Going Underground cover art

Going Underground

Jonathan Roper Investigates Series, Book 1

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About this listen

A spate of murders, deranged scientists, and heavily armed mercenaries - little wonder there's a state of panic at Scotland Yard.

Chief Inspector Brian Hooley has a plan, and it won't make him popular. He wants to bring back autistic detective Jonathan Roper. Currently suspended on misconduct charges, his condition, coupled with a relentless work ethic, makes Roper a unique investigator with observational skills that allow him to see what others miss. But he is also a complex man who doesn't get social boundaries, and plenty of his colleagues just don't like him.

Hooley doesn't care about that. He knows Roper is the one to make a difference.

What follows is a roller-coaster ride, with the veteran cop about to find out what it's like to be the subject of Roper's unflinching gaze as his personal habits face intense scrutiny.

This special relationship is warmly observed and provides a comic contrast to a darkly compelling story where the pair is pushed to the limit.

©2017 Michael Leese (P)2018 Tantor Dark Humour Literature & Fiction Mystery Traditional Detectives
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so glad I tried this book. looking forward to the next one. love the characters (apart from the horrendous 'baddies').

loved it. esp DCI Hooley

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I enjoyed the story once I got over the very disconcerting narration.

What a strange accent and Often strange pronunciation.

Disconcerting narrator

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not my favourite narrator voice but he read well and clearly. Great storyline. I almost listened to the whole book in one sitting!

the fascinating storyline

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I liked the story but it’s slow going first as the reader need to get the grip on the character of Jonathan roper the autistic brain of the investigation. The reading is not bad but a bit all the fact to describe, not much drama in the voice or intonation. It fits the story but it is not helping getting excited about the characters to suffer or engage with them. For lovers of a whodunnit it’s a good one though.
I rated it a bit down though as the second in this series is only available on audio, I prefer collecting series’ I like in one format or the other. I’m sure though that paperbacks are still available for all in bookshops and the single titles can stand alone and even skipping that one doesn’t break the story.
There is another series about Jonathan Roper and his DCI which gets deeper in the relationship and successful collaboration of brain and procedure, policy restrictions and creative freedom of keeping stubborn on the path of solving the crimes.

The story is good, old school with a twist

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Partly because of the way it was read (some very odd pronunciations) and partly because of the characters I cannot say I greatly enjoyed this as a listen. The opening scenario is intriguing and I only persevered to see how matters were resolved. The portrayal of the "autistic" investigator's supposed "autistic" character traits played on tropes and left me feeling distinctly uncomfortable. The narrative might have worked better if that character had simply been presented as having various eccentricities and if we had been spared the dialogues where his superior "explains" how the world works. The actual underlying story is a good one.

Not for me

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