MINI REVIEW: MURDER BY OTHER MEANS

When there are other ways to kill...

After being really impressed with the first novella in the series, I finally got around to the sequel when I found myself needing something quick in between other audiobooks. 

HOW I RATED IT 

4/5 This fast-paced follow up to THE DISPATCHER offers another thrilling ride through a world that has a very interesting dynamic with death. 

CONTENT

The story again stars Tony Valdez, a Dispatcher, which is a delicate way of saying that people pay him to kill people who are about to die so that they don't actually die. In this world, people can die of natural causes or suicide, but if they are intentionally killed by someone else, then 999 times out of 1000, they will poof out of existence and reappear somewhere they feel safe, albeit naked as the day they were born. The first novella in this series played with this concept in some interesting ways, but I honestly wasn't sure how much a sequel would be able to bring to the table. As the title implies, it turns out that there might be some ways to murder people (and have them stay dead) after all and that twist on the established formula is what primarily drives the intrigue of this new story. I liked all the turns this one took and it was fun to see Tony operate outside the depths of his understanding of this bizarre phenomenon that has fueled his career. Nona, his Police Detective friend returns, though her relationship with Tony is markedly more tense as he has had to take up less than legal work as an economic downturn leaves a lot of people in tight financial situations. Their dynamic was engaging and delightfully unconventional in some ways. "Engaging and unconventional" is probably a good way to sum up exactly what has made this series so charming for me thus far. These stories aren't the most profound or emotionally impactful, but they're a lot of fun and can make for great "betweener" books (though I think I'll be diving right into the third one rather than saving it for later since I don't think I can help myself). 

AUDIOBOOK

Similar to the story itself, the narration isn't spectacular in any real way, but it's solidly entertaining and makes for an enjoyable experience. The narrator from the first story returns for this sequel which is great since I always appreciate that consistency. There are some nice audio flourishes with music at the intro and outro of the book. I don't remember if the first production included this as well, but either way it's worth noting that this was a nice touch. The only gripe I have with Quinto's narration is that not all the character voices are particularly stellar or distinct and Tony's lines can sometimes blend in with the prose since the story is told from his perspective. Otherwise, the semi-deadpan delivery is a joy to listen to and suits the story's dry humor quite well. I know I was able to pick up this whole series for free on Audible, which is great, but I don't know if that was a limited time thing, if it's free for everyone, or if it's part of Audible's Plus Catalogue. 

CONCLUSION

If you're looking for something that packs in a lot of entertainment into a shorter narrative, then I think this series is going to be really worthwhile for you. If you already listened to and enjoyed THE DISPATCHER, then absolutely give this one a listen too since it brings plenty of new ideas and scenarios to the table. 

(+) Tony and Nona make for an entertaining duo with a unique dynamic. 

(+) The mechanics of this world are explored in some interesting ways. 

(+) Fast paced storytelling with lots of fun turns in the mystery.

(+) Another solid audio performance. 

( ) There's nothing particularly deep or moving here, this is just pure fun with some interesting ideas to think about.  

(-) Not all the voice work is amazing