Dirty Martini (Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Series) [Audiobook, MP3 Audio, Unabridged] [MP3 CD]

J. A. Konrath (Author), Susie Breck (Reader), Dick Hill (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 3, 2007 | Series: Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Series (Book 4)

Homicide Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels is in some serious trouble. Her boyfriend wants to get married. Her partner wants to transfer to another department. Her dead father may not be dead after all. And a brilliant sociopath known as the Chemist is poisoning Chicago’s food supply, killing hundreds of people. Jack is put in charge of the case. But how do you catch someone who is always in disguise, who ingeniously spreads toxins in restaurants, grocery stores, and fast-food places without leaving any clues? Time is running out. The Chemist has something big planned - something really big - and Jack has to push herself to the limits of her capabilities, or else everyone she knows and everything she holds dear will be destroyed. In Dirty Martini, Jack faces her toughest adversary yet: a sicko who wants to murder an entire city. Can she catch him - and decide whether to accept boyfriend Latham’s surprise proposal - without destroying both her reputation and her sanity?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Konrath's fourth drink-inspired mystery to feature Lt. Jacqueline Jack Daniels (after 2006's Rusty Nail) is a particularly potent mix of equal parts mirth and mayhem with a dash of sex and a twist (or two) of plot. When an extortionist prefaces his demands for a payoff from the city of Chicago by spreading enough botulism toxin to cause more than 30 deaths, Jack's previous successes and her resultant celebrity are enough to put her in charge of the case. The poisoner has more tricks up his sleeve and unleashes an almost unimaginable arsenal of toxins. Despite a horrific death count, Konrath infuses plenty of humor. Best of all, he gives the reader ample opportunities to stay abreast of or even ahead of his sleuth, but it will take a clever reader to unravel the subtle clues embedded in the story. Konrath's latest should be taken straight, no chaser needed. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Chicago homicide cop Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels returns in this hard-edged thriller. Someone who calls himself the Chemist is poisoning food in the city's grocery stores and restaurants. When the Chemist demands $2 million to stop the killings, the superintendent of detectives puts Jack in charge of the case—because fast-talking Jack has plenty of experience dealing with serial killers, having gone up against three of them already (most recently in Rusty Nail, 2006). Like Jeffrey Deaver, Konrath ratchets up the suspense until readers don't dare stop flipping the pages; the characters are sharply drawn; and the dialogue sounds like real (though funny) people talking (a decided improvement over some of the earlier volumes in the series). Also like Deaver, Konrath clearly understands the importance of creating a believable, interesting villain. A solid success for those who like to mix comedy and grit. Pitt, David --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• MP3 CD
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio on MP3-CD; MP3 Una edition (July 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423312465
• ISBN-13: 978-1423312468
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,255,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One cannot reasonably ask for more, January 24, 2008

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dirty Martini (Jack Daniels Mysteries) (Hardcover)

While the titles of J. A. Konrath's series featuring Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels are all named after drinks --- WHISKEY SOUR, BLOODY MARY, RUSTY NAIL and the recently-released DIRTY MARTINI --- these aren't lighthearted stories about wasting away in Margaritaville. The novels are set in Chicago, and the crimes and its perpetrators are dark indeed.

DIRTY MARTINI had me on the edge of my seat --- not once, but twice. I won't go into too much detail, but the first time was when Daniels was in a house and the second time was when she was in a truck. Upon completion of the book, I thought I was going to require cardioversion to get my heart working properly again.

Between those two scenes, however, is one heck of a story, expertly plotted and wonderfully told. Konrath starts off by introducing The Chemist, a twisted genius who plans to take revenge on the City of Chicago by poisoning its food supply. Quite honestly, the author's step-by-step description of what The Chemist does, and how he does it, is enough to make me, a city boy through and through, get a complete library of The Mother Earth News, move to the country and become entirely self-sufficient. That is even before you get to the aforementioned "house" and "truck."

Meanwhile, Daniels's boyfriend has proposed, but she is afraid to say "yes," even though she wants to. She then discovers that her long-deceased father isn't dead at all. Those are relatively minor problems, however, compared to what The Chemist has planned, which is to hold Chicago for ransom. How do you catch somebody who is a master of disguise, two steps ahead of you and capable of murder performed in unexpected ways? Maybe you don't. Perhaps this is the last book in the series. You'll have to read to find out.

Mystery, action, suspense and, perhaps, redemption. Oh, and a bit of very well-written erotica as well. All this is to be had in DIRTY MARTINI. One cannot reasonably ask for more, or for better, than Konrath and Daniels straight up.

One more thing. At the very end of the book, Konrath gives thanks, by name, to every single bookseller he met while on his book tour for RUSTY NAIL. A cynic would call that a smart marketing move, but I call it "class" with a capital C. If you need one more reason to read DIRTY MARTINI, that is it.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best One Yet!, March 19, 2008

By 

PokerBen (Colorado, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dirty Martini (Jack Daniels Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Over the last year or so J.A. Konrath has become one of my favorite authors to read. He has a great way of making his characters stand out, and adds a great mix of humor, horror, and thrill to all his novels. I really enjoy reading the Jack Daniels series and have read all four so far, and look forward to reading all the future titles. This in my opinion is the best book of the series to date. I can definitely tell that JA is getting better at the writers craft the more work he produces. You will definitely want to check this title out! Happy Reading!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely not chick lit, August 3, 2007

By 

Larry Gandle (Tampa, Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dirty Martini (Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels Series) (MP3 CD)

Lt. Jack Daniels of the Chicago PD is back. This time she is in charge of a case involving a killer who murders by toxic poisons. He kills by infecting supermarket produce, by directly injecting poisons into his victims by an airgun or even by spiking drinks in bars. The killer is nicknamed `The Chemist' because of the numerous chemical poisons he uses. The Chemist wants two million dollars in order to stop the killings and he wants Jack to deliver the money to him. The only problem is the killer has one more spectacular massacre before he quits. Jack must stop him or thousands of innocent lives will be lost.
I have loved the books in the Jack Daniels series. They are very funny and actually quite suspenseful. Joe Konrath could be accused of writing a chicklit-style book if it weren't for his very dark vision and his very funny, yet very black humor. The book has a lot going for it. The characters are a odd bunch and seemingly real. The dialogue is outrageously funny and the plot is fast and furiously paced.
Brilliance Audio uses two narrators to tell the story, Dick Hill and Susie Breck. Both are exceptional readers with many different voices in their armamentarium. They bring the characters very much to life. Well recommended.