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  • Quantum: A Thriller

  • Captain Chase, Book 1
  • By: Patricia Cornwell
  • Narrated by: January LaVoy
  • Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
  • 2.8 out of 5 stars (111 ratings)
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Quantum: A Thriller cover art

Quantum: A Thriller

By: Patricia Cornwell
Narrated by: January LaVoy
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Summary

A USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestseller.

International bestselling author Patricia Cornwell delivers pulse-pounding thrills in the first book in a series featuring a brilliant and unusual new heroine, cutting-edge cybertechnology, and stakes that are astronomically high.

On the eve of a top secret space mission, Captain Calli Chase detects a tripped alarm in the tunnels deep below a NASA research center. A NASA pilot, quantum physicist, and cybercrime investigator, Calli knows that a looming blizzard and government shutdown could provide the perfect cover for sabotage, with deadly consequences.

As it turns out, the danger is worse than she thought. A spatter of dried blood, a missing security badge, a suspicious suicide—a series of disturbing clues point to Calli’s twin sister, Carme, who’s been MIA for days.

Desperate to halt the countdown to disaster and to clear her sister’s name, Captain Chase digs deep into her vast cyber security knowledge and her painful past, probing for answers to her twin’s erratic conduct. As time is running out, she realizes that failure means catastrophe—not just for the space program but for the safety of the whole nation.

Brilliantly crafted, gripping, and smart, Patricia Cornwell’s cliffhanger ending will keep listeners wondering what’s next for Captain Calli Chase.

©2019 by Cornwell Entertainment, Incorporated. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Thriller fans are in for a treat as narrator January LaVoy performs Patricia Cornwell's latest.... LaVoy is a vocal shape-shifter gliding between fluid narrative; the staccato, gravelly voice of Calli's sister, Fran, a police officer; gruff male characters; and Calli's increasing paranoia. As Calli follows the trail left by her missing sister, LaVoy's tones echo her growing distrust—of herself." (AudioFile Magazine)

What listeners say about Quantum: A Thriller

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

What has happened to Patricia Cornwell

I have been a fan since the very first book and have never missed a title. However the most recent Scarpetta books have a vein of paranoia and increasing the main characters have become flat and unpleasant I bought this book with hope for a new set of characters/situations which a fresh start might bring but no the same unsettling paranoia abounds, characters who just lie or dissemble with little redeeming features. Smug use of technical knowledge is everywhere wasting space, energy and patience and the repeated use of a countdown clock is irritating and lazy build your tension with words not gimmicks. I truly don’t know what to do, continue buying Cornwell books or give up on a favorite author?

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6 people found this helpful

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

What a let down

Really thought this was going to be a great read, but after a lot of listening - it ran out of speed - the next book will need to finish up a lot of loose ends - disappointed.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Quantum: Not really that thrilling

I'm not sure what I expected when I bought this book, but what i got wasn't what I expected either so there we go.

If that last sentence left you confused, then the feeling you're feeling is quite possibly similar to the feeling I was feeling whilst listening to this book.

I read the synopsis when the book was on early release for Prime members, but forgot all about it when it came time to listen. Pro tip, if you get early access to a book through prime you can quite often add Audible narration for a little over £3 which is usually a bargain!

So the book centres around Callie, an identical twin who is if I remember rightly a Nasa scientist type person, but also a cop and also waiting to hear if she's going to be an astronaut, oh and she also helps invent quite possibly billion dollar inventions with her dad which can be used by everyone from the military to Joe public. So it's safe to say she's a busy gal.

Anyhow Callie is gearing to supervise a spacewalk and a shuttle launch which are due to happen at the same time, oh and she has to solve a murder too.

Remember I said Callie had a twin? Well she's hoping to be an astronaut too but she's gone missing, is everything connected? Who knows, I've finished the book and i still don't know.

Interspersed through the book are what I assume to be flashbacks, from either Callie's childhood or recent past but they're not exactly explained, they're just pasted into the narrative with no warning and it can be quite confusing, as soon as they have started then they stop again and the story goes on. This is quite a well used trope but it's not very well executed in this book. Many of the flashbacks had no relevance and added nothing to the story.

The narrator was decent so that's a good point. I'm struggling to find any others.

I don't want to spoil anything but when the book ended I was like "What? That's the end?" I suppose it could qualify as a cliffhanger but it felt like Patricia just thought, "You know what, that's enough for this book, I've reached my word count, the next chapter can be the next book."

I was thoroughly disappointed with the way that it ended and I just don't care enough about the story or the characters to bother picking up the next book when it comes out. If you're a particular fan of Cornwell and her work then you might enjoy it. I would recommend waiting until the series is complete so you don't suffer the letdown that is the end of this book. There really should be a warning about this. It's like going to see a football match and it just ending with no explanation at 78 minutes as the ball goes out for a throw in.

EDIT: the next book in the series "Spin" was advertised for pre order when I submitted this review and it said: "Captain Calli Chase returns in a pause resisting thriller from international bestselling author Patricia Cornwell"

I have no idea what a "pause resisting" thriller is but I assume it is meant to read "page turning", so much attention to detail should tell you all you need to know about this series. Due for release in August 2020 you might want to book a summer holiday so you miss it.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Poor

I usually enjoy Patricia Cornwell stories but this has left me cold. Not a thriller so much as a lecture on space activities I don’t even know what the outcome was and not interested enough should there be a part 2
Really disappointing

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Oh not good

Very difficult to listen too, had to fast forward a lot. Won’t be getting another book from this author.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Don’t bother

I enjoyed reading the Scarpetta books until I read Chaos possibly the worst book of all time .. I thought I’d give this a whirl .. again what’s happened Patricia ? Nothing happens it’s just so tedious .. go back to what made you successful and stop experimenting you aren’t any good at it ... I’ve listened to 100’s of audio books and I never leave reviews but I had to tell people not to waste 10 + hours listening to chaos or this turkey quantum ... it’s awful

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Really disappointing.

Having read all of the Scarpetta novels over the last ten years I expected to love this, and unfortunately this wasn’t the case at all.
Personally I feel it is too long with not enough happening and too wordy.
I gave up 2/3 of the way through and won’t be reading the second instalment.

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

I used to love Patricia Cornwell

I wonder is reading different to listening! I’ve read all the Kay Scarpetta novels and absolutely loved them, the writing, the plots. I can’t understand how Quantum and Spin didn’t give me the same pleasure. I’m not even getting the third book in this trilogy. I’m beginning to think that maybe reading gives more pleasure but I’ll try a few more books before I make a decision

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Terrible, ramblings of a mad woman!

Wasted my life to the end of book to barely cover any of the initial story. Awful.

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

Different from Patricia Cornwell

Loved the story, but it's a totally different style to her previous books.
If you are not into space science, its heavy going with all the facts and figures.
Found the constant reference to time in later chapters quite annoying, but I get that it's to make you realise how fast everything was happening.
I feel I know Captain Chase like myself now though, the portrayal of her character is intense.

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