The Death Instinct

By: Jed Rubenfeld

Narrated by: Kerry Shale

A spellbinding literary thriller about terror, war, greed, and the darkest secrets of the human soul, by the author of the million-copy bestseller, The Interpretation of Murder.September 16, 1920. Under a clear blue September sky, a quarter ton of explosives is detonated in a deadly attack on Wall Street. Fear comes to the streets of New York.Witnessing the blast are war veteran Stratham Younger, his friend James Littlemore of the New York Police Department, and beautiful French radiochemist Colette Rousseau. A series of inexplicable attacks on Colette, a secret buried in her past, and a mysterious trail of evidence lead Younger, Littlemore, and Rousseau on a thrilling international and psychological journey – from Paris to Prague, from the Vienna home of Dr Sigmund Freud to the corridors of power in Washington, DC, and ultimately to the hidden depths of our most savage instincts. As the seemingly disjointed pieces of Younger and Littlemore’s investigations come together, the two uncover the shocking truth about the bombing – a truth that threatens to shake their world to its foundations.

Everything but the Kitchen sink

There is a lot going on in this book. That makes it a good diversion but it also makes it seem contrived after a while. The book is diverting and the reader is first rate. I think the reader did a fantastic job.

A Ripping Tale, a bit spoiled

Rubenfeld has written a densely plotted adventure, full of interesting historical details and carefully drawn characters. It's also well-written, and rockets right along. There are no sagging bits, and not many loose ends for such a complicated contraption. I am sad to say that the narrator spoiled a great deal of this book for me. EVERY character is given a distinct, and distinctly over-the-top, accent and voice. Even the lead characters are converted into caricatures by this over-smoked ham.

Truly Entertaining

Mr. Rubenfeld is a literary genius. The way he blends his characters with the historical figures not only entertains but educates us of the times gone by. This book is like an adrenaline-pumping ride on a roller coaster that plunges you back in time meeting historical characters who have contributed to the progress of science and American culture. I enjoyed the participation of Sigmund Freud and Madame Curie and other cabinet members during the time of Warren Harding. The plot is so convoluted but it the end the characters seamlessly intertwine like fibers to form the tapestry.

good story, unlovable hero

The writing, the plot, the narration - they were all working for this story and I really wanted to like it. But I found one of the heros, Younger, to be a complete cad, a violent, nasty, overbearing snob. He detracted from every scene he was in. Leave me Colette, Livermore, and Luc, but take that Younger out.

Intriging from the start

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

I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who likes a good mystery and/or historical fiction. Rubenfeld really captures the post WWI era in both Europe and the US East Coast.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot and sub plots were very intriging with a little suspense and romance mixed in