World, Chase Me Down

By: Andrew Hilleman

Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds

A rousing, suspenseful debut novel - True Grit meets Catch Me If You Can - based on the forgotten true story of a Robin Hood of the American frontier who pulls off the first successful kidnapping for ransom in US history. Once the most wanted man in America, Pat Crowe is a forgotten folk hero who captivated the nation as an outlaw for economic justice. World, Chase Me Down resurrects him, telling the electrifying story of the first great crime of the last century: how in 1900 the out-of-work former butcher kidnapped the teenage son of Omaha's wealthiest meatpacking tycoon for a ransom of $25,000 in gold and then burgled, safecracked, and bond jumped his way across the country and beyond, inciting a manhunt that was dubbed "the thrill of the nation" and a showdown in the court of public opinion between the haves and have-nots - all the while plotting a return to the woman he never stopped loving. As if channeling Mark Twain and Charles Portis, Andrew Hilleman has given us a character who is bawdy and soulful, grizzled, salty, and hard-drinking, and with a voice as unforgettable as that of Lucy Marsden in Alan Gurganus' Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All - an antihero you can't help rooting for.

©2017 Andrew Hilleman (P)2017 Recorded Books

Narrator sounds like he lived in that time period

Incredible story. How humans survived that time period is beyond me. Loved this book from start to finish. Wish this author would write another book.

Fascinating unique story, excellent performance

Would you consider the audio edition of World, Chase Me Down to be better than the print version?

As I often do, I used Whispersync to move between the e-book and the audio. This was particularly good for this novel because the voice of the protagonist had a great accent and excellent delivery that added to the enjoyment. I found that I continued to hear it in my head while I read. The story itself is fascinating and well-told. You get a real feel for the turn-of-the-century gritty environment. It's amazing how current the protagonist's struggle feels in today's political and social situation. Highly recommended!

Masterful narration. Distinct, richly nuanced character voices

The story is good enough, but what makes this a joy is the narration. I've been listening to audio books for 20 years and this performance is surely in the top rankings. Wait until you get to the courtroom scenes with lawyers battling each other & an exasperated judge trying to maintain order. Furthermore, the protagonist Pat Crow is fully realized thanks to the outstanding narrator!

Terribly depressing and boring

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

The preview did not really give the feel of the book with True Grit and Robin Hood. The was a real criminal and if I had read Wikipedia before on Pat Crowe, there is no way I would have chose this book. So turned off, I couldn't continue Book 2 of the book. The narrator is one of my favorites but he could not save this book. I chose the book because of him in the first place as I have read so many of his narrated books.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I will go back to Michael J Sullivan's books with Tim Gerard Reynold's narration.

Would you be willing to try another one of Tim Gerard Reynolds’s performances?

Most of the books I read are by him. I love his narration--the content of this book was not a good match for him and his skills.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Anger, sadness, disappointment. hard to follow jumps in years. Boring

Any additional comments?

No