The Bureau: Volume 3

Includes Caroled and Camouflaged

By: Kim Fielding

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

This collection contains the seventh and eighth Bureau stories:

Caroled

Charles Grimes hasn’t celebrated Christmas in years, so spending December in San Francisco while keeping an eye out for monsters sounds like an easy way to earn a few bucks. He should have learned by now that nothing is ever easy—not his job, not his existence as the son of an angel, and not his relationship with a formerly captive demon. It’s going to take more than a few rounds of Jingle Bells to make Charles feel the joys of the season.

Camouflaged

Life isn’t always easy for a Bureau agent who’s also a dragon.

Ever since Ralph Crespo was trapped in human form, he’s been going through the motions at a job he once loved. Maybe that’s why the Bureau chief seems to have demoted him to messenger. But this time a letter delivery allows Ralph to meet Anton Steinmann, and Ralph’s life takes a turn toward the unexpected.

Anton loves his remote home with its extensive caves. He’s less fond of his leadership position, however, and definitely doesn’t want the offer Agent Crespo hands him. Then Anton is kidnapped and tortured. Someone wants him dead, and he doesn’t know why.

How can anyone be true to himself in a world where he doesn’t really belong? Perhaps Ralph and Anton can find the answer together—if they survive long enough.

©2022 Tin Box Press (P)2022 Tin Box Press

Fantabulous!!!

I adored this audiobook double feature performed by the one and only, Joel Leslie!

Caroled:
1942
Charles and Tenreal
San Francisco
Disappearances
And murder
An HFN/HEA

Camouflaged:
1968
A dragon and a gnome
In a cave
A kidnapping and torture
A rescue
A betrayal
An HEA

You don’t need to read/listen to these in order to enjoy them!!

enjoyed it - solid 4 stars

Caroled:
📖 Story comment: entertaining, familiar characters, easy pace
The story brings the 'holiday spirit' to Grimes & Tenrael - Happy Hanukah -
Given the heaviness of this series, it was nice to have a volume with a lighter feel. At a stretch I'd call it "cute" - if that word can be used in relation to the Bureau universe!

Camouflaged:
📖 Story comment: interesting plot, likeable characters, good pace.
I really liked the way Kim Fielding broke my preconceptions on the type of being Anton is ... what can I say, blame it on Disney and the lawn ornaments 😂. Although not as dark and gritty as some of the other Bureau stories, I still enjoyed its worldbuilding and the mystery of the case.

🎧 Narrator comment: Joel Leslie does a stellar performance capturing the "noir feel" of this series. His ability to capture each character's personality brings Kim Fielding's world vividly to life and I look forward to further instalments.

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📌 Where does it fall on my personal scale? 7
• 1 not my thing • 2 didn't like the narration • 3 didn't keep my attention • 4 was good, but once was enough • 5 enjoyed it • 6 will listen again if i'm in the mood for the narrator • 7 goes on the "re-listen" list [4⭐] • 8 kept me up past bed-time [4.5⭐] • 9 recommended to family/friends [4.75⭐] • 10 own it in multiple formats [5⭐] • 11 keep a copy with me at all times [5⭐]

Excellent

The use of simile and metaphor were astounding. The inner visualizations shimmered in the mind’s eye.