Jove Brand Is Near Death

De: J A Crawford

Narrado por: Tim Campbell

The name is Allen. Ken Allen. These days, Ken Allen is a nobody.

But once upon a time, his name was Brand. Jove Brand. Eighteen years ago, Ken Allen played the famous fictional superspy in Near Death, a movie so bad, it was never meant to be seen. Since then, Ken has faded into cult obscurity, but when his celebrated successor is killed in the same ghastly fashion as the villain in Near Death, Ken is cast as the prime suspect.

The only way for Ken to clear his name is to go full method and once again play the part of Jove Brand, except this time it’s for real. As murder surrounds him, the secrets behind Near Death Ken fought to keep buried for 18 years begin to surface.

©2021 J. A. Crawford (P)2021 J. A. Crawford

Reseñas de la Crítica

"[A] nicely plotted debut.... Readers will have fun spotting the real-life inspirations for the characters, and the authentically described fight scenes will please martial arts enthusiasts. Hopefully, Ken will be back soon for a sequel." (Publishers Weekly)

"J. A. Crawford's debut is a pitch-perfect combination of action, mystery, and humor." (Anthony Award-winning author Gigi Pandian)

Absolutely loved it!

Took a chance on a book from an author I'd never heard from and wow! I was so pleasantly surprised! Fantastic writing and fun from minute one till the closing line.

Tim Campbell complements the book with stellar performance. Honestly cannot say enough good stuff about it.

On to book two!

throat chopping thrill ride

What an absolute ride with incredible casting! I lost track of the times my jaw touched the ground.

Good mystery & spoof

Good mystery and James Bond spoof all rolled into one. Loved it. Hope to see more from this author.

great debut

picked this up on a recommendation from a friend, and really enjoyed it. it was entertaining the whole way through.

Pure entertainment from start to finish!

"Jove Brand is Near Death" is fun and quirky, and immensely entertaining. I was hooked from the start. Parodying such successful movie franchises as James Bond, Marvel, and DC Comics, I laughed out loud in delight at the fun parallels (and remembering my own experiences going to the cons; the descriptions are spot on!) The throwbacks to the past are fabulous, but there are also up-to-the-minute cultural references, making the whole story fresh and funny. Ken’s devotion to his diet and the frequent inclusion of trendy food choices had me smiling. The writing is easy to read, and the dialogue sparkles as Ken investigates the murder.

Ken is a genuinely nice guy, and he’s got a solid circle of friends who have his back. I particularly enjoyed Yuen Hung, his former "Near Death" co-star and convention partner. I hope he returns in future books. The effects master, Ray Ford, provides awesome working props that he engineers to Ken’s needs. I loved his whole persona and vibe.

The plot is a solid mystery with constant action as Ken follows his instincts and chases down possible leads. The story is more complex than I expected and kept me guessing.

Tim Campbell narrates the audiobook edition, and I thought he was perfect as Ken Allen. He has a wonderful voice and delivery and uses it to get perfect results. He is my Ken Allen now. I will also be looking for more audiobooks that he’s voiced.

I recommend JOVE BRAND IS NEAR DEATH to mystery readers, especially those with a fun interest in spy movie thrillers and comic book-themed film series. However, no knowledge of either would keep a reader from enjoying this delightful book.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the publisher through "NetGalley."