Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Felix and Lane are struggling with just how boring a "normal" life is, so when they get a chance to jump into action, they do so without a second thought - especially since they're offered a lot of money. The request is simple: find a way to retrieve a watch from police custody. But things are never as easy as they seem. Suddenly, they're caught in the middle of a family feud that could turn deadly. But no matter what, through kidnappings, car chases, and cooking mishaps, Felix knows that as long as Lane is by his side, they will find a way to set things right.

Narrated by Joel Leslie

Book Review

In book three of the ‘In Darkness’ series, Felix is still… well, Felix. He’s inimitable. He’s snarky, goofy, a thief (reformed? not quite) and he’s head-over-heels in love with Lane. Lane is more sedate, though he does have a good sense of humor, especially when playing the straight man (so to speak) to Felix’s snarky sarcasm. Lane is blind and has been on leave from the police department since losing his sight. From the moment Felix fell into his life, nothing has been the same—or normal. The two love each other, but Felix enjoys overdoing everything, including his snark, his ability to steal (“I can’t help myself, Lane!”), and his inability to stay out of trouble.

 

I couldn’t begin to summarize this plot as it involved being hired to steal a watch, and ended with stealing a pig. In between there were hours of kidnappings, shootings, injuries, a subplot involving a friend who ultimately ends up working with them, and lots of family time with Lane’s parents who eventually convince Felix that they love him too. Poor Felix was more overwhelmed with the love of his new family than he was when he first realized Lane was attracted to him (‘Hidden In Darkness’, book one).

 

If you’ve never heard Felix and Lane’s banter in audio format, by all means, consider rushing to purchase this series immediately. By this point, they are an established couple, and though the story can be read as a standalone, I think that readers would benefit from being with this ensemble cast from the beginning. And speaking of ensemble cast, in the midst of this story, I realized—suddenly—that the voices of this group all came from one very talented performer: Joel Leslie. I don’t know why I hadn’t given that concept conscious thought until then. But it never ceases to amaze me how much variety he provides through his vocalizations of the various cast members. I get lost in the story and forget he is only one person performing all the roles. I am always entertained by his performance of each character and I lose myself in some of the best entertainment available. Why watch TV or videos when one has one’s very own portable “play” available for listening enjoyment 24/7?

 

To be honest, I don’t believe I’d rate this story as high if it wasn’t for his outstanding narration. Felix can wear on the nerves and some of his snark and some of his actions (knocking Lane into a wall, for example) are a bit OTT. I believe that if I were reading this story instead of listening, I wouldn’t like Felix as much, but Joel’s delivery of both his voice and of Lane’s very understanding and tolerant voice gives listeners a complete picture and tons of entertaining hours of listening pleasure. Very highly recommended.   

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the narrator for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	audio book
Length	Listening Length: 10 hours and 35 minutes
Heat Level
Publication Date	14-January-2020
Price	$18.37 audiobook
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082XHC5FG