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A Simple Act of Violence

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A Simple Act of Violence

By: R J Ellory
Narrated by: Alan Nebelthau
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About this listen

 Washington, embroiled in the mid-term elections, didn't want to hear about serial killings. But when the newspapers reported a 4th murder, when they gave the killer a name and details of his horrendous crimes, there were few people who could ignore it. Detective Robert Miller is assigned to the case.

Rapidly things begin to complicate. The victims do not officially exist. Their personal details do not register on any known systems. The harder Miller works, the less it makes sense. And as Miller unearths ever more disturbing facts, he starts to face truths so far-removed from his own reality that he begins to fear for his life...

©2008 RJ Ellory Publications Ltd (P)2009 Recorded Books LLC Crime Fiction Mystery Political Spies & Politics Suspense Thriller & Suspense Espionage Crime Fiction Murder Exciting

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Critic reviews

A Richard and Judy Book Club selection.
All stars
Most relevant  

Would you consider the audio edition of A Simple Act of Violence to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version so I can't comment.

What did you like best about this story?

How it leaves you guessing who the narrator/killer is and gives you ample suspects to chose from.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The scene the narrator/killer describes of the conversation between them and an assassination victim before this victim is killed.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really.

Any additional comments?

I agree with the comments about the length of the tale. Although, it didn't drag on as much as "... Belief in Angels". Perhaps the pace could have been a bit more rapid.

A Simple Tale

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This was my first Ellory novel, and knowing nothing about the author or book I started it without much idea what to expect. The book opens with a murder and it seems from early on that this will be a police procedural with a stereotypical misfit detective as our protagonist hunting an elusive serial killer. However, a parallel storyline soon opens up which is clearly connected to the events of the main story, and yet is much broader in context and style; addressing some big political and moral questions, and in particular the ethics of American foreign policy and the actions of it's "intelligence community". I found this aspect fascinating, and although much of the detail was fictional I cant help but feel a little more educated on Nicaragua, the C.I.A. and the brutality, power, greed and corruption of such organisations. The author has clearly researched these subjects deeply and presents them well.



The protagonist character, Detective Robert Miller, reminded me a lot of Detective Harry Hole as created by Jo Nesbø and indeed the writing style bears comparison to those novels, with rich descriptive passages and alternating accounts of the same events from the perspectives of our detective and the character he is pursuing. Character development through this novel is excellent, both the believable drawing of Detective Miller and the gradual unveiling of our antagonist, John Robey, who becomes the fulcrum around which the two plot lines hinge. The writing is excellent and the plot(s) remain engaging and full of surprises throughout, with an unexpected story of love and trust thrown in, and the role of bad guy shifting several times as the big picture is revealed.



Like many books of the genre, this novel eventually ties together the various strands and the ending is satisfactory, though perhaps it could have continued a little longer to explore the aftermath of the events that took place, but at over 500 pages it is probably a compliment that I was left wanting more.

Really enjoyable read

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Moves along at a sluggish pace. Well read. Story somewhat tenuous. I suppose had I written it I would be sufficiently proud to write a glowing review

Slow but bearable

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I'm glad the blurb didn't give too much away. This could have been a standard cop thriller - down-at-heel loner investigates serial killer. But it became something altogether more profound, illuminating and engaging. Marvelous.

Unexpectedly profound thriller

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What did you like most about A Simple Act of Violence?

it wasn't a humdrum formulaic affair

What about Alan Nebelthau’s performance did you like?

I had read bad things about the narration and if someone doesn't like the way someone reads this can be very off putting. but I am glad I wasn't put off because I had no problems with the reader or his accents, in fact I very much enjoyed listening.

Any additional comments?

worth a listen or a read !

drew me in and kept me interested

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This book twists and turns your mind and your emotions. A gruesome
chilling description starts the journey through the underworld of
drugs,arms and third world politics with the aim of securing the future of America's ruling families.
A cracking read

nothing is what it seems

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Insightful, brilliantly narrated ..conspiracy or not, this really does make one think what deep dark secret organisations / governments have their operatives do!
This is a book that very slowly comes together to a very believeable yet at the same time unbelievable conclusion! Quite Brilliant.

Conspiracy or factual.. that is the question!

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I found this book enjoyable and gripping. It's littered with 'facts' and conspiracy theories too which makes it very believable. I thought the narrator was pretty much dead on for the tone set by the book and he reads it well. I've never heard of this author before but will check out more of his work. Highly reccommended.

Really Enjoyable

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This was a really interesting story, a little out of the ordinary when it comes to crime thrillers. I found parts of it dragged on a little bit now and then, but not enough to put me off and indeed the further I got into the story the more gripping it became. My only real negative comment is that I didn't particularly like the narrator, I found his voice a bit too dead-pan. But all in all, I would definitely recommend this!

Intriguing!

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A very good thriller. Sustained rhythm throughout, with a plausible plot. Enjoyable if you're a fan of conspiracy theories and the like. Good if you're going on a long trip and need something to distract you.

never a dull moment

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