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Paradise City: A Joe Gunther Novel Audiobook
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(2.94) - 32 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Joe Gunther and his team at the Vermont Bureau of Investigation are alerted to a string of unrelated burglaries across Vermont. Someone, in addition to flats creens, computers, and stereos, has also been stealing antiques and jewelry. Meanwhile, in Boston, an elderly woman surprises some thieves in her Beacon Hill home and is viciously murdered. The Boston police find that not only is the loot similar to what's being stolen in Vermont, but it may have the same destination. Word is out that someone powerful is purchasing these particular kinds of items in the "Paradise City" of Northampton, Massachusetts.
Gunther, the Boston Police, and the vengeful niece of the murdered old lady convene on Northampton, eager to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the "responsible parties"—although each is motivated to mete out some very different penalties.
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"Another fine Joe Gunther mystery. This time Joe tries to track down men who killed an elderly woman in order to take her heritage quality jewelry. What starts as the investigation of one homicide soon becomes a major search for a jewelry theft ring. Exciting with lots of twists. Joe Gunther is one of my favorite characters."
— Marca (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Mayor’s solid twenty-third Joe Gunther novel focuses on a tri-cornered interstate case involving multiple thefts…Fans of this first-rate procedural series will be satisfied.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Dufris excels at bringing listeners into the heads of all the characters. The added psychological touch in the point of view gives everything a note of believability that adds to the tension.”
— AudioFile -
“Once again, the long-running and best-selling police procedural series surprises and thrills.”
— Library Journal -
“Understated, occasionally very funny, and very intelligent. In his twenty-third appearance, the Sage of Brattleboro remains as appealing as ever.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award
Paradise City Listener Reviews
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" Has the Joe Gunther series "jumped the shark"? I have enjoyed Mayor's set of novels about a Vermont lawman, but this latest installment left me yawning. All the ingredients are in place for a great story, but somehow the whole is less than the sum of the parts. The formula may be getting stale, and in need of a quantum shift. "
— Stacy, 1/29/2014 -
" Archer Mayor churns out his Joe Gunther series on at least a yearly basis. I've read most of them, in part because their locales are familiar, and his protagonist is likeable, although fairly two-dimensional. This latest in a long series is fair-to-middling. Perhaps I'm just tired of Joe's aging angst, and Willy Kunkle's sourness. The story involves both the familiar - Vermont - and for Mayor, the unfamiliar, venturing into Northhampton, MA, in a convoluted tale of large-scale jewelry theft and "laundering," exploitation of mostly-Asians escaping horrendous conditions at home, only to find themselves in almost as bad situations in the states. This is a quick read, with lots of white space on the pages of a book that could be half the size. "
— Anne, 1/4/2014 -
" Meh. I keep thinking I have to read these books because they are by a Vermont author, and I really enjoyed the early ones. The last few have been so formulaic that I had trouble finishing them. This book got better towards the end and it was okay, but I may not pick up Mayor's next one. "
— Denise, 12/10/2013 -
" I enjoyed this book. it was a straight murder book without all the new twist and turns "
— Loy, 11/21/2013 -
" Entertaining, informative, and insightful. "
— Tom, 11/12/2013 -
" I love reading books that mention places I know and love. It was great to have Joe Gunther visit my city of Hamp. Easy read and a little disappointing ending because it seemed awfully rushed. All in all...good book. One of my favorites of Mayor. "
— Chelsea, 11/8/2013 -
" Enjoyed it as much as I generally enjoy Archer Mayer's books. I like the references to Vermont and find his books easy and entertaining. "
— Allen, 9/22/2013 -
" VT goes to MASS for this title in the Joe Gunther police procedural series. Good writing, reasonably interesting plot. I give Archer Mayor kudos for giving intelligent female characters good billing in his series. "
— Margaret, 9/22/2013 -
" I love Joe Gunther though find Willy Kunkle nearly impossible. Don't know how anyone can tolerate him, especially his partner. "
— Lynn, 8/12/2013 -
" Silted characters, cliched plot, boring writing. I'd heard good things, and it's based locally. Oh, well. "
— Harry, 7/17/2013 -
" This was moving along pretty nicely when, all of a sudden, the book ended. It was as if Mayor had reached 300 pages and was done. Interesting until then. "
— Herzog, 6/24/2013 -
" Weak plot, weaker characters. "
— Bill, 5/21/2013 -
" Up to date on the series, "
— Susan, 4/7/2013 -
" Not a very good Joe Gunther. I have read them all, in order, and this was a big disappointment. "
— Barbara, 10/23/2012 -
" Revisiting the Joe Gunther series after almost 15 years. Still extremely pleasurable to read. I'll go back and read the ones I've missed. Not sure why I wasn't reading them all along! "
— Debra, 10/8/2012
About Archer Mayor
Archer Mayor is the New York Times bestselling author of the highly acclaimed Vermont-based series of mystery novels featuring detective Joe Gunther. He is a past winner of the New England Book Award for his body of work, the first time a writer of crime literature has been so honored. He also works as a death investigator, a sheriff’s deputy, and a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Vermont.
About William Dufris
William Dufris attended the University of Southern Maine in Portland-Gorham before pursuing a career in voice work in London and then the United States. He has won more than twenty AudioFile Earphones Awards, was voted one of the Best Voices at the End of the Century by AudioFile magazine, and won the prestigious Audie Award in 2012 for best nonfiction narration. He lives with his family in Maine.