Twisted Vine

(Paradise Crime Mysterie, Book 5)

By: Toby Neal

Narrated by: Sara Malia Hatfield

The island of Oahu is skyscrapers and rainforests, beaches and boutiques - but Special Agent Lei Texeira is drawn into a shadow world connected by death and the Internet. Mysterious suicides draw Lei and her team, including tech specialist Sophie Ang, to hunt a criminal who plays with the thin gray line between right and wrong. Lei stirs up a hornet's nest on the investigation as her past reaches out in a twisted vine of old loves, new technologies, and dark vendettas.

©2013 Toby Neal (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Toby Neal scores a royal flush in this fifth of an unmissable crime series for mystery fans!" (J. C. Martin, author of Oracle)

Not my favourite.

Of all of the books in this series I’ve read, I liked this the least. The crime side was fine, but it’s the messy personal stuff that really is getting in the way. The character of Lei is getting muddy and I really don’t like it – she’s not the upstanding force for justice anymore, she’s been involved in so many suspect incidents at this point, that even IA is starting to glare at her suspiciously.

I’m not enjoying the increased shift towards Lei’s increasingly complicated personal life – I vastly preferred when the balance was more equal. The internal affairs investigation etc is really drawing the story away from what I enjoyed about the series – interesting crimes with some personal drama on the side. The author is trying to keep Lei interesting, but making her feel like she's becoming a 'dirty cop' almost, is really not the way to do it.

Not sure I like the Sophie sections – I’d gotten invested in Lei, and though it makes sense in context to have someone with a different situation and background to fit her role in the story, I’m not thrilled about the split first-person perspective. I hope this is not going to be a permanent thing.

The reader does her usual great job, I’m very happy with her work.

I’m hoping this is a once-off dip into this uglier side of Lei’s life and work because this is going to be incredibly annoying if this becomes the norm. This was the first that I didn’t completely enjoy.

Great book, easy to listen too. great characters.

loved the narration. good story line. enjoyed the story line and the characters. will recommend.

Interesting topic, excellent narration

If you could sum up Twisted Vine in three words, what would they be?

right to die

Have you listened to any of Sara Malia Hatfield’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but she really does a great job in this one. Very appropriate to the parties involved. She did talk a little fast for me so I listened on my iPhone so that I could slow the speed to 75% then it was just right.

Any additional comments?

Very interesting that a detective story would deal with the Right to Die issues. Good until the ending when I thought it lost its punch with the sappy love ending.

Great Job

This book just needs a heads up before listening to it as it could be a trigger for some. I'm a survivor of depression suicide so it was a little different. however.... Back to the Book! I still love Officer Lei and her adventures. Toby Neal's books are always adventurous and keeps you on your feet regardless of where she sends you with Lei and Keiki.

Engaging Story and Fantastic Performance

If you could sum up Twisted Vine in three words, what would they be?

A book about suicide, crime, and humanity...well written, well read, and thought provoking.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lei...always a favorite, well written and performed. Lei's fighter spirit, vulnerability, and various layers make her a great read/listen. New character I liked Clyde Woo, well written and performed.

Which character – as performed by Sara Malia Hatfield – was your favorite?

Clyde Woo was exceptionally performed by the narrator...Sara's attention to detail is great and her local sound is spot on. There's also an old guy on the phone with Lei who mentions Clyde Woo, too funny, i had to rewind to listen again, haha.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, had to lengthen my commute to listen longer, ha! The story coupled with the narrator's performance make it go by too quickly.

Any additional comments?

I hope the narrator keeps narrating, love her work. As long as she does I'm gonna keep listening as she doesn't just read, she performs, and performs very well. It's hard to find a great narrator, most sound like they're just reading or are unfortunately annoying to listen to...and non-Hawaii locals slaughter books set in Hawaii, ugh...but Sara is clearly a local girl and fantastic across the board, easy to listen to with vivid storytelling. I've listened through to Dark Lava and look forward to listening to Fire Beach next. Keep'um coming pls!

Good story/poor narration

Would you try another book from Toby Neal and/or Sara Malia Hatfield?

I would consider another book by Toby Neal if it was read by someone else. The narration almost made me stop listening several times. I would be very unlikely to listen to another book read by Sara Malia Hatfield.

What other book might you compare Twisted Vine to and why?

I really can't say. It is just not a remarkable book.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator's voice was very slow and without nuance. She used some dialect but not to an advantage and her style is not at all compelling.

Could you see Twisted Vine being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I really cannot envision that. There have already been too many cop/detective shows set in Hawaii and most have had more compelling characters.

author and narrator could use an editor / reviewer

Good storytelling but there are a few hang-ups due to poor syntax ("opened and looked into the box with a pen"). and improper word use ("heartrendering"). Narrator does a fine job with only a couple of mispronunciations though generally speaks a little bit too quickly.

Suicide and the enablers

This book was by written well but for some reason I had trouble connecting to the characters.