Wanted

A Leopold Blake Thriller , Book 1

By: Nick Stephenson

Narrated by: Artie Artie Sievers

Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

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What should have been a relaxing vacation in Paris turns into another unwinnable situation for expert criminology consultant Leopold Blake. Caught in the cross hairs of a ruthless assassin and on the run from the police for a murder he didn't commit, Blake and his team must fight to clear his name before it's too late.

As enemies close in from all sides, Blake is about to learn who he can trust - and who is determined to destroy him - as The City of Light becomes a new hunting ground. Wanted is another exhilarating instalment in the Leopold Blake series of thrillers, which can be read and enjoyed in any order.

©2013 Nick Stephenson (P)2014 Nick Stephenson

WHO IS REALLY THE TARGET AND WHY?

I came to this book via Nick’s “Your First 10K Readers”. I have bought a number of his programmes for writers, all of which I have found valuable and worthwhile. I particularly like the fact that he (or his staff) don’t hassle you and assault your inbox with promos and “please buy requests” as so many do.
It seemed a good time to buy one of his books, the logical one being WANTED, the first in the Leopold Blake series, and, if I felt inclined, do a review.
I was pleasantly surprised; it wasn’t THE GRAPES OF WRATH or REBECCA, but then very few books from millions around the world are, and, more importantly, it didn’t pretend to be. It delivered precisely what it set out to do: entice the reader to follow Leopold Blake on a fast paced adventure thriller as he strives to put the pieces together, keep his head down and survive. Nick quickly and fluidly establishes that Leopold is an expert criminologist with a fine eye for works of art and that an assassin is preparing to take or change the lives of many. To someone from the antipodes the Paris background seems to be well sketched. The chapters are short and the prose style punchy which works well.
Being the computer expert that he is Nick obviously knows where to source all the information to add credibility, but he integrated this into the unfolding story in an easy and readable fashion.
Thanks Nick, I appreciate all your good service over the years and enjoyed the book.
Eric.

An action-packed story

I really enjoyed this book. The chapters are short which I like. The story is well written and thought out. It's action packed and a definitely page turner. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

The narrator does a wonderful job of immersing the listener into the story, keeping you listening.

Suspenseful

I loved it. The story kept me wanting to know what's going to happen next. The narrator spoke clearly and concisely.

A Solid beginning to a series

Would you consider the audio edition of Wanted to be better than the print version?

No. It gives a bit of a different experience and is convenient for when I'm not able to sit down and read.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Leopold. He is the engine that pushes us into the adventure. He is just the right mixture of brilliance with naivete and idealism. A more worldly operator would have run for cover and used his money as a shield but he believes in the power of the truth.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scene where the women are running around an office creating a diversion for our hero. Comedic.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The hero did make he face palm a few times but that was a result of his nature. It did not give me an extreme reaction. It was a solid thriller. A credit to its genre, but not a masterpiece of literature that will echo through the ages.

Any additional comments?

The last line of the book really brings the whole thing into a different focus. The narrator did a good job varying up his voices for the different characters. No replacement for a full cast narration but solid.

On the Run in Paris

A different and interesting listen . . . Leopold, a rich consultant travels to Paris to access the security in the Louvre . . . discovering an art theft . . . then the murders begin . . . I love the characters . . . especially Leopold's bodyguard, Jerome, and Mary, the NYPD officer . . . the trail doesn't lead where you might think . . . great story, and not gruesome . . . I appreciate that there aren't graphic sex scenes, too . . . I will listen to the next in the series . . .

No Biggie

This was a Book Club Pick. I have heard better. The Characters didnt hold my attention nor the story. I'm glad it was a short book

Down rated due to lack of character development

Wanted is a decent short thriller. I had to decide between 3 and 4 stars. The almost total lack of the development of the protagonist was a disappointment.

Everything was very tightly knit, stretching reality

I didn't like the idea of a billionaire running around solving crimes all over Europe.

Good thing it was free and I needed something for.

Allegedly set in Paris, but none of the local details were used: The peculiarities of the French legal system, atmosphere of streets and cafes. Instead it it included all the cliches of an American crime procedural.

The narrator’s French, German, and New York accents were erratic.

Some great female characters, who had nothing to do but run and hide.

Annoyingly high body count, if you want Dan Brown, listen to Dan Brown.