The Depths of Solitude [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Jo Bannister (Author), Patience Tomlinson (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

Brodie Farrell's life, on the surface, is unremarkable. A single mother to one daughter, five-year-old Paddy, in a small seaside town, she spends her days running a "finding agency"---helping clients locate items that have proved elusive by more conventional methods. She has a healthy relationship with Jack Deacon, a detective superintendent in the local police force, and a solid network of friends---except for one. Her most important ally, Daniel Hood, has been ignoring her since a bitter disagreement ripped their friendship apart at the seams. Now his house is up for sale, and Daniel has disappeared.

At first Brodie is just angry---angry that he would leave without telling her, without trying to sort things out. But when Daniel's family seems unconcerned that he has vanished into thin air, Brodie starts to get worried. Perhaps she was the only person to care about Daniel, and she cut him off. What if he does something stupid? Or what if he already has?

Unfortunately, even her advanced tracking skills can't locate her friend. Brodie's worrying intensifies when she seems to become the victim of a sustained hate campaign. First her car windshield is smashed, then the vehicle itself is set on fire. Her handbag is stolen, and she is terrorized in the local library after a call from Daniel imploring her to meet him there alone. The conclusion is obvious, but Brodie refuses to believe it. Until, that is, she is attacked again....

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of Irish author Bannister's suspenseful fourth novel to feature beautiful, fiercely independent Brodie Farrell (after 2003's Reflections), Brodie tries to contact her friend Daniel Hood, with whom she's been out of touch for weeks. When she finds a "for sale" sign on his house and no immediate clues as to where he went, she turns for help to formidable Det. Supt. Jack Deacon of the Dimmock (U.K.) police. The three had been close, but in a life-or-death crisis Daniel made a decision Brodie couldn't accept, and he subsequently disappeared. After a large chunk of cement is hurled through Brodie's windshield while she's driving through a dangerous area on assignment for a client of her location service Looking for Something? and her car is firebombed, she reluctantly agrees that she's being threatened. As Brodie runs through leads to the culprit behind the threats, Daniel's past comes into question, and Brodie senses that she's not the only one in danger. Bannister skillfully ups the anxiety as Brodie is rendered helpless and events hurtle toward a pounding climax.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Jo Bannister started her career as a journalist after leaving school at sixteen to work on a local weekly newspaper. Shortlisted for several prestigious awards, she was editor of the County Down Spectator for some years before leaving to pursue her writing full time. Depths of Solitude is the fourth in her Brodie Farrell mystery series, which began with Echoes of Lies, True Witness, and Reflections. She lives in Northern Ireland.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Soundings Audio Books (March 1, 2009)
• ISBN-10: 1407909223
• ISBN-13: 978-1407909226
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun!, April 23, 2006

By 

Docta Puella (Southwest, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Depths of Solitude: A Brodie Farrell Mystery (Hardcover)

I've recently discovered Bannister's Brodie Farrell series and now I can't get enough. Unlike other reviewers, I found this book completely engaging and full of surprises. For example, the major characters reveal complex personalities not portrayed in earlier books. I liked all the characters in The Depths of Solitude, including the bad guys, and I even enjoyed the sometimes cloyingly sincere Daniel.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good mystery, November 16, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Depths of Solitude: A Brodie Farrell Mystery (Hardcover)

Math teacher Daniel Hood and his friend Brodie Farrell, owner of Looking for Something, argued whether the former needed to kill the homicidal Daws children (see REFLECTIONS). Their spat led to the end of their friendship as Daniel, feeling betrayed, cut his ties with Brodie before vanishing. Though her business of finding things, raising a young daughter by herself, and dating Detective Superintendent Jack Deacon keep her busy, Brodie misses her buddy Daniel.

Used to locating the impossible, Brodie decides to find her friend and if necessary apologize because he means a lot to her. However, the difficult search turns dangerous as someone begins an assault on Brodie, which becomes increasingly more perilous. She talks with Jack insisting she has no enemies, but he says consider Daniel, who he detests perhaps because deep inside he deems the man a rival. Though with lingering doubt, Brodie rejects Jack's hypothesis while the frustrated cop struggles unsuccessfully to keep her safe.

Though the twists and turns never stop coming the stunners in some ways hinder the pace (think of several miles of a serpentine road twisting around a mountain). Still series fans will enjoy the refreshing change of Brodie in the lead instead of Daniel. The story line is action-packed as a series of mishaps assault Brodie with even her wondering if her former best friend from his hiding place could hate her so much. The final spin is clever and will surprised readers who will wonder what if the plot remained linear with a secondary theme involving Daniel as by the climax the brakes are worn down from all the meandering.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Unsympathetic character weakens appeal, March 31, 2005

By 

booksforabuck "BooksForABuck" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Depths of Solitude: A Brodie Farrell Mystery (Hardcover)

Brodie Farrell is saddened that her friend David has abandoned her, driven away by her failure to understand the decisions he made. But when she attempts to find him, she suddenly finds terrible things happening to her. A brick hits her car as she drives under a bridge. Her purse is stolen while she's sitting at a pub. Then her car is firebombed. Could David be so angry that he'd kill her rather than face her? Certainly Brodie can think of no other enemy.

Brodie's problems escalate even after she finds David and persuades herself that her gentle friend could have nothing to do with the problems she's had. She's attacked in her house and her ex-husband, sent to guard her, is injured. Boyfriend and Police Detective Superintendent Jack Deacon, along with sidekick Sergeant Charlie Voss try to help, but Deacon starts to wonder whether Brodie really is the target. Could the attack on her be some sort of perverted attempt to strike at Deacon?

Author Jo Bannister creates interesting characters in Deacon and Voss. Unfortunately, I found Brodie less compelling. Her narrowmindedness proves annoying, but not nearly as annoying as her risk-taking behavior. If she clearly recognized the risks and then decided to move forward, I could have admired her for her courage. Instead, she seems blindly to walk into danger--for herself and for others. Fortunately, Bannister clearly tells us how lovable and admirable Brodie is. Without this, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have guessed.

THE DEPTHS OF SOLITUDE has its engaging moments and held my interest as a reader. Its flaws, however, make reading this story a mixed experience.