Soppy stuff.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Not to my friends, no. It was full of promise and possibilities but the author thoroughly killed the book with excessive melodrama and completely unbelievable 'romance'.

If you’ve listened to books by LJ Ross before, how does this one compare?

I have not. If I had, I might have been forewarned about this one. But possibly this one isn't one of her best.

What does Jonathan Keeble bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thought the narrator did an excellent job. I liked him and thought he did admirably with the material he had to work with. I would have been rolling on the floor wheezing with laughter at certain points.

Do you think Holy Island needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Well, it is certainly presented that way, so it seems inevitable. Unfortunately.

Any additional comments?

I hate to be so negative, but I bought it hoping for a good mystery and instead got a soppy, unbelievable, romance filled with practicing pagans. If that is your cup of tea, you will love this book a lot.

21 people found this helpful

barbara cartland revisited, so old and corny

I only finished this book due to some other reviews being so positive, I was hoping that it improved. Such an old fashioned novel you would expect to be serialised in a 1950s womens magazine, tall dark handsome hero who demands his little lady obey him, looking deeply into dark eyes...with a sad past... so cliched! I was hoping for a true detective story with lots of the usual twists, not a badly written romance and whats with making the murders so gruesome - so not necessary, the joy of a police story is in the detective work and the unexpected finale...tension can still be there without the gruesome murders..so dramatic
The narrater, Jonathan Keeble, was the main reason that I chose this book, he is first class.

18 people found this helpful

Painfully bad

I thought it was going to be good because of reviews and the narrator has a good voice for a detective procedural. However, the romance is ridiculous - i.e. being jealous when you've known the person for a day; the various love and drama situations are comically or excruciatingly corny and over-done. The main detective has an authoritative attitude take charge way and language that works OK at first but then becomes completely overworked, unrealistic and irritating -- no depth to character. It feels like a third-grader decided to try to write a grown up book. Sorry to be so harsh. I couldn't keep listening.

9 people found this helpful

Really good story. On to the next one..

A lot of reviewers complained about this being too much of a romance but I beg to differ. There was just enough romance to satisfy anyone looking for a romance/suspense/murder/mystery, like me. And to the one reviewer who said the author was a woman because she started getting into the “sex acts.” The first time they had sex he carried her to the bedroom, kissed her and it faded to black. And the second time they had sex it was fade to black. Not much of a sex act if you ask me.

I liked all the background they gave on the players instead of going from one murder to the next. Ryan was on sabbatical due to the Hacker case he worked and things went very badly. Anna was back on the island she’d left 8 years ago, because of her mother’s fall down stone steps that lead to her death and the leap off the cliff her dad took. Anna was there to join Ryan on the case of ritual killings, and their attraction to one another was immediate. I really enjoyed that part of the book, made them more human and not just robots trying to solve some murders. She was also there to try to figure out where she and her sister went wrong so many years ago.

One reviewer said this was a cliffhanger and THAT IS NOT TRUE. Two crimes were solved, Ryan and Anna got their HEA and that was the end of that story. The epilogue was just to let you know there was a next book that had to do with “the circle” if you wanted to read it.

There was swearing and the F-bomb was used 16 times. LOL, I think 99.9% of the time the F-bomb was said by the hero, Ryan.

As to the narrator: Jonathan Keeble gave all the men great voices, especially Ryan, but the women, especially Anna, sounded toooo much like men. I’m hoping in the next book, Sycamore Gap, he’ll do better. He did read with a lot of emotions, which he did fantastically.

17 people found this helpful

Awful

Could not stand the story or the narrator and the main character is just a total ass

7 people found this helpful

Christian bashing must be popular!

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The author was able to understand everyone's beliefs or shortcomings except Christian's. He needs to learn how to write from a more unbiased perspective.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Another mystery

What does Jonathan Keeble bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He has a pleasant voice

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Holy Island?

Probably when the author made fun of the minister's wife's looks, it had nothing to do with the story line and made the character look petty.

Any additional comments?

There was no build up to the two main character's "feelings" toward each other. You couldn't tell the difference between their supposedly caring for each other or two other strangers hooking up in a bar!

19 people found this helpful

Chick lit.

Soooooo disappointed that I wasted my money on this trite book. Could not get past chapter 3.

5 people found this helpful

Enjoyed

I enjoyed this. I bought it because I come from the area where the book is set. If I did not know Holy Island I would have enjoyed it more. Having been to Lindisfarne many times you do have to suspend disbelief a bit. Not sure people who live there will appreciate the Satanic cult based on their Island. Anyway I liked the Characters and the pace enough to buy the next book "Sycamore Gap" I appreciated having the 1st chapter free as an add on to "Holy Island " and it is on sale! The narrator is good although his Northumberland accent wobbles a bit at times but on the whole v. Good.

5 people found this helpful

Love DCI Ryan! A great read.

Where does Holy Island rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top stars.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really didn't have an exact favorite since they worked well together, but DCI Ryan and Anna were consistent and interesting.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Keeble’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. His voice is phenomenal. He is clear and doesn't sound like he is forcing the speech pattern. I believe he is also the actor that plays DCI Ryan on the series. If not, he should.

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

Absolutely, but live dictated otherwise.

Any additional comments?

I loved the twists and turns throughout the book. Sure, there were a few times I was right and a few times I was wrong. The end gave me shivers.

4 people found this helpful

Disappointing

Personally found the "burning looks". Heavy breathing etc a total turn off. Construct seemed clumsy and unbelable. Also hard to have 5 deaths in such a small place with so few residences. Not for me. Narrator did well with different characters.

6 people found this helpful