some strong elements, but....

In the beginning I was thinking I'd found a great new author for my collection. A strong main character and a good plot line in the first few chapters soon devolved into an overly detailed mess. The constant back and forth inside the mind of the female protagonist soon became tiring. As did the moody non-communicative 'mentor' Jack. The protagonists patience with and submission to this character became tiresome as well. If three or four hours had been eliminated from this selection this might have been an excellent listen. As it was, it became a tiresome slog through the underbelly of criminal society. Ms. Armstrong is a talented writer and the book was well narrated. Hopefully her next mystery book will avoid the short comings of Exit Strategy.

8 people found this helpful

Loved it!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. It kept me bitting my nails start to finish. I like the characters and the focus on human emotions and non-verbal communication.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jack I suppose. He's enigmatic and with his silences and grunts leaves a lot to be interpreted.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Jack and Nadia go back to Evelyn's house and they are all pointing guns at each other.

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

Yep.

Any additional comments?

I want to get the rest of the series!!!

4 people found this helpful

Nice plot twists.

Nice plot twists but a bit muddy in spots. Jennifer Ikeda is a FABULOUS Reader! Her character interpretations are so 3-dimensional and really improve the whole experience! I will try a book just because she's the Narrator.

3 people found this helpful

Breathtaking!

Would you consider the audio edition of Exit Strategy to be better than the print version?

Jennifer Ikeda does such an outstanding job on this that I can't imagine it without her voice. She does everyone so well, including the male characters, that I'm searching for more of her work.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Exit Strategy?

When Jack makes Nadia hot chocolate.

What does Jennifer Ikeda and Richard Ferrone bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She's the perfect voice for Nadia, helping you get into the complicated heart and soul and mind of a contract killer, plus her Irish brogue for Jack is downright sexy.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The scene when Jack's leaning over her and she begins to realize she's attracted to him. Plus the scene in the closet.

Any additional comments?

This is violent, fascinating, angst, funny, and the romance is so subtle it's deliciously addictive. Jennifer Ikeda does a great job of bringing out out a wonderful story, and Richard Ferrone's villain and victim POV are excellent as well.

5 people found this helpful

Bad editing

The very very long pauses throughout every part of the story were distracting and annoying. I kept thinking my phone died. It was in the middle of the sentence sometimes. I have listened to many other books narrated by this same person and they have been great. Not sure what happened here.

1 person found this helpful

I liked it but...

I thought the story was GREAT! I even enjoyed the swap between readers. What I did NOT like was the micro pauses that happened through out the reading. I feel it was an editing issue. And really ruined the flow of the book.

3 people found this helpful

Story was captivating...

Story was captivating but slowed down in places. Overall, enjoyed the book and would recommend to a few choice personal friends.

1 person found this helpful

Slow for a thriller

Although the writing was quite good and intelligent, the story was not very original and dragged on. A serial killer is terrorizing the country, committing murders from state to state, getting more daring as he goes. Slowly, an unusual team is formed to put the guy away, but with the addition of some characters, the story line gets cumbersome and jerky.
The two narrators worked well, but the killer's persona (read by the male narrator) does not intrigue or create much emotion in this reader. And although J. Ikeda is a master storyteller, I thought a little more urgency and emotion in her reading - the main character's POV (Nadia)- may have raised the story a notch/star developing greater excitement level or "thrill."
Regarding the interaction between characters, what might be seen as a potential love interest and possibly a triangle was boring and not well developed.

Jack is interesting and getting to know him better is enticing. Nadia, however does not present well for a hit man, and so the story falls flat.

Would I read another by this author? It's doubtful I'll pursue another in this series. The ONE reson I may, is to see if Ms. Ikeda's reading pulls me into the story number two.

1 person found this helpful

Female narrator not for me

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I have read the book, years back, and liked it. Instead of re-reading, I bought the audible to listen to in the car.

What did you like best about this story?

I like Kelley Armstrongs writing, it is solid, and she is a master at suspense.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Jennifer Ikeda and Richard Ferrone ?

Kristine Hvam is one of my favourites

Any additional comments?

Reminder to myself: always listen to the complete audible sample: the narrator can really ruin a very good book, if she/he is not your cup of tea.

3 people found this helpful

narrator

I didn't care for the breathless voice. It seemed overly done, not realistic to me.