Patrick Kendrick

This audiobook was provided by the author at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Boom.

I know next to nothing about Ernest “Papa” Hemmingway, other than he was a famous writer, and famous for his lifestyle in the Florida Keys. I’ve never read any of his books (not even in high school!), and have never been to the Keys. I do know that Hemmingway was known for his drunken outbursts and fistfights, which leads to the plot of the book.

Papa is found out-cold drunk with a bloody knife in his hand, next to a murdered Cuban woman. It’s up to retired Scotland Yard inspector Emmet MacWain, along with Mr. Hemmingway and his (second) wife Pauline, to solve this crime and clear Hemmingway of the murder.

I listened to the Audible version of this book, and it was very good. The author threads the actual historical events of WWII (Jews seeking refuge in and around Cuba) with the fictional account of a murder mystery. The amount of research into Hemmingway’s life, the area around Key West, and the historical events was well-handled. All in all, very captivating, and a pretty enjoyable read/listen.… (meer)

Acoustic Shadows – A Fast Paced Thriller

Acoustic Shadows is the book that introduces its author, Patrick Kendrick to the Britain, already well known in the USA. Anyone that reads Acoustic Shadows will be grabbed by the throat by this fast paced thriller that takes us around Central Florida. To those who have been to Orlando on their holidays will recognise some of the places, as we are taken on the run of a lifetime that might just save a life.

Patrick Kendrick has really taken the thriller genre to a new level that achieves all the clichés and more that will draw the reader and have them hooked from beginning to end. The book starts from an explosive beginning to the last stand at the OK Corral at the end, the villains are nothing but evil, the law officers can you really trust them and the victim who literally has nowhere left to run.

Erica Weisz is a substitute teacher in the small Florida town of Frosthaven, when the school is attacked by two gunmen, killing a number of teachers and staff but leaving the children unharmed. Weisz protects her children, and also is concealing a gun for protection. Somehow she is able to kill one of the gunmen and injure the other, while she herself takes a shot.

A whole mass of agencies and Police turn up with the media and governor not far behind, who bring with him from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Agent Justin Thiery. Lots of questions are being asked of why was there yet another school shooting as well as why did a teacher break federal law and take a gun in to school.

When Weisz comes round she is in hospital hooked up to machines, but she knows she will not be able to stay there otherwise she will be a target. She is well aware of why the school shooting took place, she is in the Federal Witness Protection Program, and there is a Mexican crime cartel who wants her dead. She runs and so begins the cat and mouse search for her across Central Florida.

Erica is almost certain she has been sold out by her US Marshall Handler, if she might not have been sure about him, she did not trust him at all now. In fact she does not know who she can trust in the law enforcement agencies, she can only trust herself.

Thiery has to deal with a lot of the internal politics and competing Police departments as well as a surly Sherriff who does not particularly want to cooperate with him. As the investigation continues he is almost sure that Erica is in the Witness Program but knows the Marshalls will never admit that. As he sees his partner from the FBI killed in a gun battle he knows this could very well be a fight to the death for him and when he finds her, Weisz.

This is small town America with all the complications of the American way of life and the ease of gun ownership. Even though this is an American thriller, the reader understands the issues that arise and at the same time there is no preaching. This is an all out thriller that grabs you and keeps hold of you all the way to the conclusion.… (meer)