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Preview
  • Think of a Number

  • By: John Verdon
  • Narrated by: Jeff Harding
  • Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,192 ratings)

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Think of a Number

By: John Verdon
Narrated by: Jeff Harding
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Summary

It begins with a letter... The letter contains a request - think of a number, any number - and a sealed envelope. Inside the envelope is that number... When Dave Gurney, retired NYPD homicide detective, is contacted by an old college acquaintance about some startling letters he’s been receiving, it is at first little more than a diverting but sinister puzzle. Until the acquaintance is brutally killed.

Suddenly Gurney finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation that makes no sense. The killer seems to have known his victim intimately. How else was he able to predict his victim’s thoughts, even his actions? How did he know his darkest secrets? The killer is smart and he is playing with the police...

©2010 John Verdon (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
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What listeners say about Think of a Number

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Story - not to be missed!

This is the first novel to feature retired NYPD 'Supercop' Dave Gurney (there are now three to date) and what a debut it is!

A very cleverly woven puzzle of a crime story that positively encourages the listener/reader to try and work out what comes next!

Given the strength of this book I am certain that John Verdon is destined to become the next big name to join the hallowed ranks of Connelly, Deaver, Child and Crais – don’t miss it!

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5 people found this helpful

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

Think of number

Think of number-not a bad listen plot had a few twists
Good narration
Might try another of his books

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2 people found this helpful

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

Not as good as I had hoped

A bit predictable but somewhat enjoyable ... wasn't too keen on the narrator ... ..

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

Great paced and well told

a plethora of interesting characters whose personalities and back stories kept evolving made this book enjoyable to the end, and hoping that the main characters make it to another tale.

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

Highly engaging

Well narrated. Moves along at a good pace. Plotting sufficiently complex to keep you guessing for quite a while without being so bizarre as to be beyond belief. Highly recommended.

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

Excellent

Gripping story and very well written. The narrator is fantastic. Would highly recommend and will be listening to more from this dream team.

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

Slow warm up but then gripping

As a first story in a series this is a great start and I will definitely try another.

The back story was pertinent but didn’t take over, and the introspection wasn’t heavy or whining and there wasn’t too much of it, so that the story could be enjoyed.

The detective and his wife are likeable characters. The detective’s interactions with his colleagues was positive (and thankfully without the whining conspiracy theories that have become so tedious in too many current series).

The murder plot was good and engaging even if a little derivative and although I could predict the end it didn’t stop me listening to the end to find out what happened.

The narration was overall good with just a couple of issues which passed briefly.

Definitely good enough to want to listen to the next instalment.

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

A Very Enjoyable Listen

This book introduces the interesting contemporary American detective, Dave Gurney, who is retired from the LAPD but who cannot (because he does not really want to) leave police work behind. The story and the characterization are intriguing because Dave Gurney is not just a clever detective but also a man who is not entirely honest with himself. His relationship with his insightful and clever wife is particularly engrossing. There are a number of characters in the story who you love to hate, because they make such believable cantankerous human beings. The story is richly narrated by Jeff Harding, whose pace and story-creating ability is thoroughly engaging.

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16 people found this helpful

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

Modern Noir Novelist

Firstly, the book is narrated quite wonderfully by Jeff Harding. Each character is verbally drawn with clarity and precision while never losing character and warmth. The exception is the antagonist whose voice characterisation is exactingly skin-crawling. Quite brilliant. John Verdon is a new, deeply satisfying Audible discovery. His writing is very modern with a distinct admiration for the great noir novelists like Chandler and Hammett but retains its own unique twist on the same. His bon mots are equally as funny as the best descriptions of Marlowe and Spade of Chandler and Hammett fame while retaining their aphoristic quality. In each and every dark laugh there's an unnervingly dark truth and understanding of the most questionable aspects of human behaviour. Verdon's protagonist is a worthy successor to Philip Marlowe.

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2 people found this helpful

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

great

really enjoyed this thriller and Jeff harding is a narrator that can bring any book alive I'm definitely going to listen to more of this author.

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1 person found this helpful