Mean Streak

By: Sandra Brown

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

From number one New York Times best-selling author Sandra Brown comes a heart-pounding story of survival, that takes the age-old question, "Does the end justify the means?" and turns it on its head.

Dr. Emory Charbonneau, a pediatrician and marathon runner, disappears on a mountain road in North Carolina. By the time her husband Jeff, miffed over a recent argument, reports her missing, the trail has grown cold. Literally. Fog and ice encapsulate the mountainous wilderness and paralyze the search for her.

While police suspect Jeff of "instant divorce," Emory, suffering from an unexplained head injury, regains consciousness and finds herself the captive of a man whose violent past is so dark that he won't even tell her his name. She's determined to escape him, and willing to take any risks necessary to survive.

Unexpectedly, however, the two have a dangerous encounter with people who adhere to a code of justice all their own. At the center of the dispute is a desperate young woman whom Emory can't turn her back on, even if it means breaking the law. Wrong becomes right at the hands of the man who strikes fear, but also sparks passion.

As her husband's deception is revealed, and the FBI closes in on her captor, Emory begins to wonder if the man with no name is, in fact, her rescuer from those who wish her dead - and from heartbreak.

Combining the nail-biting suspense and potent storytelling that has made Sandra Brown one of the world's best loved authors, Mean Streak is a wildly compelling novel about love, deceit, and the choices we must make in order to survive.

©2014 Sandra Brown (P)2014 Hachette Audio

REVENGE

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Great start that kept me involved throughout. You will find several twists that come out of left field that made this novel (listening) page turning.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Doc, and the man with NO name (have to listen folks, the other character is powerful which we don't get a name until towards the end...

What does Jonathan Davis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great character separation voices.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If it were possible, this is a page turner. Each character brought multiple surprises throughout this book making it that much more interesting.

Any additional comments?

Would love to see a follow up with the same characters...

I'll be reading more

This is my first Sandra Brown novel and I enjoyed it enough to pick up another one by this author. The book has plot twists (most predictable) and likeable characters. My main complaint is a spoiler, so trying to be vague, the most important "event" is too hard to believe as conceived or executed.

loved it!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Enjoyed this story as it had overlapping interior stories. It was a "page turner" so to speak but it was audio. I liked the fact that this book was lengthy in the good way and I feel I really got my money's worth.

Story Too Implausible

Good character development but storyline is just too unbelievable. Just not one of my favorite listens.

Sandra does it again

This book pulled me in right from the start. Exceptional story with just the right amount of twists and turns. It kept me guessing right up to the end.

Love SB

Sandra Brown is one of my favorites and Mean Streak did not diaappoint. Excellent job by Jonathan Davis as well.

Great story! Suspense until the last moment!

If you like a good suspenseful crime novel, this is a great pick! I couldn't put it down once I started it. The narration is incredible!

Exciting and Fast-Paced

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It took a period of twenty hours to listen to the whole thing. I didn't want to pause it.

Any additional comments?

The two main characters are drawn together by circumstance, and in their confinement, their relationship escalates quickly. Not in an easy and casual way, but in a quick and hot kind of way. The emotions that erupt are intense, and compliment the pace of the book, which takes place over a matter of days. The suspense that follows the two characters is multi-dimensional, a complex web of interactions that are only fully unveiled during the climax.

For the most part, the characters were likable. I found that Emory's character was underdeveloped. The author alluded to her obsessive nature, but Emory was never given time to resolve any of those feelings (granted, there wasn't much time between her stint in the woods and her run-ins with armed criminals, but not even in the 'epilogue' after time had elapsed did she evolve as a person). Her personality was sort of indistinct - she was the classic do-good archetype, which can be interesting, but she didn't have any remarkable quirks or flaws to make her character believable or realistic (or overly likable, for that matter). I thought Hayes' character was much more unique because of his obvious emotional scars, which affected the way he reacts to the world around him. Sometimes his surly manliness was a bit over-the-top for me, but for the most part, justified.

My only other complaint was that the climax came and went like a flash. I wanted to see more of a confrontation in the end. But hey, I'm not one for the subtle bang.

Patience for love

This story was amazingly suspenseful and was very intriguing. The characters were full bodied and you were able to picture each one of them. Jonathan Davis did an excellent job of storytelling Sandra Brown's great mystery story. A must read/hear book.⚘⚘⚘

WONDERFUL STORY

What made the experience of listening to Mean Streak the most enjoyable?

The characters were very believable and the story strong. I have not read many books written by Sandra Brown but tried this in audible and loved it. Mean Streak was so good that I just downloaded Friction to listen to. I listen when I go to bed and this kept me up much longer than planned but it was well worth it.

What did you like best about this story?

The whole story was very appealing to me but I have to say the ending just blew me away. I actually cried when I finished it and of course it was pure emotion that I haven't felt in a very long time.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have never listened to a performance of Jonathan Davis before but he is very good. The characters were very distinct and he did a wonderful job. I will look for other audio books performed by him in the future.

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

The ending when the race was over and Hayes congratulates her for her victory. It was very emotional. It was so good to hear him say he put his past behind him. When love is that true the only way to move on is with each other.