Authors: Rob Thomas, Jennifer Graham
Narrator: Kirsten Bell
Publisher: Random House Audio
Genre: Adult mystery
Genre: Adult mystery
Time: 8 hrs, 42 min
Source: Audible (Purchased)
Rating: Loved
Rating: Loved
From Rob Thomas, the creator of groundbreaking television series and movie Veronica Mars, comes the first book in a thrilling new mystery series.
Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She's traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.
Now it's spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is not a simple missing person's case. The house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica's past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined.
Story: The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line is a gripping mystery with a few shocking surprises thrown in to keep readers guessing. Veronica Mars is back, with as much snark and wit as ever, and the story picks up soon after the events of the Veronica Mars movie. In The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line, Veronica's simple case of finding a missing spring breaker soon becomes a tangled web of lies and secrets, making this story wonderfully unpredictable and exciting.
Performance: Kristen Bell is an outstanding actress, so it shouldn't have surprised me to find she makes for a highly impressive narrator. She captures Veronica's personality with ease (obviously), while somehow managing to also evoke Mac, Keith, Wallace, and others seemingly effortlessly. Bell brings everyone to life with their own distinct tone and voice. I had to remind myself a few times that it was still only Bell speaking, and not a cast of narrators.
Highlights: I had previously read and enjoyed the kindle version of The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line, but Bell's narration is infinitely superior to the print / ebook versions. She brings every character to life, and the story seems better suited to being heard versus read.
Lowlights: The writing style became slightly repetitive, uneven, and a little too information heavy at certain points. I noticed this less, however, while listening to Bell's narration.
I've only watched a couple of episodes of the show but hopefully I wouldn't be lost with this book since it is set 10 years later. I will see if I can get an audio version from the library. Thanks for your review!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's necessary to know much about the show (but I'd totally recommend marathoning it, because it is amazing)! The audio does a good job standing on its own.
DeleteYay :D So glad you loved this book sweetie. <3 And ohh. I love that Kristen Bell has the voice of the audiobook :D That is awesome! I own this one. Must read it one day :) Also love Veronica Mars. <3 Thank you for sharing your thoughts about it :)
ReplyDeleteBell is amazing! You should check it out, especially if you're a Vmars fan!
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