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  • Hush

  • By: Tal Bauer
  • Narrated by: Joel Leslie
  • Length: 19 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (77 ratings)
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Hush cover art

Hush

By: Tal Bauer
Narrated by: Joel Leslie
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Summary

Federal Judge Tom Brewer is finally putting the pieces of his life back together. In the closet for 25 long years, he's climbing out slowly, and, with the hope of finding a special relationship with the stunning Mike Lucciano, US Marshal assigned to his DC courthouse. He wants to be out and proud, but he can't erase his own past, and the lessons he learned long ago.

A devastating terrorist attack in the heart of Washington, DC, and the capture and arrest of the terrorist lead to a trial that threatens to expose the dark underbelly of America's national security. The Russian president is gravely injured and fixated on revenge, while a gay Russian dissident is arrested and put on trial in Judge Tom Brewer's courtroom. As Russia beats the drums of war and the United States struggles to contain the trial before it races out of control, secrets and lies, past and present, collide in his courtroom, before his bench.

With the world's attention fixed on Tom and this case, secrets from his past explode during the course of the trial, which place him at the very center of the case and make him the only man who can try to stop the world's slide into war.

Contains mature themes.

©2017 Tal Bauer (P)2018 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+

What listeners say about Hush

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Overplayed narration

I'd heard good things about this book and the narrator, but I've learned the lesson that 'its all about taste', here.
One of my biggest bugbears with books, no matter the genre, is the internal monologue. Nothing can turn me off a book as quickly as ten pages of drivel about a character's backstory and them wondering about the if's, but's, and why's of where his life went wrong. To make things worse, a lot of the content is then cut and pasted later in the book as the character charts their growth from 'bad place at the start of the book' to 'happy place'.

Long, repetitive internal monologues ruin stories for me. I eye-roll so hard I get a look at my own brain. Authors who do this are just going for word count, and not the fluidity of the storytelling. It's a cheap trick and I don't like it. Therefore HOURS of this book were a struggle for me as I waded through all of the monologues to get to the core of the story.

The narration did not help. I get that Joel Leslie does really good accents, and I enjoyed his accents, but the main narration took on an overblown, overdramatic tone as if he's reading a soap opera script. It became very grating, especially during those blasted monologues.

So, even though I really wanted to like this book, it did not work for me.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An Outstanding Political Romantic Thriller

At last Tal Bauer is on Audio and OMG with who better but Joel Leslie to narrate this complex, intelligent and beautifully written story of political intrigue. Set in Washington D.C within the U.S judicial system and the trial of an international terrorist.
It’s also a love story between two totally different men who find each other at the right time in their lives.
Tal’s attention to detail and research, particularly into the LBGTQ history totally floored me. I remember reading this book first about 8 months ago and being brought to tears in parts. Listening to Joel bring Tal’s world to life had me sobbing and I actually ached for what these men when through in the late 80’s early 90’s.
I can’t recommend this audiobook enough and I just hope that his other books are going to become available on audio to.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

🥳 So Good!

Hush means “to keep from public knowledge” or “to suppress” and this is exactly what Tom did for 25 years as a closeted gay. When he is besotted with Mike, Tom’s inner desire to “come out” gains urgency. Tal Bauer draws a man struggling with his inner demons and with every slow chameleon-like forward step he takes to open the closet door, we root for Tom. 🤗 Tal Bauer opens Hush with Mike reeling from being wrong footed, so we understand his flip-flop responses to Tom’s affection. These grounded, nice men reveal their moral certainty and titanium backbones in the face of a court case that tests their mettle and forges their relationship in fire! 🥵 I bought everything that Mr. Bauer sold about the high drama, political intrigue and criminal conspiracies. The deep knowledge and detailed research that went into crafting this tale means that nothing is lazily drawn here and the last quarter of the book is pure suspense and thrilling!

🎧 I respect Joel Leslie’s professionalism and his massive body of work but l actively avoid titles he performs – his voice and narration style are not to my taste. Mr. Leslie shone in voicing the international cast of characters as dialects, accents, LGBTQ+ inflections etc. play to his strength. I wish Tom and Mike received the same voicing care because they sound similar. The slight differences in intonation ineffectively reflected Tom’s reticence and intellectual, urbane vibe and insufficiently contrasted with Mike’s confident, friendlier, outdoorsy nature. As a result, Mike's concerns about being out of Tom's league did not ring true - a pity as this was their primary conflict. Nonetheless, Mr. Leslie’s commitment to narrating with verve held my interest for 19+ hours.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

I loved this!
I loved this!
I loved this!
I loved this!
I loved this!
Joel Leslie is fantastic

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent mystery with multiple POV

I wasn't sure what to expect as ive only read Tal's sports romances before but it was brilliant. Lots of twists and turns in this political mystery and it had me wondering who to trust right to the end. 2 MMC but it often has the POV of others to give a new insight when needed. Joel was amazing as usual and I definitely recommend this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

fantastic thriller with incredible narration

I loved all of this. I love a happy ending. enough peril on the way to be truly gripping.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Joel Leslie is always half of a good audiobook. The book kept me guessing, twiddling my thumbs nervously and gave me aaaalll the feels...

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Just amazing

Every once in a while you find a book that not only meets your expectations it creates a new standard for your reading journey. Hush was it for me. I hope I find another book as amazing as this one. 10/5 stars

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, read brilliantly.

Thoroughly enjoyable blend of tense thriller with very romantic love story. Excellent narration captured both aspects .

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

I really enjoyed this book, the storyline was great as was the characters, and the narrator brought the whole thing to life.

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