Darkside Blues

The Ulrich Files, Book 3

By: Ambrose Ibsen

Narrated by: Jake Urry

"Ghosts don't simply latch onto places, investigator. People can become haunted, too."

A missing person. A city plunged into unforgiving winter. A dangerous spirit.

Though enjoying an increase in business following his last case, life isn't all roses for private investigator Harlan Ulrich. His newest job, another missing person's case, is unlike any other he's ever taken on.

Local businessman Michael Poole hires Ulrich to find his estranged daughter.

The problem?

She's been dead for a decade.

Join Ulrich on a trip into the darkness, into the frostbitten underworld, as he seeks out a hateful phantom with only a cat and a thermos of good coffee on his side.

Darkside Blues is the third novel in the Ulrich Files series by Ambrose Ibsen.

©2017 Ambrose Ibsen (P)2017 Ambrose Ibsen

Even the dead can get a bit blue.

Note: Even though this is Book 3 in the series, it works fine as a stand alone novel.

Following upon his success with the Exeter House mystery, Harlan Ulrich’s private investigation business has been doing quite well. He’s got a decent apartment, an admirable collection of fancy coffees, and a cat. Now he’s been hired to find yet another missing person. However, there’s more than one twist with this one. The missing person isn’t really missing but she’s not alive either.

I do believe this is my favorite of this series so far. Harlan Ulrich is truly becoming a ghost talker. He’s got his paranormal experiences of the past two books to draw on, so with this one he starts off on firmer ground, knowing some of the rules of engagement right from the start.

And we have Sparkles! Well, he was renamed by Harlan. His new name is Beardsley though I don’t think the cat really cares what Harlan calls him as long as there is food in his dish. Beardsley has a thing for coffee too and that mainly involves batting the beans about the apartment once he’s torn a hole in the bag.

Michael Poole has hired Harlan to approach his estranged daughter, Vivian. He says he’s seen her three times in an old neighborhood they used to live in when she was a teenager. However, he can’t bring himself to approach her and needs an intermediary. He’s chosen Harlan to be that man. However, Harlan discovers right away that Vivian died 10 years ago. As he continues to dig into the case, he finds other things that don’t match what Michael told him. Someone is lying. It becomes a tangled web as Harlan tracks down the ex-wife (Laguerre) and speaks with the stepmother (Meredith).

Let’s not forget the apparition that appears to be the teen-aged Vivian. However, she’s walking about with a limp. In life, she was wheelchair bound. Harlan has to unravel the truth about her apparent suicide. As Harlan makes more attempts to communicate with her, she responds in turn. However, her attempts of communication are rather disturbing to both Harlan and Beardsley.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was getting to know more about Harlan. He’s a teetotaler and his father was an alcoholic. This tale provides more glimpses into his past and that also provides a starting place for Vivian to communicate with him.

I really wasn’t sure where the author was going to take me with this one. I liked that I couldn’t guess major plot points right away. The story’s ending hung on a tipping point right up to the end. Will this character go this way or that, will it end in justice or vengeance, will Harlan have nightmares for months or sleep like a man after a fulfilling day’s work? I found the ending to be satisfying and I expect Harlan can live with the horrors he’s seen knowing he helped where he could.

I received a free copy of this book via The Audiobook Worm.

The Narration: Jake Urry continues to be great as Harlan Ulrich. His British accent continues to diminish with each book as he smooths out his American accent. Harlan sounds like a proper gent who happens to live in Toledo, Ohio. I liked his spooky voice for Vivian, who has a messed up face. Urry also added in a few sound effects here and there that worked quite well. I especially enjoyed the wind sounds in the background of some of the final scenes of the book.

Just as good as the first two in the series

What made the experience of listening to Darkside Blues the most enjoyable?

Good ghost story without being gory.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Darkside Blues?

The character is evolving into a likable person. I like the way he is dealing with the past and his growing attachment to Beardsley the cat.

Any additional comments?

The mystery was well done. Once again, I have given it five stars because I like the series and Jake Urry.

Darkside Blues

Ulrich is on the case again. This was no different from his past cases, except he seeks answers for why the ghost are "haunting him." Another great case! Love the narration!

Really good ghost story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. It was a great book and while I haven't listened to any of the other books in the series, based on reviews they must be as good. I always like finding a good series to stick with and share.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Beardsly the cat. I liked Ulrich's attitude towards his cat as well as their interactions.

Which character – as performed by Jake Urry – was your favorite?

Vivian. I enjoyed his "liar" voice.

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

I have to start out by saying that I have a daughter so the story itself is awful and I would have preferred a far more intense ending. I didn't really expect the book to go the way that it did so when everything is revealed I wanted more justice. That being said the book itself was really good.

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Boom.

Again I extol the virtues of Jake Urry!

What did you love best about Darkside Blues?

My favourite segments once again involve the tough exterior Harlan becoming mushy when he has a convo with his cat, love this insight into him and it speaks volumes about his character.

What other book might you compare Darkside Blues to and why?

So after listening to the first two books in this series it’s the turn of Darkside Blues. Some series can get a little stretched, dull, repetitive but this is a genre that keeps giving. It is certainly in the same ilk as The Sickhouse and Medicine for the Dead.

Which character – as performed by Jake Urry – was your favorite?

Harlan Ulrich has to be the best performance .. Once again I can only extol the virtues of Jake Urry .. he is the most perfect narrator for this series and the pairing works brilliantly. He enables the reader/listener to slip into the darkness of a bleak winter and chills you to the bone with his range of vocals.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would love to have the time to do the entire book in one sitting but sadly that isn't possible.

Any additional comments?

I have formed a cosy attachment to Harlan and he is beginning to feel like part of the extended family now. Once you get past his gruff aloof demeanour he is a pussy cat.

After struggling to survive his PI business is at last beginning to reap rewards and this time he is approached by a guy who claims he sees his daughter … problem being she has been missing for ten years. Harlan expects it to be an easy case with a fruitful payout.

However nothing involving Harlan is straightforward so we are treated to some creepy ghostly goings on, steeped in mystery with a splash of paranormal. Follow the twists and turns and become embroiled in the tale.

While this could be a stand alone I would suggest reading them in order. I hope to see more in the Ulrich series.

Thanks to the author and Jess at an Audiobookworm for my copy which I reviewed voluntarily.

Big Fan

This is one of my absolute favorite series on Audible. Sometimes I like a story and enjoy the narration, but once in a while I fall in love with the story, characters, and narrator and this one did me in. I wish there were more than three books in the series!

Best one yet.

So, P.I Harlan Ulrich's business is finally taking off and his life is pretty good, and when Michael Poole approaches him and tells him that he sometime sees his daughter, who has been missing for 10 years, Ulrich thinks it's a simple case and happily takes it because Mr. Poole is willing to pay handsomely. But things aren't as they seem and Ulrich quickly realises that this isn't a simple case, someone is lying to him and things are about to get out of hand when Ulrich starts being followed by.... something.

Harlan Ulrich has quickly grown on me! He is just such a nice character, whose reactions to events feel "real". He is scared of a lot of things, and has to talk himself into investigating anything unusual, which is what I like most about him. So often, nothing phases the protagonists, but Ulrich isn't like that!! His inner monologues are the best ;)

This, like the other 2, isn't primarily a ghost story. It's a paranormal mystery that will keep you on the edge of your toes, and constantly guessing what's what! I love how the author is so good at making his books so atmospheric and spooky. He doesn't just tell us, he shows us and makes our imagination take over!!

Jake Urry is the perfect narrator for these books. He can bring across the creepiness so well!!! He has plenty of tones and cadences and knows how to tell the story so you get shivers at certain parts!! Brilliant narrator :)

I was voluntarily provided this audiobook for free from the author, narrator, or publisher. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.

I'm hooked

I was gifted this audio ARC for a honest and unbiased review from the author/narrator.
First off this is the 3rd book in series and I have not had the honor of listening to the other 2. But book 3 can be a stand alone.
Ambrose Ibsen did a fantastic job of getting into my head with this story. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing all throughout the story.
The book was only made better with the narration done by Jake Urry. He has the right tone of voice for this type of book.
If you like mysteries and ghost stories, this book is a perfect book for you . Give it a listen and you won't be sorry.

Good Story, Great Read

I have become hooked on Ambrose Ibsen's creepy scary stories. the thing that helped me in the first place was Wretchedness, I'm very good story with an awesome narrator in Jake Urry.

Darkside Blues, to me, is not quite as good a story as Wretchedness, but still a very good ghost story that was hard to hit 'Pause" on. It was made much better by narrator Urry, whose voice is perfectly suited to this sort of thing. Both story and narrator recommended highly.

Ibsen and Urry - Amazing Every Time!

Any additional comments?

If you like stories of the paranormal variety then Ambrose Ibsen and Jake Urry are just right for you! I've listened to a number of books by this duo and they never, ever disappoint. Ibsen's stories are of the old-school ghost variety. Our protagonist, Ulrich, is a cranky, middle aged man who really enjoys a good coffee. No silly kids running around, no weird ghostly sexual encounters. Just a PI who happens to be privy to the other side and has a growing reputation for solving that particular kind of mystery. I enjoy these books so very much and I would recommend this tale to anyone who enjoys a good spooky story! 10/10

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.