Book 1 of the Reed & Billie series
Narrated by Charles Constant
Genre: crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook
About The Boat Man:
Detective Reed Mattox, just three months removed from the death of his partner, has turned invisibility into an art form. Switching to the K-9, taking over the graveyard shift, moving to a farmhouse miles outside of Columbus, his every move has become predicated on putting as much distance between himself and the outside world as possible.Source: Info in the About The Boat Man was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26495964-the-boat-man on 10/04/2019.
That distance is shattered though when bodies begin turning up in The Bottoms, the poverty-stricken section of town he is assigned to patrol. Grisly, horrific scenes start to pop up in the middle of the night and the overburdened precinct has no choice but to put Reed on it.
Now operating far outside of his comfort zone with a Belgian Malinois for a partner that attracts attention wherever they go, Reed is forced to unravel the murders, taking him clear across the city and back years in time, to an event that some very influential people will do anything to keep buried...
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
This book was recommended to me by amazon because I once read Sydney Rye books. However, at that time I did not bite. What I didn't know was that I subscribed to Dustin Stevens' newsletter. I must have entered some giveaway and became a subscriber because I do not remember subscribing to this author particularly. Anyway, I opened the newsletter in my inbox and he was offering the second book in the series for free. Me, being me, OCD and all... I gotta start reading with book 1. So I decided to give this series a try. I was glad that I did because this book turned out to be enjoyable! This is my first Dustin Stevens read and I am quickly becoming a fan. This is also my first Charles Constant listen and also becoming a fan!I like the way he reads. His voice is not aggravating to the ears. And he pauses between scenes to let the listener know that the storyline has changed. All a "plus" to me! And I like Billie! She sounds so adorable to me! What I didn't like was the fact that the entitled, whiny, murderous little shit got away with little more than a scratch!! And no, that's not our antagonist here. It's a minor side character, but still annoying as hell, none-the-less.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 3.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = 4
Plot = 3.5
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries
Meet The Author
I originally hail from the midwest, growing up in the heart of farm country, and still consider it, along with West Tennessee, my co-home. Between the two, I have a firm belief that football is the greatest of all past-times, sweet tea is really the only acceptable beverage for any occasion, there is not an event on earth that either gym shorts or boots can't be worn to, and that Dairy Queen is the best restaurant on the planet. Further, southern accents are a highly likeable feature on most everybody, English bulldogs sit atop the critter hierarchy, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a Saturday night spent catfishing at the lake.
Since leaving the midwest I've been to college in New England, grad school in the Rockies, and lived in over a dozen different cities ranging from DC to Honolulu along the way. Each and every one of these experiences has shaped who I am at this point, a fact I hope is expressed in my writing. I have developed enormous affinity for locales and people of every size and shape, and even if I never figure out a way to properly convey them on paper, I am very much grateful for their presence in my life.
To sum it up, I asked a very good friend recently how they would describe me for something like this. Their response: "Plagued by realism and trained by experiences/education to be a pessimist, you somehow remain above all else an active dreamer." While I can't say those are the exact words I would choose, I can't say they're wrong. I travel, live in different places, try new foods, meet all kinds of different people, and above all else stay curious to a fault.
Here's hoping it continues to provide us all with some pretty good stories...
The Narrator
Actor Charles Constant's professional storytelling career began at the age of thirteen, when he became an Actors' Equity Association apprentice. After training in Chicago and London, he went on to appear onstage in theaters across the country. Charles was chosen by Mark Cuban to narrate his book How to Win at the Sport of Business, and his work on Into the Crossfire became an Audible Listener Favorite in February 2014. Publishers Weekly says that he provides "strong" narration and finds his voice to be "deep and assertive."
FTC Disclosure:
The different formats of this book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
The different formats of this book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
