Audiobooks

Between Good and Evil: A Master Profiler’s Hunt for Society’s Most Violent Predators – by Dr. Roger L. Depue

Reviewed by Jim Coleman
Company driver,
Averitt Express

Listening Time: 5 hours
Publisher: Time Warner Audio
Retail: $29.98
Genre: Non-fiction

Plot: Roger L. Depue is a criminal profiler for the FBI. He tells of his exploits as a profiler – the gruesome crime scenes and how the crime scene itself tells a story. He tells how he and a few others convinced the FBI of the need for the Behavioral Science Unit. He and others worked with and interviewed serial killers to try to understand what drove them to commit their crimes.

What was your favorite moment? My favorite part of the book was when they analyzed the Jon Benet Ramsey ransom note. They read the note in its entirety and then broke it down, phrase by phrase.

Which character was your favorite? Hands down it was Dr. Depue, a cop in Detroit. He worked hard to provide for his family and received a doctorate degree in counseling and human development, masters in society and the law, and an undergraduate degree in psychology. He became a criminal profiler for the FBI when criminal profiling was in its infancy. He became chief of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, created the National Center for Analysis of Violent Crime and after his retirement from the FBI, founded The Academy Group, a six-member group of retired FBI, CIA and Secret Service members that does forensic profiling for law enforcement agencies, the FBI and relatives of victims with nowhere else to turn.

Did the audiobook have a message or theme? As the title reflects, the theme is about good and evil and the constant fight between them. What our law enforcement is doing to combat evils of our society, how they have improved over the years and how we, as individuals, can possibly thwart evil through compassion.

What did you like or dislike? I thought it was fascinating to hear about some of the cases that Dr. Depue worked on as an agent for the FBI and The Academy Group. The Martha Moxley and Jon Benet Ramsey murders and the Columbine school shooting, to name just a few. My only dislike was that it was abridged for audio.

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Would you recommend?: Absolutely. This book lets you into the mind of a man who was paid to get into the minds of a variety of criminals. To walk into a crime scene (or review pictures), look around at what evidence was present, and tell the investigators, “This is what to look for in your suspects.”

Narrator’s style: David Povall did a fine job of narrating this book. He spoke clearly and was easy to listen to. The amazing thing was that I had a hard time distinguishing the transition from the author’s introduction and when Povall began to read. They sound that much alike.

How would you grade the book? A


Double Tap – by Steve Martini

Reviewed by Bill Cummings
Owner-operator,
Prime Inc.

Listening Time: 5 hours
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Retail: $29.95
Genre: Mystery

Plot: The plot takes the listener through the dirty deed (murder) and trial of a very likely perpetrator through attorney Paul Madriani’s description and defense of a business woman’s accused murderer. The company she presided over, key employees as well as government contract experiences are woven into a very interesting process of events. The accused has all of the needed qualities of suspicion.

What was your favorite moment? The ending was my favorite moment because the real culprit and his unexpected reasons for murder were carefully woven into the story. Listen carefully, and you might suspect him, too!

Which character was your favorite? Attorney Madriani was so good at putting the puzzle together to the point where he excited government attorneys in the courtroom to a level that wouldn’t have been expected.

Did the audiobook have a message or theme? The novel leads the listener to mistrust big corporation personalities, government policies and personal greed for power and financial gain.

What did you like or dislike? I liked the story – as realistic and passion-filled as would be desired in a mystery. I didn’t like the abridgement, but so be it. I also hated to come to the end.

Would you recommend?: Yes! A truly mysterious book with surprises, seemingly real aspects and flowing presentation.

Narrator’s style: Joe Montegna did a great job. He didn’t seem to be reading. The intrigue and emotions of the author’s written words were felt as if the narrator were actually the writer. I liked it very much!

How would you grade the book? B+


Behind the Lines – by Andrew Carroll
For three years, Andrew Carroll traveled throughout the United States and around the world to seek out the most powerful and unforgettable letters ever written during U.S. wars. Behind the Lines is a dramatic, intimate and revealing look at warfare as seen through the personal correspondence of U.S. and foreign troops and civilians who have experienced major conflicts firsthand. From handwritten missives penned during the American Revolution to e-mails from Afghanistan and Iraq, this audiobook captures the full spectrum of emotions expressed in times of war.
Abridged on five CDs
Retail: $29.95
Simon & Schuster Audio


Drivers, here is your chance to review the latest audiobooks. Tell our readers what you like or dislike about the plot and characters, and why you would recommend it to other drivers. At left is one of the audiobooks available in the Truckers News audiobook library. Contact Kristin Walters at (800) 633-5953, ext. 1204, or via e-mail at [email protected] to reserve an audiobook. It will be sent to you free of charge for your review. Audiobooks are available on a first-call, first-served basis.

Audiobook Sources
Audiobooks may be purchased or rented from the following sources:

AUDIO ADVENTURES, (800) 551-6692, for 14-day rental of most major titles.
OASIS AUDIO, www.oasisaudio.com, for purchase.
Simon & Schuster Audio, (800) 223-2336, for purchase.
Audiobooks from these publishers, Random House, Time Warner and Topics Entertainment are available for purchase from www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and www.borders.com.