Fifty Grand

A Novel of Suspense

By: Adrian McKinty

Narrated by: Paula Christensen

An illegal immigrant is killed in a hit-and-run on a frozen mountain road in the town of Fairview, Colorado. No one is prosecuted for his death and his case is quietly forgotten. Six months later another illegal makes a treacherous run across the border, barely escaping with her life. She finds work as a maid and, secretly, begins to investigate the death of her father. But she isn't a maid, and she's not Mexican. She's Detective Mercado, a police officer from Havana, and she's looking for answers to her father's death. McKinty's live-wire prose is riveting, right up to a final, shocking conclusion.©2009 Barron's Educational Series, Inc. (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This amazing novel....has riveting mystery, politics of just about every shade, and thrills on almost every page. . . .This is going to be the BIG BOOK of 2009." - (Ken Bruen, author of The Guards and Once Were Cops)

Anxiously Awaited

(Review is by David's wife) I am a fan of the "Dead" trilogy and was happy to see this new book released w/o any delay on Audible.
I recommend this book, it's a great listen, the narrator is perfect for this book. This is not like the "Dead" trilogy, it's a different story told from a female POV and I thought it was spot on. The beginning starts with a great hook, I had to know how Mercado got to that point and enjoyed the flashbacks and background and waited for the story to unfold... as it always does in a McKinty novel. While I know little of Cuba and the conditions there, I feel the author did his research and the details certainly feel authentic, I was educated and entertained.
I certainly didn't feel this story was smut but is not a children's story, it's about tough situations and people, not good fairies.
I recommend this book (and McKinty's other books, as well) for well developed stories and characters that will remain with you long after you finish the book.

exceeded my expectations

Magical! Adrian McKinty is in a class all by himself. I applaud his originality and can't wait to read what comes next. This book is just as fantastic as the dead series.

another good read from McKinty

slow start - but very good overall. I liked the narrator unlike some of the other folks that rated the book.

Great story!

This is the first stand alone Adrian McKinty book that I have listened to. I have enjoyed the Michael Forsythe and Sean Duffy books so much I decided to give this one a try and I'm really glad I did. It's amazing to me that this author can write such vastly different stories with such mastery and knowledge.
If you have read his other books you know that his main characters are typically deeply flawed, but relatable, and Mercado is no exception. The character development is one of the things that appeals to me most about his books, and since this book is from the female point of view I enjoyed it even more.
The story is excellent, settings are described beautifully, and the pace is spot on. I couldn't stop listening.
The narration is absolutely stellar. I definitely recommend this book.

Terrific mystery and thriller; excellent narration

The story is relatively complex, with many different issues, but which eventually are all explained and resolved. One twist after another kept me guessing, and it was hard to guess the outcome even though, in retrospect, all the clues were there. The characters are mostly multidimensional, and the narrator does an excellent job over the wide range of personalities, accents, and dialects. Told from the first person point of view of a woman, the description sometimes becomes awkward. For example, while describing action in present tense, author resorts to devices such as "I didn't see him hiding in the trees." It was similar in the Dead trilogy, which I also enjoyed. This one didn't have the humor of those, so some may find it slow at times. The narrative contains lots of graphic violence and gore which some may find difficult to take, but which I found realistic. So many writers treat death and killing as if it we were watching a cartoon, but not McKinty. He is a gifted and imaginative writer, able to handle challenging material successfully. From this book, you would never know he's Irish.