I moved back up here to get away from it all.
Craig A. Hart
Serenity
Format:
Audiobook. ebook is also available
Update: Books 1-4 of the series have been combined into a single set.
Publisher’s Synopsis:
A woman dies in his arms…a drug dealer offers him $10,000…a gunman is determined to kill him. And then everything went to hell.
Shelby Alexander is an aging ex-boxer and retired fixer whose activities often flirted with the wrong side of the law. Looking for a little peace and a slower pace of life, he moved to Serenity, the small Michigan town where he grew up. But trouble follows men like Shelby, and he finds himself embroiled in an underworld of drugs and violence that may prove to be his undoing.
It seemed so simple: 10 grand to ask a few questions. He should have known money complicates everything, especially when the infamous Ellis family is involved, and when a small army of downstate dealers and a shadowy gunman all turn their sights on him, Shelby decides things have gone far enough. And he won’t let the law stand in his way.
The first book in the new Shelby Alexander Thriller series, Serenity is an action-packed audiobook with a lovingly rendered cast, witty dialogue, and a main character who doesn’t know when to quit.
Point of view:
3rd person
Rellim’s Thoughts:
This is my first experience with author Craig Hart & narrator Theo Holland. This is a really short book. If it’s not novella-length, it’s definitely just over the word count. That’s OK, I just think the length may have impacted feeling like the story was a little rushed and could be developed better. It wasn’t awful, I just wasn’t “wowed” by it.
Shelby Alexander is a divorcee, retired boxer, and … well, I don’t quite know. He doesn’t really have any background in the story to support it, but he gets “hired” by the local meth dealer to investigate who murdered his sister. He becomes embroiled in a turf war between drug manufacturers, puts up with local and biased law enforcement, tolerates his whiny daughter, and has frequent sex with his much younger girlfriend. Once I got past the “why this guy?”, I pretty much enjoyed it. Though, I think the story was significantly elevated by the narration.
I’m definitely invested in the world that Hart has built and am ready for Serenity Stalked.
Update: For whatever reason it took me a bit to click with the writing or story – but I kept going and definitely enjoyed the next two books. The rest are still on my crazy long TBL.
Narration:
Theo Holland was an excellent choice for this book. He sounds like how I imagine a 50+ former bad boy but trying to just get some peace and quiet man should sound. He gave all the characters unique voices and his accents were nice without being comical. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more from him.
I own the ebook, however, I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
About the author:
Craig A. Hart is the stay-at-home father of twin boys, an author, and audiobook narrator. He has served as editor-in-chief for The Rusty Nail literary magazine, manager for Sweatshoppe Media, and publisher for Northern Lake Publishing. He was also director for Northern Illinois Radio Information Service, a broadcast outreach that brought daily news and information to the visually impaired. Craig was the host of the interview program The Games & Writers Show, and is now the host of the Good Sentences podcast, along with author S. J. Varengo. A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Craig lives in Iowa City, Iowa with his wife, sons, and anti-social cat.
You can connect with Craig A. Hart here:
My Favorite Quotes
I moved back up here to get away from it all. – Serenity by @craighartreads #Audiobook narrated by Theo Holland #Thriller #Mystery #Novella #ShelbyAlexander
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