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Into the Blue
- Narrated by: Paul Shelley
- Series: Harry Barnett, Book 1
- Length: 18 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery
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What listeners say about Into the Blue
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- penny
- 13-04-13
Just what the Dr ordered
breast cancer prompted my introduction to audiobooks. This is my first book it is gripping from start to finish and keeps you hooked. Every time you think you've sussed it another page another twist. Excellent. Would recommend as a first class read or should I say listen. Robert Goddard you have a new fan.
32 people found this helpful
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- Rosemary White
- 10-03-13
A mystery sustained right to the last...
The blue seas and rocky hillsides of "Into The Blue" are atmospheric enough to give a real taste of the Greek Isles after the clear but not long descriptions.
There are enough red herrings to keep you guessing as to the culprit and the motive of the disappearance. At one point I was saying in my head to Harry Barnett, "Don't say it, don't say it." but of course he did and that made me really annoyed with him, which goes to show how involved I had become!
This is a fairly long book which requires a bit of concentration. There's lots of subtle plot machinations and there were a few surprises as well as a couple of predictable outcomes but these are not revealed until the very end.
If you want a good mystery, you'll find this book thoroughly enjoyable and worth listening to.
31 people found this helpful
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- Poppey
- 16-05-13
Brilliant
Couldn't put this one down; From Greece to UK and back again; riveting. Good storyline. Great narration.
19 people found this helpful
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- Nigel
- 08-05-13
Another great tale!
I discovered Goddard through Audible. I have been an avid reader throughout my life but not read his work. Some authors do not translate well to the spoken word, notably Ludlum, but I find Robert Goddard works beautifully in talking books. The pace, the story lines add up to a marvellous listening experience. "Into the Blue" is another example of how listening to books can be a joy.
16 people found this helpful
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- Jon
- 19-12-17
Very Entertaining
Very well read and performed and a strong story very typical of the author. Harry is an excellent central character.
10 people found this helpful
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- Lee
- 06-02-19
Overly Long
An interesting enough plot and characters but so drawn out and predictable. Easy to guess and solve.
7 people found this helpful
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- mary Tunley
- 21-11-18
Awesome
This is the third Robert Goddard book I have listened to and it was amazing. Twists and turns in every chapter. I didn’t want it to end thoroughly recommend this book and will be downloading more
6 people found this helpful
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- Suki
- 21-07-20
One of the best
Superb novel, gentle twists and turns. Harry's character despite his view of himself as an overweight, under achieving middle aged man, is compelling. Perfect narration with wonderful and subtle portrayals of every voice. Don't give up after the first couple of chapters as I nearly did as this is really worth listening to. I am so pleased to have discovered Robert Goddard - I have a lot to catch up on!
4 people found this helpful
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- Dolly
- 03-01-18
Compelling listen
Quickly drawn into this tale of twists and turns, mystery and dark corners. Excellent narration with well voiced characterisation.
4 people found this helpful
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- NICOLA
- 25-09-17
enjoyable
This is a good story and like all robert goddard full of twists and turns
it was very well read which always adds to the enjoyment.
4 people found this helpful
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- John S.
- 22-08-13
This is a L-O-N-G book!
I was hooked by the audio narration early on, as well as Harry's likeable-schmuck-in-a-fix persona. Rhodes setting proved a strong start, with Inspector Melteades being a character I'd hoped to see more of (spoiler: we don't). I won't say the story gets "bogged down" in the middle, rather that so much happens that I had trouble keeping straight who was who; so, I paused partway through, coming back to the book after several days away. I'd say that helped as the tension escalates in the final third of the book. Strong finish with a surprise twist - at least I would never have seen it coming!
Definitely recommended, even with the complicated plotline making the story a bit of a chore to get through at times.
4 people found this helpful
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- Anniebligh
- 04-10-12
Thumping Good Listen
Won the 'W H Smith Thumping Good Read Award' in 1990 for this story
First of three books about Harry.
The second is 'Out of the Sun'
'Never go Back; is the third (not yet available through Audible)
And yes it is a good story. 22 years later it is still a good yarn. And well read by Paul Shelly.
10 people found this helpful
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- Celia
- 07-02-14
Better than most, but not the best Goddard
Beautifully written as he always is, intricate and surprising as usual, but not his best book. If you are new to Goddard start with Painting the Darkness or Caught in the Light, which I think are better. Narration is wonderful as always. I wish every author could use narrators of this quality.
2 people found this helpful
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- Cheryl
- 27-08-13
kept you guessing
What was one of the most memorable moments of Into the Blue?
The're quite a few as it twisted and turned and filled with suspense.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
The story make you feel for the lead character as he tried to figure but where she had vanished to
2 people found this helpful
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- Bob
- 04-10-13
What a great tale and so well performed.
Would you consider the audio edition of Into the Blue to be better than the print version?
Though I haven't read the print version, there's just something about having all of the international characters come to life with their accents and foibles that really makes the performance superior.
What other book might you compare Into the Blue to and why?
Ian Rankin's Scottish detective series. I guess because both sets of heros aren't ashamed of their flaws- they both drink and smoke too much and are well past their prime but still have some guile when they need it.
What about Paul Shelley’s performance did you like?
His ability to take on such a wide sweep of character dialogues.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
It's a perfect book for a looong drive at 18 hours. I usually prefer about 8 hours but this definitely kept outr interest for a long vacation drive this summer.
Any additional comments?
Into the Blue has a great mix of mystery and adventure with many characters drawn in great detail. It was one that I didn't have to cringe to listen to with my wife and family the way I sometimes do with a lot of sex and violence and profanity.
1 person found this helpful
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- John
- 02-06-13
Goddard never lets me down. Another great book.
I have to say, I have yet to pull a rock when choosing a Goddard title. They always have the best narrators. Even though you start to pick up a formula to his books, he is one of the few authors that can pull it off and make you want to come back for more. Everything about this book I enjoyed. The characters, scenes, plot and twists. Classic Goddard. Highly recommend to anyone.
5 people found this helpful
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- Regina
- 26-12-12
Elegant writer, solid plot
I like Robert Goddard. He's evidence of a solid liberal arts education. There's nothing showy in his writing. It's more like a glass you can see through than a decorative object to admire.
The plot works, with the hero having only a couple (one big) stupid moments that serve to propel the plot without being reasonable. That's the reason I didn't give 5 stars.
8 people found this helpful
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- Cleo lane
- 19-05-22
Convoluted plot with too many characters
It takes great concentration to keep up with all the characters in Harry’s life. The addition of gratuitous sex scenes just cheapened it more. I have rarely read many books with sixty plus chapters. I gave up after forty and the completely unnecessary graphic sex scene.
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- Robert L. Nussbaum
- 27-01-18
Intriguing with multiple twists and turns
What made the experience of listening to Into the Blue the most enjoyable?
The story and the narration were both really enjoyable. Reminded me of one of my favorite authors, Eric Ambler, where a naive and romantic individual gets sucked into a situation he does not understand and, despite being duped and manipulated, finds his way through without losing his honor.
Which character – as performed by Paul Shelley – was your favorite?
Jack Cornelius
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Cornelius' last appearance in the book.
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- Katherine
- 30-01-14
Favourite of his so far
I was all set to find the middle section long, based on the other reviews, but I didn't at all. Nor did I find any characters or storylines abandoned, but maybe I missed it! This is my third Robert Goddard book and it seemed perfectly paced. There is lots to keep one's interest along the way and much to reveal at the end.
I find that I can't listen to his books one right after another, because of the similar elements (revenge, betrayal, nothing is what it seems, etc.), but after a brief rest, I'll return for more. Clearly, it doesn't seem to matter what the external circumstance is in terms of plot and setting, because he makes it a good story in each case. I'm fond of plots with political overtones myself because it lifts things out of the merely personal into a wider sphere. I'll look forward to the next one soon! I'll have to remember to have a dictionary nearby next time for the occasional new word. That's the mark of a good novel for sure!