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Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Audibook Review of Crescendo by Deborah Ledford


Written by: Deborah J Ledford
Narrated by: Christina Cox
Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins 
Format: Unabridged
Release Date: 12-27-13
Publisher: IOF Productions Ltd
Program Type: Audiobook

Officer Inola Wilela finds herself amidst a tumultuous sea of havoc and uncertainty that begins with what seems like a straightforward traffic stop and turns into a battle to save a young boy.    The father of the boy, a manipulative mad-man, begins a relentless pursuit to find his son so he can cash in on his inheritance.  Inola vows to keep the boy safe but he is determined to locate the boy at any cost, no matter how much violence  and bloodshed ensues.
Inola, being the only female police officer for the Bryson City force in North Carolina, is no stranger to psychological competition, but can her fortitude and strength of mind help her “keep it together “ through the raging chaos in both her professional and personal life?  Together, with the help of her fiancĂ© Sheriff Hawk, an ex-con of a computer whiz and a streak of luck or two, Inola vows to bring the mad-man down even if it means costing her the badge she so dearly loves.
This police procedural hits the ground running and keeps the action moving.  During the few breaks in the action, readers learn more about Inola, what makes her tick, her thoughts and her dreams.  I appreciate the author’s ability to capture that we, as humans, often misjudge what others think of us and that sometimes we must take chances to rectify the mistakes we make. 
The story moves along quickly, but even so, I was routing for  Inola and her comrades and finding myself getting more and more attached to their personalities and abhorring  the “villain” increasingly as the story went on; all signs of a well-written story.  The last scene admittedly made me cry indicating I was definitely in tune with the characters.
It was a first read for me by Deborah Ledford and I would definitely read another especially if it meant I could find out how Inola and Steven Hawk’s relationship develops. 
I would warn readers that there is some strong language in this one, but violence and crime usually lend themselves to this in general.
Christina Cox narrates and does quite a good job “reading” the story, but if you are expecting much in the way of character voices it is not quite there.  I found her tone and pace to be right on the mark, but I had hoped for a bit more when it came to the actual voices.    This is my personal preference and I would not discourage anyone from this narration as she does a fine job of relaying the story in a genuine manner.
Overall I would rate this one at 4 stars which for me means …Very good book. I enjoyed it, perhaps even had a hard time "putting it down". I would recommend this book to others.


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