***** High Desert Adventure —– Review by Rox Burkey
Quentin Eckman creates a relatable, imaginative storyline set in Joshua Tree National Park and explains the history of the area. The majestic beauty of the trails, well-known rock formations, vistas, and spectacular meteor showers in the high desert is the ideal backdrop for Lewis Price, who wants to retire peacefully. Price settles in the small town near the park and rents a room from a charming widow. He was recently released from a mental hospital with medication to treat his bipolar diagnosis of talking to people no one sees. The once famed ball player reacts unexpectedly to a bank robber when waiting to deposit his first retirement check. The bank situation sets off a chain of events that pull listeners into the story in the first few minutes. Price later connects with a man who resembles a bygone-era prospector stuck in the afterlife.
Each of the characters, from Price to Bill Keys, Price’s landlady, and the bank robber work, interact in concert to deliver this delightful, action-packed adventure. Brisk dialogue with touches of honesty, anger, humor, and regret teases out the history of people and places to put readers or listeners inside the three-dimensional world in The Dead Giveaway. The story has several exciting twists of multiple story threads that meet in the unexpected conclusion.
Dave Cruse gives a solid rendition of the story with appropriate raspy voices of age, hints of anger, and flawless intonations to bring this ghost story to life. There were no issues with the audiobook quality, and the performance perfectly complimented a delightful story. Fans of crime and mystery genres will enjoy The Dead Giveaway and look forward to more fiction by Quentin Eckman.
About the Author
After a long career as a graphic artist and one-of-a-kind jewelry designer, I’ve now decided to channel my creative effort into writing fiction. My early working life had not always afforded me the luxury of working in creative fields. Taking jobs that were available to me (including various types of maintenance, auto mechanic, ranch foreman, and U.S. Census worker) provided a rich backdrop of characters and places for my writing, I didn’t realize at the time that those people and events were living research. My first novel, The Dead Giveaway, is now published. “Triple Jack” is my Kindle Vell serial novel about a man who suddenly finds he can travel in time: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0C5GZG6RM Visit my website: https://www.quentineckman.com
About the Narrator
Dave Cruse is a versatile storyteller, comfortable with a variety of accents. 30 years’ experience as a Voice Actor and audio producer. Graduate of the ACX Master Class with a fully equipped studio. In his own words, he’s an all-around nice guy (after coffee).
Married to Emilie since 1984, I am the father of three boys- all geniuses. My interests are varied and eclectic. I am a broadcaster, artist, athlete, actor, musician, writer, entertainer, avid reader, coffee enthusiast and lover of southern cooking.
