Turtle Island

Georgina O'Neil, Book 1

By: Darren E Laws

Narrated by: Carmen Beaubeaux

When the body of a man is washed up in the river; Turtle Island, Missouri is awoken from being a peaceful haven and thrust into the attention of the national media.

The case is solved rather all too conveniently and F.B.I agent Georgina O'Neil is left with severe doubts - have they caught the right man? A feeling that is justified after case Detective Montoya and his family are kidnapped and a web site is set up promising America its first "live execution". Turtle Island is now thrust into global spotlight and the world gets to vote on who the killer will choose next. As O'Neil digs deeper she finds evidence of a paedophile ring that could run into the heart of the police. No longer sure who they should trust, O'Neil and case partner, Detective LaPortiere, have to find the Montoya's and save them before an 8pm deadline. The clock is ticking…

©2014 Darren Laws (P)2014 Darren Laws

Turtle Island

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It was hard for me to pause and do some other things but I listened to its entirety. Good audiobook to listen to.

A Gripping Thriller with Heart-Stopping Moments

Turtle Island is a total page-turner! Suspense, moody characters, and unpredictable plot twists had me hooked from the first page to the last. Georgina O’Neil is the kind of main character you can get behind: smart, gutsy, committed to the truth. The plot is cleverly devised with surprises aplenty including a shocking discovery of a paedophile ring and a race against time to save the Montoya family. Carmen Beaubeaux’s narration gave the story so much depth; she really brings all the emotion and tension to life. This is definitely one of those raves that I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book!

A Twisted, Gripping Crime Thriller

What a wonderful beginning to a new series! Darren E. Laws does a phenomenal job of crafting a dark, short-paced world where nothing is quite what it seems. Georgina O’Neil is such a strong character and the mystery around the kidnapped detective and live execution plot really had me hooked from start to finish. The twists are impossible to predict, and the stakes feel unbearably high. Carmen Beaubeaux’s narration is just right, matching the tension and urgency perfectly. I was holding my breath at points — this one’s not to be missed.

didn't keep my interest

didn't like how only one person read all the parts and just changed the voice. it just didn't seem realistic. the story had some good parts but overall it didn't keep my attention. not sure if it is bc im working and listening at the same time.

This novel was intense

Turtle Island by Darren E. Laws is the first in a trilogy called the Georgina O’Neill Trilogy. Georgina O’Neill is an FBI agent who arrives in an ordinarily quiet town in Mississippi to find a dead body and a murderer to catch. Rick Montoya and Leroy LaPortiere are local detectives who are shocked by the sudden appearance of murder in their town. Three of them work together to case the murder as the case escalates and they uncover not only murders but cases of pedophilia. Now they must find and arrest the perpetrators and determine whether these crimes are related or if Turtle Island has suddenly been transformed into a criminal hot zone.

This novel was intense. I didn’t find the beginning particularly interesting and I didn’t find the characters particularly compelling. Even throughout the novel, the relationships between the detectives and the FBI agent rubbed me the wrong way. I did not like how the sexism in the work place and the sexual remarks were used and the remarks struck me as especially unprofessional. But in this case, the plot really did overcome my lack of interest in the characters. As the plot unfolded, I became more and more involved in the story and trying to figure out who the criminal was. While I was able to figure it out somewhat early, the red herrings still sucked me into the plot and distracted me from the truth. Everything came together in a crazy conclusion. I enjoyed the points of view from the minor characters because it expanded the plot a bit. The parts of the novel that were from the victims were excruciating to listen to. It was difficult to listen to and I would warn anyone who has experience abuse to beware. The parts from the perspective of the criminals were creepy as well and made me uncomfortable.

The narration by Carmen Beaubeaux was great. I wasn’t sold on her in the beginning, but after listening to the entire novel I think she did a great job with the different characters and parts that were filled with emotion. The production quality was good. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes crime thrillers.

Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.

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