Broken audiobook

Broken is one of those rare books offering something for every crime fiction fan thanks to the way the six novellas in it vary in topic and tone.Do you want a dark and bloody tale about the cost of revenge? The title story Broken will cover that. How about a cat-and-mouse game between a slick professional thief and a dedicated cop hunting him? Crime 101 is what you’re looking for. Looking for a few laughs? The San Diego Zoo features a cop dealing with a chimpanzee with a revolver that has several hilarious lines and moments. Sunset is about trying to track down a bail jumper, but it’s also a reflection on aging, friendship, and loyalty. Another morality tale features some good hearted pot dealers screwing up Paradise despite their best intentions. Finally, The Last Ride uses a ripped-from-the-headlines plot that asks hard questions about what’s going on in America at the moment when disobeying the law might be the only way to be a decent person.Like most writers Don Winslow’s style has evolved over the years as well as his subjects. He can write a more humorous and low stakes story based in San Diego surf culture, or he can dig into the gory details of Mexican drug wars. While there’s generally a conversational tone to his writing that feels like somebody is telling you a story, each one feels like it’s a different person in a different setting. For example, Broken has the same in-your-face cop attitude that was like his novel The Force so that seems like some wiseguy New Yorker is telling it to you over a shot and a beer in a dive bar. Yet others like Paradise have a more laid back SoCal feel so that one feels like you’re talking to a surfer at a beach party. There’s also a feeling that this a retrospective of Winslow’s career with most of the surviving major characters from his previous books showing up throughout the stories. Seeing these older characters pop up and learn about their fates was a pleasure, and it gave me the urge to reread most of Winslow’s books.It isn’t just about Winslow’s past though because we also get a couple of great homages to crime writing legends Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler. The San Diego Zoo is dedicated to Leonard and most definitely feels like one of his novels while Sunset is kind of a surfer based remake of Chandler’s The Long Goodbye.It’s a fantastic set of long stories that I’d rank among Winslow’s best work.

This collection of six novellas constitutes another excellent book from Don Winslow, who for my money is the best crime writer working these days. The stories feature cops, crooks, bounty hunters, a bail bondsman, border patrol agents, dope dealers and others, all of whom are expertly drawn. Every one of these stories is cleverly plotted and sucks the reader in from the opening lines, refusing to let go. The stories and the characters are clever and compelling, by turns violent, witty, funny, and ultimately heart-breaking.Long-time fans of Winslow's work will recognize some familiar characters, most notably weed growers Ben, Chon and O, who first appeared in 2012 in The Kings of Cool. Here, in what the author describes as an "intermediate adventure," the three best friends are vacationing in Hawaii where they run into a battle with some local gangsters while attempting to expand their area of production.All of the stories are first-rate, but my favorite is "Crime 101", which Winslow dedicates to "Mr. Steve McQueen," and which perfectly evokes the sense of cool that characterized the late, great actor. The story pits a very clever and successful jewel robber who haunts California Highway 101 and who is looking for that fabled one last score. He's pitted against a detective who, contrary to the perceived wisdom of the various police agencies investigating the string of robberies, believes that they are all the work of a single criminal.Both the robber and the detective are great characters as are all the minor players who inhabit this and the rest of the stories. As always, Winslow writes beautifully and these stories and these characters immediately get into your head and into your heart. As is so often the case with a novel by Don Winslow, I can hardly wait to read it again.

Winslow at his best. Loved it.

Don Winslow’s BROKEN is a gift, one bequeathed at just the right time. What we have here is six original novels, each of which reads like a short story yet contains the stimulating heft of a full-length book. This collection is aimed boldly and squarely at two groups of readers: folks who have been with Winslow from the very beginning of his fiction-writing career (or have come to him at a later point and hastened to fill in the gaps) and those who are unfamiliar with or only marginally aware of his work. There is plenty here for both, with stories that introduce new characters and others that revisit old friends --- and enemies.Those who regularly read my humble opinions here are aware that I try to keep this space a “no-spoiler” zone. I will do my best to adhere to this rule while discussing BROKEN, even though I am tempted to do so. Let me get it out of my system by first talking about “Paradise,” which bears the subtitle “Being the Intermediate Adventures of Ben, Chon, and O.”The trio of the piece --- the sexually fluid O and the Eskimo brothers Ben and Chon --- were introduced in SAVAGES, with their backstory provided in THE KINGS OF COOL. “Paradise” is set in Hanalei, Hawaii in 2008, where Ben, Chon and O have traveled for a combined business and pleasure stay, and find that by their mere presence they have inadvertently upset the delicate ecology of the local drug trade. So they feel duty-bound to save their erstwhile partners in the proposed business venture, with markedly mixed results. I give away their identities only because of the subtitle reveal. As it happens, a couple of other folks previously introduced by Winslow wander into the flora as well, each of whom packs a surprise or two.A walk-on of sorts also occurs in “The San Diego Zoo.” It’s a fairly innocuous title that begins when a San Diego patrolman named Chris Shea responds to a report of an armed chimpanzee at the zoo. What results earns Shea lots of YouTube notoriety, as well an excruciatingly slow-budding romance. There’s a mystery here as well, consisting of how a chimp got hold of a handgun. Shea solves this one, too, with the encouragement of another character who plays a larger role in “Crime 101” and appears yet again in “Sunset.”“Crime 101” involves a very patient and smart jewel thief who does painstaking research before each heist and is as careful in his execution as he is in his planning, spacing out each one so that as a group they appear to be unrelated, except to a cuckolded San Diego police detective. Then there is “Sunset,” which brings protagonists from two of Winslow’s early series together in an unforgettable tale about a wild hunt through San Diego for a fugitive from justice. It’s a terrific story whether or not you’re familiar with the principals, and it will make you want to stop what you’re doing and leave for San Diego just to walk in the footsteps of these characters. There is also a gem of a West Coast jazz playlist Easter-egged into the narrative that supplies a perfect soundtrack for your reading not only of BROKEN but of anything else.The four stories mentioned above are bookended by the title piece and “The Last Ride.” “Broken” is a violent tale of revenge times two carried out on the streets and in the buildings of New Orleans with an over-the-shoulder view of its neighborhoods, as a police officer carrying an understandable grudge attempts to get his own back from an up-and-coming drug dealer. “The Last Ride,” which closes the collection, is the very definition of a contemporary western in all the best ways. A somewhat jaded Border Patrol agent who feels that he has nothing left to lose finds himself haunted by a detained little girl and becomes determined to unite her with her mother, despite opposition on both sides of the border. It is hard to pick a winner among these stories, but this one stayed with me, reminding me --- for reasons that I can’t quite describe --- of one of John Steinbeck’s best-known works.BROKEN elevates and transcends the crime fiction genre from which it springs. Those waiting for the television adaptation of Winslow’s Cartel Trilogy will find his latest masterpiece to be the perfect companion in the meantime.Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Laws are made to broken, with rules that are made to be followed. Don Winslow is mostly known for being a crime writer. Throughout his career though, his style and focus have evolved, starting with hard-boiled mystery of the Neal Carey series, transitioning to surfer noir with The Dawn Patrol, touching on espionage with Satori, injecting a bit more humor with the laid-back drug dealers in Savages, focusing on crooked New York City cops in The Force, and tackling the drug war in his epic Border Trilogy. This latest book is an amalgam of all the styles and topics touched on in all of his books and presented as six of some of the best crime novellas you'll read, combining to create one of Winslow’s very best books! These stories are all told in different styles, even being labelled as homages to various classic crime authors. So there's definitely something in here for everyone:Broken is the darkest and most brutal story in the collection. A tale of violent revenge in New Orleans. ★★★★★Crime 101 is a clever, well-plotted little cat-and-mouse story about a cop and a career thief chasing each other up and down the Pacific Coast Highway. ★★★★The San Diego Zoo brings some much-needed comedy with this story of a young cop trying to arrest a gun-wielding chimp. It was genuinely funny and even sweet in parts, but still sported Winslow's cinematic style. ★★★★★Sunset might be the most well-written story in the bunch and is a nostalgic story set in the California surf community about maturity and loyalty, featuring some of Winslow's oldest characters. ★★★★★Paradise is a Ben, Chon, and O adventure, as they attempt to open up shop growing weed in Hawaii. And I actually liked it a lot better than Savages, and really showcased Winslow's knack for spinning great action. ★★★★The Last Ride ends the collection and might be my favorite story of the bunch, matching more of the style that Winslow is popular for today, about a Border patrolman who has a crisis of conscience after seeing a little girl in a cage and sets about to free her. This dramatic and cinematic tale is a fantastic way to close out the book. ★★★★★If you're at all a fan of Don Winslow, the book is a must-read. But then again, everyone should be a fan of Don Winslow, so it's a must-read for all of you!

I'd never read Don Winslow before, and I think this was a good place to start. Broken consists of six novellas of crime fiction, fast-paced and full of suspense. It tells of cops who skate a thin line between justice and personal vengeance, and villains so full of charm that you can't help but root for them.I liked some stories better than others, and The Last Ride really stood out. It's a nail-biting, heartbreaking tale of a Border Patrol agent who tries to return a Salvadoran child to her mother. Crime 101 involves a master thief who is inspired by Steve McQueen, asking himself what his hero would do when faced with a particularly tricky dilemma. The title story shocked me with its extreme violence, an account of a New Orleans police officer hellbent on revenge. Though I winced at the torture it described, it's also loaded with hard-bitten wisdom: "He once wrecked— wrecked —an entire crew of bubbas who came down from Baton Rouge and got rude in Sweeny’s, Jimmy’s neighborhood bar. They went in vertical and loud, went out horizontal and silent."The book contains dedications to the crime fictions heavyweights Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler. Winslow is clearly influenced by them, though he has a winning style all of his own. Some reviews claim that Broken is not his best work, but if that's the case, I can't wait to read the rest of him.

More novellas than short stories, they are all exceptional. How incredibly cool is it for Don Winslow to revive those unforgettable characters from past books like Bobby Z, Ben, Chon, O and Boone Daniels and the Dawn Patrol. Like a reunion with old friends! It's one of those "stop what you're currently reading and jump on this one" books. You'll be glad you did!

This book is unusual, an anthology of five novellas, or perhaps very-long short stories. Winslow knows how to go short--fewer characters, simple plot, and get to the action right away. For that, the stories are action-heavy, with lots of graphic violence. LOTS of graphic and realistic violence; these stories are not for the squeamish. Winslow's plan seems to be to force the reader to see some of the worst horrors victims of crime suffer. All the stories are different; the eponymous first story is both repulsive in its violence and cartoonish in its action scenes. A later story, about a smart young police officer trying to make detective, set against a background of an orangutan, escaped from the zoo, and armed with a pistol, is witty and hilarious and many levels.

Winslow does it again, just in shorter form. This is a great book of novellas that show off his range with characters, emotions, and story lines. I can't really say this shows off too many styles because he kinda only writes in one style, with those short clipped sentences and chapters, and even though they are brief, they are still powerful. The first story is my favorite, I'm a sucker for revenge stories, and I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been to hear the words, "I'm Danny McNabb's brother." and havin' Jimmy McNabb be standing in front of you. The Ben and Chon and O story had them all but it was so totally Chon's story, he got to shine in that one and I loved the ending, really caught me by surprise. The only story I didn't really LOVE love was the Boone Daniels and Neal Carey one, it seemed sort of forced, but mayhap that's possibly just me.

I'm a big fan of Don Winslow and not a big fan of novellas so which triumphs here? Winslow 1, novellas 0. Broken has six stories, with some characters appearing in more than one story, especially Lou the detective, and bits of surfing life. As always, Winslow's skill as a writer shine through his memorable characters. The title story "Broken" is a story of revenge without redemption, involving a cop killer. "Crime 101" is about a successful thief trying to stay one step ahead of the law by avoiding patterns, but it too tempted by a big final score? "The San Diego Zoo" is an amusing story about an escaped chimp with a gun, a budding romance and a cop trying to make his bones. "Sunset" is a golden boy surfer (ELT), who has turned town a very dark road and is on the lam, being chased by a fellow surfer, whose real job is tracking down bail jumpers. "Paradise" is about a trio of pot grower/dealers looking for a new base in Hawaii, facing off against the locals. A story of ohana (family) and important roles by Winslow legends. "The Last Ride" is about what is happening on the Southern border, and one lawman's quest to make things right, with a fitting but unconventional ending.

Mr. Winslow knocks it out of the park on BROKEN! I fortunate enough to receive a early copy from The Story Factory. This one isn't is 6 short stories packed into this book. You start with BROKEN which is about police officer who's brother is brutally murdered and he's out for vengeance. Then you move to Crime 101 about a character who does high end heists. You can certainly skip around to read them all in this book. Each storyin this edition is a stand alone. Mr. Winslow brings back characters from his past writing like Boone Daniels, Ben,Chon,O and Frankie Machine. This one is a must read! If you haven't read any Winslow, your missing out! You'll either read this one and enjoy some familiar faces or you'll want to go get Mr. Winslow's back catalog!

I was disappointed when I saw that the new Winslow book was a set of longish short stories rather than the longish epics he has been best known for. However, my disappointment was assuaged on reading this excellent collection of novellas. His sparse prose and well-plotted stories make for very satisfying reading.

first story, broken, in this collection was strong like throwing a punch. second one - crime 101 was a very fine and good story but got weaker towards the end. the third the sun Diego zoo was hilarious real fun and for me the best. clever and witty. the next two reminded me too much of other writing of Winslow like the down patrol the last ride - which close the book was very sensitive and had a political say on immigrants. on the whole it shows the wide range of the writing. nice

With his new book Broken, author Don Winslow returns with a collection of six novellas.In the title story, Winslow travels down to New Orleans to focus on a family of cops when tragedy strikes. A vengeful cop looks to inflict his wrath on the powerful, elusive drug dealer responsible. Broken reads like John Wick by way of the best Dennis Lehane stories. While it’s a perfect tight story with barely enough room to breathe, I could have easily read a few hundred more pages of this one.Crime 101 sees Winslow draw inspiration from those classic Steve McQueen heist flicks by bringing to life a career criminal looking for that one big final score. US Route 101 is as much a character in this story as anyone else. We get both sides of the law in this one as Winslow focuses on both the miscreant mastermind and the dogged detective hot on his heels. Crime 101 feels like a pure popcorn picture.My personal favourite of the bunch is The San Diego Zoo. Dedicated to Elmore Leonard, Winslow tells of a bumbling police officer caught in a compromising clip gone viral after an attempt to track down a chimp with a firearm. The story’s protagonist, Shea, is wildly charming and his drive for redemption had me digest this story in just one sitting. Truly great stuff.Sunset, a tribute to Raymond Chandler, takes the reader into the bail bondsmen business. I’ve yet to fully explore Winslow’s back catalog, so I wasn’t familiar with the characters that return here from prior stories. I enjoyed it enough and it was pretty easy to spot the connections to Chandler’s acclaimed novel, The Long Goodbye.A few weeks ago, Don Winslow was interviewed by the folks at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore and when asked about the story Paradise, he talked about bringing back Chon, Ben and O – the characters from his early novels Savages and The Kings of Cool – for another romp. When writing the story, he decided to bring back another signature character or two. Is this the WLU – the Winslow Literary Universe?The final story, The Last Ride, brings Winslow back to a familiar setting – the US/Mexico border. Don always says he’s done with that three thousand one hundred and forty five kilometre stretch of land but like the mob, just when he thinks he’s finished, it pulls him back in. The Last Ride is a redemption story of sorts for the Trump supporter – did people really vote for kids in cages?Winslow knocks it out of the park with this collection. If you ask me, there isn’t a weak one in the bunch. The San Diego Zoo just might be the most enjoyable story I read all year.