The purgatory of group therapy

I've loved every other Greg Hurwitz book I've read or listened to, so I actually 'saved' this one for a time when I really needed distraction. That was not a wise decision.

If you like lurking and prowling along the edges of endless group therapy sessions with a bunch of really low-life people, then this is for you. However interesting the first hour or two of it might be, as you see the techniques the protagonist-therapist uses to make headway with some of them, it gets supremely boring going into hours six, seven and eight. I started to think I should get paid to listen to all this. (Okay, there's SOME other plot points in between, but not much. Clearly Hurwitz has chosen this vehicle to tell the story.)

That's one thing you can say about Steve White's Dr. Alan Gregory -- also a psychologist: he knows when to stop with the coverage of therapy sessions. There's a limit as to how much the non-psychologists among us are willing to listen to.

Yes, it picked up toward the end, but if you're considering this book, think about how many hours of group therapy -- much of it rendered in Ebonics by narrator Scott Brick, who does a fine job of staying awake through it all. Unless you're a psychologist who can get continuing education points for this, I'd suggest moving on to some other Greg Hurwitz book.

88 people found this helpful

First and last

This is the first book by Gregg Hurwitz and the last. This was a most wordy and boring book! Scott Brick did a great job carrying the storyline! He could not save this book and poor storyline.

5 people found this helpful

Painful!

Normally Gregg Hurwitz and Scott Brick would be a winning combination but this book just does not work. When I get a book by this author I expect a hang-on-to-your-seat thrill ride. The first 8 hours of this book are about as exciting as watching paint dry. Even when the pace picks up it is just very anticlimactic. I liked the main character but just never really connected with him or any of the others. And I knew who the bad guy was way before I should have. There were some thought-provoking moments and spurts of excellent writing but it was just not up to the normal standards of this writer.

45 people found this helpful

Gregg Hurwitz just gets better and better!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have read most of the Greg Hurwitz books and this one was not only nail biting and intense but also moving. The characters in the story are lovable, well most of them anyhow. Redemption being a common theme, I just loved the characters and the relationships. How about a sequel? The main character could easily have a series where he continues to help the police detective. And narrator, Scott Brick never disappoints. He has narrated many of Greg's books and I have listened to all of them. More Scott Brick please, he could read the phone book and make it sound interesting.

What other book might you compare Tell No Lies to and why?

Any Scott Brick narrated book but especially ones written by Greg Hurwitz, Harlan Coben and John Lutz.

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He is the best! I actually look for Scott Brick narrated books when deciding what to listen to.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me cry in multiple areas as well as laugh. I went through the full gamete of emotions.

Any additional comments?

More!

35 people found this helpful

Definitely not Hurwitz’s best work

I have read and very much enjoyed several other books by Gregg Hurwitz. This book was definitely the weakest from him that I have read so far. I think that Hurwitz has a tendency to make characters act in ways that would be totally contrary to their natures, but this tendency seems to be on steroids in “Tell No Lies”. I don’t want to do any spoilers so I won’t give any specific examples, but there are very wealthy people with long histories of smart wealth management make imbecilic investment mistakes; the police officers were rather incompetent; hardened criminals melt into tearful repentance when their counselor has them join hands and sing kumbaya; and villains who act like psychopathic Bernie Sanders extremist fans. One or two anomalies would be okay, but there are way too many here. And the main character makes a lot of stupid decisions and doesn’t take some obvious steps, if you are being closely targeted by a psychopathic killer and your wife who you dearly love is also at risk, and the killer could set on you at anytime, wouldn’t you acquire a gun? And wouldn’t you have your well connected mother pay off whatever San Francisco politicians or party bosses necessary to procure a carry permit? All this tends to make the book too far-fetched to really enjoy, but I will say that Hurwitz is a compelling story teller and Scott Brick is a great narrator. Overall, I give this 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. There are better thrillers out there.

4 people found this helpful

Gregg Hurwitz does it again.

Where does Tell No Lies rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

There is a similarity to all of Hurwitz's books. I don't mind. I'll keep reading.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Certainly kept you wondering.

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favorite?

He did Evelyn very well. Although I think he does a great job with all of characters.

17 people found this helpful

Not one of his best

I've listened to several other Hurwitz' books and was very happy, so I was excited to get started on this one. Unfortunately, it was a let down. The story line was interesting and original, but I kept figuring things out before it should have been apparent, leading me to be frustrated with the main character and lead detective. I like a challenge and this book was not one.

19 people found this helpful

Don't let your FOSB dissuade you

I almost didn't buy this because of FOSB (Fear of Scott Brick) but was pleasantly surprised that he seems to have toned down his inherent Scott Brickiness. Ha! I'm halfway through, think I've figured out the connection among the murder victims, and am particularly enjoying the stories and dialog of the counseling sessions led by the main character. Lots of implausibilities here but what the heck, it's not a textbook.

37 people found this helpful

This is probably the best mystery I've ever listened to…

Great plot, well-written, with great characters and a story that is fast paced and interesting. The main character is a therapist, and some of the book takes place in a group therapy setting, which the author handles incredibly well. Makes me think he's got some psychological background. I'm afraid to say more for fear of giving away important plot points… I'll just say that the book never sagged for me, and I was sorry when it ended.

4 people found this helpful

Head the other direction and run!

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Zombies ...

What do you think your next listen will be?

Something European or Nordic noir ...

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Scott Brick?

Not applicable - the material he had to work with was so bad, ... but he has this way of narrating where his voice starts to rise and becomes more uber-dramatic - I don't like it at all.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Tell No Lies?

Ha! The only scene worth keeping is the part where our hero finds the mis-delivered threatening letter.

Any additional comments?

You've been warned!

11 people found this helpful