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Animal Instinct: Human Zoo cover art

Animal Instinct: Human Zoo

Written by: Simon Booker
Narrated by: Imogen Church, Brendan Coyle, Victoria Hamilton, Joseph Marcell, Niky Wardley, Lia Williams
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Publisher's Summary

We're all animals...although some of us have more primal instincts than others. 

Ex-policeman Joe Cassidy has a keen interest in animal behaviour and how it can have a bearing on some of the most heinous of human crimes - a talent that has heavily informed his detective work over the years. Although until now, he thought that he had left detective work behind.... 

Suffering from PTSD and wracked with guilt and failure after a grisly discovery in a particularly disturbing case, Joe lives in a lonely shack in the shadow of the nuclear power station at Dungeness. But when the daughter of an old friend goes missing, the investigation centres on the wealthy family's animal park. 

Owing the owner a favour from years past, Joe is drawn further and further into the enquiry - hoping to solve the riddle of the disappearance amid the family's increasing dysfunction and desperate to find redemption for himself in the process. 

Featuring: Fehinti Balogun, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Ed Bluemel, Imogen Church, Brendan Coyle, Laurence Dobiesz, Victoria Hamilton, Rebekah Hinds, David John, Harry Lloyd, Brigid Lohrey, Joseph Marcell, Michael Shon, James Smith, Jo Stone-Fewings, Niky Wardley, Sarah Whitehouse and Lia Williams. 

©2018 Audible, Ltd (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about Animal Instinct: Human Zoo

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

Very entertaining

It was a good story and the performers made it even more enjoyable. I recommend it!

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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

Great Ensemble Performance

The story kept me guessing and I like that; interesting characters; one disturbing scene. The first ensemble performance I liked! Well done all.

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

Performances are excellent.

I didn’t like the ending. The characters and performances scored highest. Excellent narration as well.

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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

Loved this!

Really enjoyed the ensemble cast! I liked the way the story moved fast with many twists and turns. Thoroughly enjoyed!

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1 person found this helpful

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

"Average" Radioplay

The keep-you-guessing mystery in this book is well-plotted and well-delivered. Simon Booker writes an intriguing protagonist: ex-DCI Joe Cassidy - disabled with PTSD, married to the woman who replaced him as lead homicide investigator, and father to one of the main suspects in the murder. He has Cassidy agree to investigate the disappearance of a friend/zoo-owner's daughter - starting readers on a twisty-turny journey loaded with plausible suspects, false leads, and hidden motives.
Less fortunately, there's nothing particularly original here, Booker invests an inordinate amount of effort exploring love triangles in Cassidy's life, and the overall mood is unremittingly dreary (virtually no-one has any redeeming features in Booker's reality) - the otherwise excellent book comes across as moderately mundane, occasionally self-indulgent, and somewhat oppressive.

As to performance: the full cast is certainly creditable: characterized by exemplary diction, comfortable cadence/timbre, great timing, and professional voice-acting - but Audible Originals sound engineers allow ambient sounds (e.g. zoo animals screeching in the background), sound effects (e.g. footsteps in gravel), and modulation efforts (e.g. static-filled voices over the telephone) to overwhelm the dialogue. The recording is a bit of a difficult listen.

Altogether, 'Animal Instinct: Human Zoo' is a reasonable way to spend a quiet afternoon. If you can get this 6/10-star recording as a 'Plus' selection.. do so. Should Audible ask for a Credit, however, you could do better.

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