Fatal Infraction (Mike Stoneman Thriller #4)

Jimmy Rydell is found naked and dead on a carousel in Central Park. It’s obvious to detectives Mike Stoneman and Jason Dickson that Jimmy has been strangled, but the cause of death isn’t officially determined until an autopsy is complete. Unfortunately, Jimmy’s body is frozen, and has to thaw before Michelle McNeill, Mike’s girlfriend, can perform the autopsy. There are several people with the motive to want Jimmy dead—Nate, a player with white supremacy tendencies; Chip, the son of the football team owner who stands to lose millions on Jimmy’s contract; Fat Albert, a mafia kingpin who has lost money on Jimmy; and others.

This audiobook draws listeners in, allowing them to ride and walk with Stoneman and Dickson as they follow the various threads to their logical conclusions to solve this mystery. The banter between the protagonists is comfortable, and often includes important peripheral characters who add important insights into the story. The audiobook drags in places; however, that is sometimes the nature of a police procedural. The deductive reasoning of the main characters leads to a solid and exciting conclusion!

This author narrates his own work. The voice of Stoneman is gritty and speaks of age and wisdom. Dickson is his younger partner, and is portrayed as such, but also seems to have a lot of innate intelligence. There are multiple characters to track, and Chapman does a wonderful job of creating a distinct personality and voice for each one. This narrator is intimately acquainted with these characters, and it shows!  The recording quality is good; however, there is a low-pitched hum lurking in the background at times. Nevertheless, this story is interesting and captivating and will delight listeners.

Carey Sullivan