The Halo Effect

By: M. J. Rose

Narrated by: Phil Gigante, Natalie Ross

Dr. Morgan Snow is a well-known sex therapist who is treating Cleo Thane, a beautiful business owner...and prostitute. Cleo caters to the wealthy and powerful and after delivering a tell-all manuscript to Dr. Snow, she disappears. A serial killer is murdering street hookers and using the book, Morgan desperately searches for clues to stop the killer before Cleo becomes his next victim.

©2005 M.J. Rose (P)2011 Writers House (M.J. Rose)

Critic reviews

"[Dr. Morgan Snow] is an engaging guide to the world of dysfunction that Rose painstakingly constructs." ( Publishers Weekly)

Gripping

This is the first book I have listened to by M J Rose, I found the story really interesting as well as the characters. The narration was wonderful so real, they did a fantastic job loved it.

Loved this book!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Halo Effect to be better than the print version?

I loved the audio version because of the excellent actors that read the book.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes, I couldn't wait to return to listen. The author did a great job keeping the story advancing and the pace was perfect.

Have you listened to any of Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I believe this is a first time for me.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole book moved me

Any additional comments?

I have read "The Book of Lost Fragrance" and "Seduction". I can't wait to listen to her new book, which I just purchased.

Wonderful thriller, even better narrators!

What did you love best about The Halo Effect?

It truly did keep me guessing.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Morgan, she was flawed, but still extremely likable.

What does Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Both narrators made the characters come to life. Both could do voices of other characters and you knew who they were with out the author naming them. I do enjoy having male and female narrators, make them more believable.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Parts did make me laugh out loud.

Any additional comments?

I enjoy almost anything that Phil Gigante does, and he and Natalie Ross truly make a great team. Its fun to have Phil depart from romance, but I hope he doesn't leave it for good!! It would break my Highland lovin heart!

Enthralling story with an excellent performance

A great story, with characters who draw you right into their story: a sex psychologist who has a complicated personal life; a high-class prostitute who is her patient and goes missing; a detective on the case and trying to stop a serial killer in his tracks; and many side characters who add to the story. I listened to it as an audiobook and could not stop listening as this thriller unraveled. The voice actors were phenomenal as well; some of the best I've heard. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, though I may take a little break, as it is a little intense, haha.

"Meh" at best; good narration tho

Phil Gigante give his usual excellent reading, but he's not enough to really save this one. And truth to tell, I can't remember what Ms Ross's reading was like, tho it hasn't been that long since I listened; must not have been too memorable, neither too awful nor wonderful.

Which sorta describes the book: It's not egregiously bad, but isn't all that good, either. It's billed as an erotic thriller, but I didn't find it particularly erotic or very thrilling (neither in a sensual sense nor an 'edge of your seat' sense). It's sort of....silly. The characters aren't completely cardboard, nor do they feel straight out of a can ("tough detective, white, youngish middle-aged, one"). On the other hand, they're not particularly rich or believable. The dialogue sort of sounds like actual people are talking, most of the time.

I find I am completely incapable of coming up with any extreme descriptions or adjectives; it's just kind of...aggressively average. Not a bad time-user for commutes or such, if bought at a discount, but I think paying full price rather chafes a bit.