The Pied Piper

A Lou Boldt/Daphne Matthews Mystery #5

By: Ridley Pearson

Narrated by: Dale Hull

In Seattle, they're calling him The Pied Piper - someone who comes in the night and takes children away. To newly promoted police lieutenant Lou Boldt and police psychologist Daphne Matthews, it's clear this isn't about a single lunatic or random kidnappings: these crimes are well orchestrated, well executed, and, most chilling of all, occurring in cities across the country.

Boldt is the first to establish that behind the kidnappings is a well-financed and brilliantly planned network, and his investigation soon attracts the FBI, which also brings heavy manpower - and political competition - that Boldt fears could slow them down until the trail runs dry. As long as the kidnappings continue, there may be a chance of getting the children back alive. Or is it already too late?

Solve another case with Lou Boldt and Daphne Matthews.©2007 Ridley Pearson (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Enjoyed listening to the audiobook!

I read this book yonks ago, so I listened to the audiobook this time ‘round and enjoyed the narrator. Ridley Pearson always has good mysteries, although the events/timeline dates this book, cuz it’s now January 2021 during the COVID pandemic. I still like the Lou Boldt-Daphne Matthews crime fiction series, including this one which has a complex and often convoluted storyline with several good subplots. The personal/domestic subplot involves Boldt’s two children, and his wife Liz, who is hospitalized w cancer.

3.5 stars overall
4 stars for the audiobook
3 stars for the Kindle version

A great find

Any additional comments?

I am new to Ridley Pearson books. I am so enjoying this series. I started with the first Lou Bolt/Dalphne Matthews book and they just seem to get better. I really enjoy the characters and thought the reading was very fine. If you are trying this author for the first time I suggest beginning with the first in the series. The character development stretches and grows nicely from one book to the next. I found many hours of enjoyable listening in this book and the series.

way too long for what it had to say

I made it to the end but it wasn't easy. Many times I nearly kicked it out of my tablet, but there was a pretty good story embedded in there and I wanted to know how it ended. This book would have been really good if it had been condensed to about 1/4 as long.