Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Brief Book Review - What Happened to the Bennetts? Lisa Scottoline

 

G.P. Putnam and Penguin Audio - 2022
(Edoardo Ballerini - narrator - excellent - 10 hours 15 minutes)

The Bennetts are a family who live in PA. The father Jason, is a court reporter, his wife Lucinda, a photographer and they have (2) children Allison, a teen and Ethan around ten.  One evening on the way home from a hockey game in their Mercedes, they are carjacked and shots fly. One of the carjackers is shot but Allison also takes a bullet and later dies at the hospital.  When the FBI shows up at the Bennett's house the following day, it quickly becomes clear that this was not a random incident.  Why would what seems like a typical American family be the target of an attack at the hands of organized crime?

This is a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. The audio narrator Edoardo Ballerini did a wonderful job in keeping the listener focused.  I was surprised to find this tragic family story turn into a political thriller.  The story is told from the POV of Jason and there is a lot of action involved as the story moves along.  I did find myself want to hear more from Lucinda and Ethan whose lives were turned upside down and were still grieving with the loss of their daughter and sister.  Still a good political thriller with plenty of surprises to be had.

Rating - 3.5/5 stars

(NOTE:  The audio download was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.)

13 comments:

  1. I did a read/listen of this book a few weeks ago and liked it pretty well. Don't think I loved it, but it held my interest. And I agree that the narrator was very good. Seems a little different for Lisa Scottoline, but she's been branching out in these last years.

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    1. I've listened to Ballerini read audios in the past Kay and, he is now among my list of favorite narrators. This was different but I wanted more in the end.

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  2. Lisa Scottoline is another one of those authors whose books I see all the time but have never read...yet. Have you read her before?

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    1. Hi Lark, I've read a few of her books here and there but, that is about it. This was different from others that I've read.

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  3. Hmm. It turns into a political thriller from a crime. I probably need to try out this audio narrator!

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    1. Edoado Ballerini is awesome, I've listened to several books he has narrated - always good.

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  4. Ooh this sounds quite good.

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  5. Not heard of this author but this sounds like a thrillerish book my husband would like.

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    1. Not sure but perhaps. BRW - Cath, I started Legacy by Nora Roberts (after you seemed to enjoy several of her non romance books and I am really enjoying it so far.

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  6. There are so many good thrillers out there, I feel like I can't keep up!

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  7. This sounds like a good read and I've been wanting to read something by Scottoline. I'm not sure if this one is for me since there is the death of a child but it does sound intriguing!

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  8. I don't think I've read a political thriller before. Sounds exciting, though the death of the teen would be hard to read about.

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