Calvin’s Head

By: David Swatling

Narrated by: Caleb Dickinson

Life in Amsterdam isn’t all windmills and tulips when you’re homeless. Jason Dekker lives in a jeep with his dog, Calvin, on the outskirts of the city. A thesis on Van Gogh brought him to the Netherlands, and the love of Dutch artist Willy Hart convinced him to stay. But Willy is gone, and Dekker is on the brink of a total meltdown.

On a summer morning in the park, Calvin sniffs out the victim of a grisly murder. Dekker sees the opportunity for a risky strategy that might solve their problems. Unfortunately it puts them directly in the sights of the calculating stone-cold killer, Gadget. Their paths are destined to collide, but nothing goes according to plan when they end up together in an attic sex dungeon. Identities shift, and events careen out of control, much to the bewilderment of one ever-watchful canine. Oscar Wilde wrote that each man kills the thing he loves. He didn’t mean it literally. Or did he?

©2014 David Swatling (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

A bit random but a fun experience over all

The narration from the dog’s perspective is very annoying at first but you get used to it. What I like about the story is that it unfolds in an unexpected way. You have no idea what the hell is going to happen next.

Slightly odd but captured my attention

I had very little expectations starting to read this, but mostly thanks to the excellent narration and the silly yet heroic dog, I kept listening through my doubts, and was pleasantly surprised. There was some level of like listening to a fever dream but overall interesting story. I might have preferred this as an illustrated book rather than audiobook, just so I could have watched the paintings mentioned.

Unique writing. Inspired narration.

I know this narrator by another name and never dreamed he had this kind of range. Really excellent performance of a unique and captivating story. I highly recommend this audiobook.

Better than I thought it would be.

The first few chapters were a bit confusing and hard to get into. I actually stopped listening to it, “not my cup of tea” but went back to it a few days later while I was driving. Turns out to be a decent story. I love Calvin’s voice! Glad I listened after all!

Dark Thriller with a Claustrophobic Feel

David Swatling's novel—especially as an audiobook—has this progressive feel of claustrophobia to it that really adds to the creepiness factor. Beginning with such a fantastic start (seriously, the dog finds a body, the murderer finds the dog and his owner, and... sparks fly).

It's the psychology of this thriller that really got under my skin. The reader is well aware of the potential for disaster at almost every turn, and while we dance in the psyche of a pretty broken man, his dog, and a murderer, there's a seduction at play as well that left me twitching and seriously worried for all involved.

Swatling doesn't pull punches, doesn't deliver simple characters, and above all that, has written a thoroughly unique dark thriller here. It's good. It's engrossing. It's disturbing.

The performer at first felt a bit over-the-top, but once I got into the groove of listening to his voice, it worked in compliment with the tone of the book.