joan Rivers’ face.
- By Brandi on 03-13-19
By: Paige Williams
-
Poached
- Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking
- By: Rachel Love Nuwer
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 16 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 60
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 60
Our insatiable demand for animals - for jewelry, pets, medicine, meat, trophies, and fur - is driving a worldwide poaching epidemic, threatening the continued existence of countless species. Rachel Nuwer, an award-winning science journalist with a background in ecology, takes listeners on a narrative journey to the front lines of the trade: to killing fields in Africa, traditional medicine black markets in China, and wild meat restaurants in Vietnam. Through exhaustive first-hand reporting that took her to 10 countries, Nuwer explores the forces currently driving the demand.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating
- By Annie on 11-30-18
-
Oh, Florida!
- How America's Weirdest State Influences the Rest of the Country
- By: Craig Pittman
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 102
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 89
Oh, Florida! To some people it's a paradise. To others it's a punch line. As Oh, Florida! shows, it's both of these, and, more important, it's a Petri dish, producing trends that end up influencing the rest of the country. Without Florida there would be no NASCAR, no Bettie Page pinups, no Glenn Beck radio rants, no USA Today, no "Stand Your Ground" - you get the idea.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
A book about the author's political views - boring
- By L. Burney on 03-03-17
By: Craig Pittman
-
Vegas and the Mob
- By: Al W. Moe
- Narrated by: Jason Sullivan
- Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 106
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 91
Las Vegas was the Mob's greatest venture and most spectacular success, and through 40 years of frenzy, murder, deceit, scams, and skimming, the FBI listened on phone taps and did virtually nothing to stop the fun. This is the truth about the Mob's control of the casinos in Vegas like you've never heard it before, from start to finish.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
From Bugsy to Binion
- By Patrick King on 08-20-14
By: Al W. Moe
-
Gangster Squad
- Covert Cops, the Mob, and the Battle for Los Angeles
- By: Paul Lieberman
- Narrated by: Robert Petkoff
- Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 95
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 88
Gangster Squad chronicles the true story of the secretive police unit that waged an anything-goes war to drive Mickey Cohen and other hoodlums from Los Angeles after WWII. In 1946, the LAPD launched the Gangster Squad with eight men who met covertly on street corners and slept with Tommy guns under their beds. But for two cops, all that mattered was nailing the strutting gangster Mickey Cohen. Sgt. Jack O’Mara was a square-jawed church usher, Sgt. Jerry Wooters a cynical maverick....
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Nothing Like the movie
- By KEITH on 02-21-13
By: Paul Lieberman
-
The Dragon Behind the Glass
- A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World's Most Coveted Fish
- By: Emily Voigt
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 272
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 231
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 229
A young man is murdered for his prized pet fish. An Asian tycoon buys a single specimen for $150,000. Meanwhile, a pet detective chases smugglers through the streets of New York. Delving into an outlandish realm of obsession, paranoia, and criminality, The Dragon Behind the Glass tells the story of a fish like none other: a powerful predator dating to the age of the dinosaurs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A "must read" for all fish professionals.
- By Fishgen on 06-26-16
By: Emily Voigt
-
Gaspipe
- Confessions of a Mafia Boss
- By: Philip Carlo
- Narrated by: Alan Sklar
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 653
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 506
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 509
Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, the boss of New York's Lucchese crime family, was a Mafia superstar, responsible for more than 50 murders. Currently serving 13 life sentences at a federal prison in Colorado, Casso has given journalist and New York Times best-selling author Philip Carlo the most intimate, personal look into the world of La Cosa Nostra ever seen.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
The author fails the objectivity test
- By William on 11-29-08
By: Philip Carlo
-
Making Jack Falcone
- An Undercover FBI Agent Takes Down a Mafia Family
- By: Joaquin "Jack" Garcia, Michael Levin
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 335
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 215
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 213
At six-foot-four-inches and 375 pounds, Jack Garcia looked the part of a mobster, and he played his part so perfectly that his Mafia bosses never suspected he was an undercover agent for the FBI. "Big Jack Falcone," as he was known inside La Cosa Nostra, learned all the inside dirt about the Gambino organized crime syndicate and its illegal activities---from extortion and loan-sharking to assault and murder.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
interesting story--offensive narration
- By Mark on 03-17-12
By: Joaquin "Jack" Garcia, and others
-
Operation Family Secrets
- How a Mobster's Son and the FBI Brought Down Chicago's Murderous Crime Family
- By: Frank Calabrese Jr., Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman, and others
- Narrated by: Todd McLaren
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 194
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 165
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 165
The Calabrese family of Chicago is a close-knit, middle-class, multi-generational Italian-Irish-American clan. They operate family businesses. They work day and night striving for the American Dream. All three sons forge a bond with their controlling father, Frank Sr., and their soft-spoken favorite uncle, Nick. As a boy, the oldest son, Frank Jr., realizes that his father and uncle are also "made" members of another close-knit family: the outfit.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Riveting Listen!
- By ahippieadventure on 02-06-13
By: Frank Calabrese Jr., and others
-
Jackpot
- High Times, High Seas, and the Sting That Launched the War on Drugs
- By: Jason Ryan
- Narrated by: Keith Sellon-Wright
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 187
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 163
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 165
Author Jason Ryan takes us back to the heady days before drug smuggling was synonymous with deadly gunplay. During this golden age of marijuana trafficking, the country's most prominent kingpins were a group of wayward and fun-loving Southern gentlemen who forsook college educations to sail drug-laden luxury sailboats across the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean. Les Riley, Barry Foy, and their comrades eschewed violence as much as they loved pleasure, and it was greed, lust, and disaster at sea that ultimately caught up with them, along with the law.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
If You Enjoy Injustice
- By Laura on 01-14-21
By: Jason Ryan
-
The Last Gangster
- From Cop to Wiseguy to FBI Informant: Big Ron Previte and the Fall of the American Mob
- By: George Anastasia
- Narrated by: Chris Monteiro
- Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
As a cop, Ron Previte was corrupt. As a mobster, he was brutal. And in his final role, as a confidential informant to the FBI, Previte was deadly. The Last Gangster is his story—the story of the last days of the Philadelphia Mob, and of the clash of generations that brought it down once and for all. Convinced that the honor of the "business" was gone, he became the FBI's secret weapon in an intense and highly personalized war on the Philadelphia mob, operating with the same guile, wit, and stone-cold bravado that had made him a force in the underworld.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Beautifully done! Exceptional.
- By none on 12-15-23
By: George Anastasia
-
The Gardner Heist
- The True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft
- By: Ulrich Boser
- Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 126
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 110
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 111
After the death of famed art detective Harold Smith, reporter Ulrich Boser decided to take up the case. Exploring Smith's unfinished leads, Boser travels deep into the art underworld and comes across a remarkable cast of characters, including a brilliant rock 'n' roll thief, a gangster who professes his innocence in rhyming verse, and the enigmatic late Boston heiress Isabella Stewart Gardner herself. Boser becomes increasingly obsessed with the case and eventually uncovers startling new evidence about the identities of the thieves.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Loved it!
- By Amanda D. on 05-21-19
By: Ulrich Boser
-
The Last Good Heist
- The Inside Story of the Biggest Single Payday in the Criminal History of the Northeast
- By: Wayne Worcester, Randall Richard, Tim White
- Narrated by: Eric Martin
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
On August 14, 1975, eight daring thieves ransacked 148 massive safe-deposit boxes at a secret bank used by organized crime, La Cosa Nostra, and its associates in Providence, Rhode Island. The crooks fled with duffel bags crammed full of cash, gold, silver, stamps, coins, jewels, and high-end jewelry. The true value of the loot has always been kept secret, partly because it was ill-gotten to begin with, and partly because there was plenty of incentive to keep its true worth out of the limelight.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting but not the greatest story.
- By Russell on 07-21-17
By: Wayne Worcester, and others
-
Kings of Cocaine
- Inside the Medellin Cartel - An Astonishing True Story of Murder Money and International Corruption
- By: Guy Gugliotta, Jeff Leen
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 14 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 220
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 193
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 193
This is the story of the most successful cocaine dealers in the world: Pablo Escobar Gaviria, Jorge Luis Ochoa Vasquez, Carlos Lehder Rivas, and Jose Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha. In the 1980s, they controlled more than 50 percent of the cocaine flowing into the United States. The cocaine trade is capitalism on overdrive - supply meeting demand on exponential levels. Here you'll find the story of how the modern cocaine business started and how it turned a ragtag group of hippies and sociopaths into regal kings.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Almost Perfect.
- By Nick on 10-31-18
By: Guy Gugliotta, and others
-
BMF
- The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family
- By: Mara Shalhoup
- Narrated by: L. Steven Taylor
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,002
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 810
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 812
In the early 1990s, Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory and his brother, Terry "Southwest T", rose up from the slums of Detroit to build one of the largest cocaine empires in American history: the Black Mafia Family. They socialized with music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, did business with New York's king of bling Jacob "The Jeweler" Arabo, and built allegiances with rap superstars Young Jeezy and Fabolous. Yet even as BMF was attracting celebrity attention, its crew members struck fear in a city.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good listen
- By Lamont on 04-20-20
By: Mara Shalhoup
-
The Murder of Sonny Liston
- Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights
- By: Shaun Assael
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 114
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 101
On January 5, 1971, Sonny Liston was found dead in his home - of an apparent heroin overdose. But no one close to Liston believed that his death was accidental. Digging deep into a life that Liston tried hard to hide, Shaun Assael treats the boxer's death as a cold case. The result is a riveting whodunit that evokes a glorious and grimy era of Las Vegas.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great read
- By Diane Dodge on 09-14-19
By: Shaun Assael
-
The Accountant's Story
- Inside the Violent World of the Medellín Cartel
- By: Roberto Escobar
- Narrated by: Ruben Diaz
- Length: 9 hrs
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 166
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 129
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 129
In short, this is Pablo Escobar's story in the words of one of his closest confidants, his brother Roberto. It's all here - the brutal violence inside the world of the drug cartel, dealing with American drug forces and the CIA, the problems the Escobars faced when going up against the Colombian mafia, even Pablo's moments of kindness and compassion. As Roberto points out, although many people view Escobar as a monster, thousands still visit his grave every year to mourn him, and revere him as a savior.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
get the unabridged version
- By Erwin Tenorio on 08-13-09
By: Roberto Escobar
-
U.S. Marshals
- Inside America's Most Storied Law Enforcement Agency
- By: Mike Earp, David Fisher
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 326
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 279
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 274
Blending history and memoir, retired U.S. Marshal Mike Earp - a descendant of the legendary lawman Wyatt Earp - offers an exclusive and fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the most storied law enforcement agency in America, illuminating its vital role in the nation's development for more than two hundred years. Setting his own experiences within the long history of the U.S. Marshals service, Earp offers a moving and illuminating tribute to the brave marshals who have dedicated their lives to keeping the nation safe.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Boring, history of the bureaucracy
- By Lake Like A Local on 03-15-21
By: Mike Earp, and others
What listeners say about The Lizard King
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- CBlox
- 05-25-09
One of MY Top 10
Give this book a try! I had it on my wish list for a few weeks and then gave it a go. I was not dissapointed and am thinking about getting into the reptile black market myself. Any ideas on how to break into the game?
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matthew Peacock
- 08-30-16
Amazing book, narrator did it justice.
Reptiles are a fascinating topic. The smuggling side of it is a Tony Montana like thrill ride. This book should be in your library.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kim
- 02-13-14
Snakes on a plane!!!
Ever wonder what might be in all the suitcases that glide past you on the luggage carousel at the airport? After listening to this captivating expose' of pet suppliers and their quasi-cartel smuggling operations, I will make sure to keep my distance from that weird lady with the oddly squirming carry-on the next time I have to fly. The story flips between the perspective of the good guys and the bad guys - although at times you wonder which is which - so you end up learning a little about about how to be a great smuggler/criminal and a little about how to catch them. Entertaining and informative - an easy 4 star rating for this great listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Peter Rocha
- 10-27-17
Reptiles and humanity
I am a reptile breeder and to learn that the biggest names in the business have a darker past is fascinating. absolutely loves this book
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
- Eric
- 06-05-09
Informative and entertaining
This is a book about international smuggeling, and federal criminal investigation, more than about reptiles.
The characters are very real and intriguing. The author obviously did extensive research into the lives and smuggeling operations of reptile dealers of the 1970s through 1990s.
I'll never look at a pet store, or a zoo, the same way again.
At times the narrator seemed overly dramatic, especially in the beginning when the book introduces the world of smuggeling and its main players.
Overall, a very good book and recording. I'm happy I bought it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Brad
- 03-02-13
Here lizard, lizard, lizard...
An amazing tale of drugs, reptiles, smuggling, bad guys, and good guys. What else could you ask for. Awesome book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Velma
- 01-30-12
Buying a snake purse will make you think twice!!!
Where does The Lizard King rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Top RATE!!!
Has The Lizard King turned you off from other books in this genre?
Certainly has!!!
Which scene was your favorite?
I could not put book down.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
After all the training the FBI receives, it finally captures the Reptile King!!!
Any additional comments?
Great Book!!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- thomas
- 07-20-22
GOOD INVESTIGATUON FBI/ FOREST SERVICE BOOK
10/10 recommend for criminal and law undergraduates. Talks a lot about the details of animal breeding and transporting. Talks a little bit on the natural cycle of things.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
- WendyK
- 04-15-16
Very very Interesting. Will listen again.
Very very Interesting. Worth listening to a 2nd and possibly 3rd time to catch the things I missed the first time. I do plan to also get the print version. Listened during driving time with the whole family. We all love reptiles, own several and this book lead to many discussions on the value of reptiles and what it means to be a true reptile lover over someone only after profit. It also lead to discussions on the various types of reptiles there and those that job longer exist in the wild. A wonderfully written book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- A. Gift For You
- 04-29-20
best exotic animal book on audible
I listen to this book at least once a year since I've bought it. buy it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!