Criminal Conversation [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Evan Hunter (Author), David Colacci (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1994

Evan Hunter's latest is a sensuous, erotic, and dangerous tale of a young and ambitious district attorney who wants to put the leader of the mob in jail. The wiretaps go in and start picking up the conversations between the mobster and a mysterious woman with whom he has an affair. The D.A. soon hears a confession to murder, enough to nail his prey - but there is a terrible hitch. The mysterious woman, the sensual, sexual mistress of his liaisons is none other than . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hunter's latest--his 19th since The Blackboard Jungle in 1954--shows a master's hand at popular fiction, as he employs engaging characters in a riveting plot that leads to an operatic, cathartic climax. Sarah Welles, 34-year-old wife, mother and schoolteacher, falls in love with 28-year-old Andrew Farrell, a suave, mysterious businessman. We know that he's really Andrew Faviola, scion and acting boss of a Mafia family with plans for massive profits from a new smokable opium-cocaine drug. He's also the target of the New York DA's special rackets squad headed by Sarah's husband Michael. Electronic eavesdropping shows Andrew, a seasoned rake, dropping all amours but Sarah, moving from cynical opportunism to true love. Meanwhile, the DA's focus turns to the unknown "blonde." Sarah and Andrew's steamy sex scenes are caught on audiotape, and when her husband learns the blonde's identity it's only a question of when and how disaster will strike. We learn a lot about mob "loyalty" (Andrew is betrayed by his favorite cousin) and ignorance (a capo ponderously intones: "The Chinese have a saying, 'From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs' "). Hunter can write funny dialogue, and he also wrenchingly portrays the desperate struggle of a sweet, very bright black girl--Sarah's favorite student--in a terrifying environment. As the prolific Ed McBain, Hunter writes the 87th Precinct novels; here he has fused his skills in bravura fashion. Film rights optioned by Tom Cruise; Mystery Guild main selection; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club alternates; major ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Sarah Welles lives a good life. She is a good wife, a good mother, and a good teacher. She loves her husband, Michael, but his job as a lawyer in the DA's office is demanding-more so now that he is on the trail of the new boss of one of New York's most powerful crime families. While on a vacation that Michael is unable to make, Sarah's daughter is rescued from drowning by a handsome stranger. Although Sarah is attracted to him, she keeps her distance until they meet back in New York and become embroiled in a torrid affair. Hunter and his alter ego, Ed McBain, have electrified readers with dozens of novels for 40 years but rarely have the characters come to life with such fervent emotion as they do here. This is a tough, sexy novel by a master at the top of his game examining the blurred lines between love and desire, virtue and sin. Highly recommended for all popular fiction collections.
--Dan Bogey, Clearfield Cty. P.L. Federation, Curwensville, Pa.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Unabridged Library Edition; Library edition (June 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561001813
• ISBN-13: 978-1561001811
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,471,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, June 26, 2003

By 

Victoria Paterson (Cambridgeshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Criminal Conversation (Mass Market Paperback)

What a fantastic book! One thing I've noticed about Evan Hunter's novels is that he is able to write about female characters in a way that is utterly convincing to me, a female reader. I still have a little difficulty getting to grips with the fact that Sarah could have been written by a male author!

The novel is more 'adult' than Ed McBain novels generally are, and this is worth remembering if you don't like that kind of thing, but this is a great book, and a very good read. Very highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another gritty, erotic tale, May 25, 2006

By 

Avid Reader (Franklin, Tn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Criminal Conversation (Mass Market Paperback)

Three things stand out in this novel - wonderful characterization, sure knowledge of crime syndicates and an eroticism that threatens to approach soft porn. The story is simple - a mobster falls for a married lady whose husband, a district attorney, happens to be in the midst of an investigation of said Mafia guy. After Andrew rescued her daughter from drowning, straight-laced Sarah falls for and plunges into a dark, forbidden affair with a man 6 years younger.

She is consumed by the passion even as her marriage to her hard working, dull, good husband & father drifts slowly apart. She is suddenly desired & wanted & all her pent-up lust is released. At the same time, hubby is moving in for the kill by planting wire taps around the place and sure enough, one night, he hears his wife with another man - the one he wants. The ending is bitter sweet but faithful to the book - in fact, it is quite logical.

Sarah steals the show with her wistful longings, motherly concerns, spousal obligations and deep needs. The happy go lucky character of the criminal is well described as well as the day to day grunt work of the law enforcement team. Altogether, a great read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Criminal Conversation, March 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Criminal Conversation (Thorndike Press Large Print Basic Series) (Hardcover)

This was my first Evan Hunter read...and now I'm hooked. A friend passed it along and I couldn't put it down! That was two years ago, and I'm still talking/raving about it! It's exciting, but easy to read!