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  • First Hand

  • A DC O'Connell Crime Thriller Prequel
  • By: AL Fraine
  • Narrated by: Julia Eve
  • Length: 1 hr and 12 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (7 ratings)
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First Hand cover art

First Hand

By: AL Fraine
Narrated by: Julia Eve
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Summary

This is a prequel to The Upper Hand.

A woman is killed in a stone circle in Ireland, and the police have no leads. But Kate O’Connell, the victim’s niece and close friend, is sure she knows who did it, and want’s justice.

Ten years before Kate becomes a detective on the Surrey Murder Team, she suffered the loss of her aunt in a brutal killing on the outskirts of Cork, Ireland. 

Stricken with grief, the 16-year-old Kate grows frustrated with the apparent lack of progress made by the Irish Garda in hunting down Fiona’s killer. 

To Kate, it’s simple. Fiona was like a sister to her, and shared everything, including the actions of her ex-boyfriend who used to violently beat her. He’d been stalking her again just days before her murder, and Kate was well aware of what he was capable of. 

It had to be him. He must be the killer, and Kate has decided to take it upon herself to bring him to justice.

But nothing is ever that easy.

©2019 Andrew Dobell (P)2021 Andrew Dobell

What listeners say about First Hand

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This wasn’t a real story

It had a beginning but not really a middle and definitely no end. But that does not mean it’s bad as it will explain the future developments for Kate. And I’m sure the killer will resurface at some stage. So after all it was enjoyable and made me want more. Not sure about the narrator though it was a bit monoton and all on same level but maybe that was a mirror of the missing action within the story as it got better towards the end. But narrators have different impacts on different listeners it’s always good to give it more than one try. Onwards to the next book

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Kate's background

I originally got the free copy of the ebook version from the author's mailing list but never found time to read it so when I was offered the brand new audiobook version just after finishing books 3 & 4 I jumped at it. While it's only a short novella it fills in many of the blanks from Kate's origins and her past, which comes back to haunt her in spectacular fashion in the later books.

The narrator brings the characters to life and is a pleasure to listen to.

I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and am voluntarily writing an honest and unbiased review.

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thriller

I really enjoyed the narration of Julia Eve


This short listen gives a bit of background to events in Kate’s life when her aunt was brutally murdered.
What happens in Ireland was meant to stay in Ireland ....

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a good read

a good read , looking forward to the next book now.
narrator was also very good.

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Awesome

Awesome narration, a thrilling mystery type story that engages you from the get go. What mode could you be looking for. Currently recommending this to everyone who will listen.

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Great book

If you have listened to the other books in this series this book will just shed light on what happened before hand. I really enjoyed the back story

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Useful prequel and fills in the gaps.

This was really useful and filled in the gaps to the backstory, Really looking forward to how it is resolved.

I was given a free copy by the narrator but this is no way influenced the above review.

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