I am ashamed to say I’ve had this one sitting on my kindle and my phone for an absolute age. Not because I didn’t want to listen, but because I simply could not find the time! There are hours and hours of listening here – great, when you have time to kill, but I don’t get that, I have to wait for long journeys to be worth getting started.
So finally I had a few lined up, and here is what I have to say about HIDDEN TRUMP, Bite Back book 2
Hidden Trump by Mark Henwick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
As usual, nothing in Amber Farrell’s life is straightforward. The sheer number of complications that wrap her life are mind-boggling: family, relationships, athenate, werewolves, adepts, crime lords, the FBI… The list keeps multiplying as each problem impinges on other aspects of Amber’s life, twisting already difficult situations into crises.
I love it! The way these problems develop are all so logical – no artifice or plot devices here, they unfold in realistic fashion, producing a highly complex, multi-stranded plot that to me, makes the ideal novel.
Henwick’s writing is a joy – his descriptions posses a wonderful organic flow that leaves me, as a writer, seething with envy; his over-arching thread for the series is skilfully woven into the events of the individual story, and his heroine is both super strong and yet by no means invincible. She’s working things out as she goes alone, with all the attendant confusion and doubt that brings. The action and pace is blistering even with the many long conversations, probably down to the fact that the dialogue is so utterly realistic, and the many characters all have their individual manner of speaking.
I listened to the audio book and at this point I would also praise the narrator, who has a fantastic range that makes each and every character’s speech instantly recognisable – I was never in any doubt as to who was speaking. This is a long book, and you need to enjoy a voice if you are going to listen for that many hours. I’d highly recommend this audio version if you don’t want to sit and read the book.
You can see my review of SELIGHT OF HAND, Bite Back book 1 audio book here.
I’m curious – I’ve been thinking about getting my own books recorded for audio – how many of you listen to audio books?
deborahjay 
Great review and really good cover!
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Cheers! And I like this cover – Mark keeps changing them, but perhaps he’ll finally cease.
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Some people are just never satisfied with perfection. lol
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Baby girl, you KNOW I love audio books! You should have Mark introduce you to his narrator and discuss his audio v ebook sales. You two live fairly close to one another, you know – at least by US standards! 😊
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Lol, true, but we’re not used to thinking in US standards!
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Thank you Deborah!
It feels like my stories run away with me sometimes, but to keep writing, every writer needs fuel. That fuel comes from great reviews like this. 🙂
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Tell me about it! Getting positive reviews is such a confirmation and boost to the confidence, isn’t it? And I meant every word of it – I am so going to review my descriptive passages after hearing yours read.
Apologies it took me so long getting this done, but that’s the way of things, particularly (as you well know) when one is trying to get the next book written and edited. I can’t write short books either.
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Great review. I don’t listen to audio books. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t consider trying to put one of my books in audio. 🙂
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I’d like to get mine into audio, as there is obviously a market and less competition, but it’s just one more thing to take away time from writing, and with precious little of that at the moment, it’s on the back burner for now.
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Yes, my sentiments Deb. That’s why I said maybe later. Maybe after 2 more books, lol. 🙂
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