A Knife Edge (Vin Cooper) [Audiobook, Unabridged] [MP3 CD]

David Rollins (Author), Mel Foster (Reader)

Book Description

Series: Vin Cooper Series | Publication Date: March 24, 2009

A KNIFE EDGE A scientist meets a grisly end when he falls from a military research ship and is attacked by a two-ton white shark off the Japanese coast. By the time Special Investigator Vin Cooper reaches the scene, there’s literally very little left to prove that the death wasn’t an accident. But Cooper’s instincts tell him that he’s looking at murder and that in assigning him to this case someone might just as well have shoved him, too, into shark-infested waters. What kind of top secret project could the military be engaged in that would require the services of a foremost marine biologist and a genetic researcher? The possibilities are ominous, but not as ominous as the truth. And then the unthinkable tragedy that everyone feared since 9/11 explodes with a terrifying sense of déjà vu – in San Francisco. Suddenly, with a second scientist presumed dead, an unidentified charred body in the morgue, and the “accidental” parachute death of a friend in a Florida training field, Cooper is following a trail as narrow and as dangerous as a knife edge – a trail that leads to what we all fear most: a secret “government” within our government whose sworn duty is to kill anyone who opposes them.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Rollins's second thriller, Department of Defense Special Agent Vin Cooper, behaving like James Bond on steroids, beds twice as many women, solves three times the cases and takes five times the beatings as 007. The over-the-top adventure needs a reader who can match Cooper's smart-aleck attitude. Mel Foster's measured, carefully enunciated approach produces just the opposite effect, taking the edge off of the humor and spotlighting the book's less-credible action sequences (i.e., Cooper is tossed from a plane without a parachute, is captured and beaten, escapes by donkey and is ready for a new assignment). To his credit, Foster does not stint when it comes to emotional dialogue and handles a range of accents, from Cockney to Pakistani, smoothly and effectively. And his unhurried reading clarifies a complex plot that includes a marine biologist being killed by a shark, a possible skydive suicide of Cooper's pal and the theft of a formula that could destroy all computer life on the planet. A Bantam hardcover (Reviews, Jan. 26). (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review

“Rollins is a forceful writer with an authoritative voice.”—Orlando Sentinel

“Exciting . . . Readers will cheer.”—Publishers Weekly

“Non-stop action . . . superb suspense.”—Nelson DeMille


From the Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• MP3 CD
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio on MP3-CD Lib Ed; Library edition (March 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1423332563
• ISBN-13: 978-1423332565
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,804,919 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David Rollins was born in Sydney, Australia. He has written a few books, not all of which are available on Amazon.com in the printed form. He likes to travel. (In fact he believes that's the most fun you can have with your duds on.) He also likes to read and ride high-powered anything, though not at the same time, obviously. His books feature a mixture of dark cynicism and wit, mixed with gland-pumping action. Sometimes you don't know whether to gasp or smirk. Usually, his books also touch on a some kind of geopolitical issue, so you can learn something really clever while he keeps you awake nights.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beware of last 90 pages, June 24, 2009

By 

DM (ORegon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Knife Edge (Hardcover)

I had planned on giving this 5 stars, I WAS LOVING IT SO MUCH !, until page 312 when it started its descent, then totaly crashed and burned on page 363.

Up until then tho the book was stellar. The sharpest and funniest military thriller I've read in many years, maybe ever. I was laughing and grinning the whole way, until 312 that is.

I still highly recommend the book, *ONLY* be forwarded that you will be extrememly disappointed from pg. 312 on out to the end.
When I read pg. 363 I almost cried. I was so pissed off I couldn't fall to sleep!

How can an author, after putting all that effort into a book, turn right around and KILL it, I'll never know. But we've all seen it happen time and time again.
What is it? Do they lose interest? Suddenly don't give a hoot?

Before pg. 312 my only complaint was the front cover. And the title for my review was to be 'Don't judge this book by its cover'.
What a god awful cover. In fact if I hadn't seen the Kirkus Review blurp on the back I would of returned it to the library self.

I'll try another of his books. Maybe this one was a slip.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars entertaining CID procedural, March 28, 2009

By 

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

This review is from: A Knife Edge (Hardcover)

As the recovery ship Natusima waited, the Shinkai underwater research vessel is as deep any human had ever gone while exploring a Pacific trench off Japan. Dr. Hideo Tanaka and Professor Sean Boyle discover a frightening bacterium that each fear could devastate the planet. Soon afterward Tanaka is dead a victim of a shark attack.

Air Force Special Investigations Vincent Cooper is now assigned to the Department of Defense on DC. His on and off relationship with Anna Masters is off again as she feels he takes nothing serious; even when they worked together on THE DEATH TRUST case. However, he quickly found solace with a terific heated tryst with his superior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Clare Selwyn. The brass sends Vin to Japan to investigate the "accidental" death of the scientist. Before he finishes his Tanaka inquiry, as only the military could do he is assigned to investigate the parachute jump death of Master Sergeant Ruben "Wrong Way" Wright who became road kill in Florida; they served together in Afghanistan.

The frustrated Masters explains why the Vin Cooper CID procedurals are so much fun; he takes nothing serious as he quips and jokes even when facing deadly adversaries. In reality, Vin does believe his inquiries are usually important and tries to resolve them, but also feels strongly one can work diligently and hard, but have fun doing so. Fans will enjoy his antics in Japan, Florida and especially DC.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars love this book, July 15, 2009

By 

J. Daly - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Knife Edge (Vin Cooper) (Kindle Edition)

This is Rollins second book. The first was great and this is also good. If you enjoy action reads, get this book. I must say, though, that if I had to choose between the two books, the first book would be ranked above this one. Its action, sarcastic humor, and plot were better. At some points, the Knife Edge story simply becomes too much--too many action scenes and serendiptious moments that taken together became unbelievable.