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    The Thirteenth Rose
    The Thirteenth Rose
    The Thirteenth Rose
    Audiobook1 hour

    The Thirteenth Rose

    Written by Gail Bowen

    Narrated by Daniel Mate

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    t's Father's Day weekend—a tough time for Charlie D, host of a late-night radio call-in show that offers supportive advice to troubled listeners. For years Charlie has been alienated from his father—a retired politician who was always too busy for his son when Charlie was growing up. The trouble is, his dad has chosen this weekend to attempt to reconcile with his son. Charlie is not keen to forgive. But Charlie's personal issues suddenly seem mundane when an email arrives from a young listener that outlines his very specific plans to kill not just his father but his entire family. The deeply troubled boy could be anywhere, and Charlie has just two hours to discover his identity and stop him from murder.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPost Hypnotic Press
    Release dateJul 30, 2013
    ISBN9781927401965
    Author

    Gail Bowen

    Gail Bowen is the author of the bestselling mystery series featuring Joanne Kilbourn. Winner of both the Arthur Ellis Best Novel Award and the Derrick Murdoch Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Crime Writers of Canada, in 2008 Bowen was named “Canada’s Best Mystery Novelist” by Reader’s Digest. She was selected as one of "The 100 Most Popular Contemporary Mystery Authors" for an upcoming Library Unlimited reference book. For more information, visit www.gailbowen.com.

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    Reviews for The Thirteenth Rose

    3.5/5

    28 ratings14 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This was a pretty quick (it is part of the 'rapid read' series after all) and easy read. The subject matter would not be for everyone (sex trade workers being targeted in hate crimes) but it's an okay story. The plot is pretty simple too and I think, assumes the reader is fairly liberal; anyone who wasn't would just get frustrated with the tolerant bias towards the cultural environment of the sex trade. So, because of this The Thirteenth Rose would not be a book for everyone but I thought it was okay.
    • 5/5
      This is part of a publisher's series called "Rapid Reads". These are very much adult books but are written on reading levels ranging from 2.0-6.0. They are intended for adult literacy, ESL or possibly persons simply looking for a one sitting read. Honestly I didn't know what to expect from this particular book with an RL of 5.6. The plot intrigued me and sounded like the usual serial killer thriller I like but ... would *I* enjoy a hi-low book for adults? Yes! I loved it. A very quick read for me but also a highly intelligent, well-paced mystery/thriller (not for children!) from a popular Canadian mystery writer for adults (who I hadn't read before but am now eager to read). I really enjoyed the character Charlie D.
    • 5/5
      I read Gail Bowen’s most recent book “The Winners’ Circle” which led me back to her other titles I had on my Kindle and I reread from “Kaleidoscope” to the latest.
    • 4/5
      This was a pretty quick (it is part of the 'rapid read' series after all) and easy read. The subject matter would not be for everyone (sex trade workers being targeted in hate crimes) but it's an okay story. The plot is pretty simple too and I think, assumes the reader is fairly liberal; anyone who wasn't would just get frustrated with the tolerant bias towards the cultural environment of the sex trade. So, because of this The Thirteenth Rose would not be a book for everyone but I thought it was okay.
    • 3/5
      Having jumped into this series at book four I feel I was missing some of the background of the main characters. That being said enough details are provided to help a reader get to know the characters a little. I cannot help but feel like I would have liked the story to be a bit longer but that would defeat the purpose of the Rapid Reads format. The conclusion seemed a bit rushed.This book covers adult topics and is clearly aimed at readers with reading difficulties or those who are learning English.
    • 4/5
      Apparently this is the fourth Rapid Reads book Gail Bowen has written. They all star Charlie D., a talk radio host in some unnamed Canadian city. Although this is a Rapid Read that doesn't mean it is lacking in suspense.In this episode it is Valentine's Day and Charlie D. has an ex-escort as his studio guest to talk about love and satisfaction. The ex-escort is also the owner of the studio which was given to her by her billionaire husband as a wedding gift. Another show's host has a considerable following for his conservative and hate-filled views and lately his disciples have taken to violence towards hookers and gays and lesbians and anyone else they consider to be wrong. On Valentine's Day they have increased the violence to murder, vowing to kill one hooker every hour.It's hard to build a convincing story in a short story format but Gail Bowen has the knack of doing so. I've long been a fan of her mysteries set in Regina but it's nice to see her doing other formats.
    • 3/5
      The Thirteenth Rose is a short story about a radio talk show host, Charlie D. He receives a strange call during one of his late night broadcasts. There is also a special guest host for this broadcast.This was a fast paced story and can be read in one evening.If you prefer quick reads with little plot or character development, this book is for you.
    • 3/5
      This is a dark gritty story about a bunch of zealots who ritualistically murder prostitutes. The narrator is the host of a late-night call-in radio show. On a Valentine's Day show his guest "expert' is a former escort which obviously annoys the zealots (who seem to be led by another on air personality at the same radio station). A call comes into the show warning of a murder and then a U-Tube video of the murder is posted..The story can be read in an hour or so and is convenient as a paperback so you can carry it around to read on a commute or while waiting in line and so on. In my view it would work better as a full length novel, rather than a short story/novella. The story seemed rushed and choppy -- there was little character development except for the radio show host. It would have been interesting to follow the hunt for the killers, rather than have it covered off in a couple of paragraphs. I have read other Rapid Read books by other authors and I think I had the same general reaction, but the others were not as obviously abbreviated as this one. I have read several other mysteries by this author and enjoyed them. This series seems to be a new genre for her (I noted that there are other stories in this series). Maybe it's time for a full length novel.I have rated it at three stars, which may be generous, because of the lack of plot and character development. Lastly, I noted the price was C$9.99 which seems pricey especially when you can probably buy something similar on Kindle or Kobo for as low as C2.99. There's no reson for premium pricing for this book.I obtained my copy at no cost as a LibraryThing Early Reviewer.
    • 2/5
      I have read a Gail Bowen "Joanne Kilbourn" mystery before and I really enjoyed it but never a "rapid read". I find The Thirteenth Rose lacking in character development and storyline. I am sure this is somewhat due to it being the 4th in a series that I haven't read. Personally I prefer a longer book with more "meat" to it. If you have a short attention span or limited time than this is a series for you.
    • 4/5
      Charlie D is back for this 4th installment in the series. This time, the action takes place on Valentine's day night and Charlie's guest is an ex-escort to discuss love and relationship, paid or not. The subject is charged for a lot of callers and for the killer.The book is an easy and fast read which renders it a good for adults learning a second language or having difficulties reading.
    • 3/5
      [The Thirteenth Rose] is the fourth in this "Rapid Reads" series. It features late-night talk-show host Charlie D. This story takes place on Valentine's Day. While Charlie hosts an ex-call girl to talk about satisfaction and intimacy, a group of Warriors is killing prostitutes to "cleanse" the city. When someone emails Charlie's program with a threat to kill another prostitute, it's a race to see if they can find the woman before she dies.These rapid reads books are fast-paced page turners. But they are like watching a single TV program vs. a miniseries. The plot is simple with no detailed explanation of how the solution was arrived at, and there's not much character development.Still Bowen is a great storyteller; she knows how to pace her plots and keep the story moving. This is a story meant to be read in one sitting, and as such is a fine example of a "Rapid Read."
    • 3/5
      Charlie Dowhanuik is the host of a late-night radio call-in show. On Valentine’s Day, the theme of his show is “satisfaction” and his special guest is a former escort/sex trade worker. Things spiral out of control very quickly as threats are made against sex trade workers; in fact, public harassment escalates to murder.This is the fourth in the Rapid Reads series featuring Charlie D, but it is my first exposure to the character and series. Gail Bowen is best known for her Joanne Kilbourn mysteries, and I understand Charlie D appears in some of those books. This book can be read as a standalone, but I could tell that I was missing some background information because of the references to Charlie’s love for a woman named Ariel who is now dead. It is also clear that the relationship between Charlie and Nova, his producer, has been developing over time. What is missing is a clear setting. Most of the events occur in or in the vicinity of the CVOX radio station, but no city is ever named. The Kilbourn mysteries are set in Saskatchewan so I’m assuming Regina is the setting here as well, but some clarification would be useful, especially since there is reference made to time zones in Eastern Canada. Since murders are scheduled at 11 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time and 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, are we to assume a third is scheduled for 11 p.m. Central Standard Time which Saskatchewan observes?I would have preferred stronger characterization. Charlie seems like an interesting character, but I didn’t feel like I really got to know him. He’s open-minded, tender-hearted, and not afraid to show his emotions, but I would have liked to learn more about him. The book is classified as a murder mystery, but Charlie is not the typical protagonist of that genre: he is not an investigator; events over which he has no control happen around him. He is indeed as helpless as he describes himself as feeling. The other problem is with the portrayal of the sex workers; all are good-hearted women, especially Dolores O’Reilly and Misty de Vol Burgh and Charity. The villain in the piece is also one-dimensional; in this case, totally evil. This being said, I understand that by their very nature, the books, intended as quick reads for adult literacy development, do not allow for full character development. The plot is fairly predictable. The first foreshadowing is the thirteen roses Charlie buys. A dozen roses is a common purchase, but flowers are not usually sold as a baker’s dozen. The identity of the instigator is also obvious as is the way that the case will be solved.There are two aspects of the book I enjoyed. The use of lyrics to develop the theme of the talk show as well as to comment on events was a nice touch. Also, the voices of the callers came across very well; I was reminded of one of my favourite sitcoms, "Frazier."The book certainly qualifies as high-interest for reluctant or developing adult readers. It has contemporary references and deals with a mature topic. It would serve well as a catalyst for discussion. Although it is missing the character and plot development I prefer in a book, I suspect that at least the former would be found if the series were read in order.Note: I received an Advance Reading Copy of the book from the publisher via LibraryThing.
    • 4/5
      I really love the Rapid Reads series. The stories are tightly written and fast-paced — bite-size reading satisfaction! I'm also a fan of Gail Bowen, so THE THIRTEENTH ROSE is a great treat in-between full-length novels.As with Bowen's previous books in this series, THE THIRTEENTH ROSE features Charlie D., a subplot character from Bowen's Joanne Kilbourn books. Charlie D. is a late-night radio talk-show host with a dark past. In this book, Charlie is in the middle of his Valentine's Day show, complete with special guest, when his producer Nova receives a e-mail linked to a horrifying violent video. Charlie needs to think fast and act quickly to prevent any more damage from being done.This mystery moves at breakneck speed and is easy to read in a single sitting. It also introduces its own subplot issues, suggesting that we can expect to read more about Charlie and Nova in the future. If you enjoy mysteries or if you like Gail Bowen's writing, you'll enjoy this short book.
    • 5/5
      This was a great quick read. It had all the elements of a thriller but was short and I finished it in an evening. I'd recommend this to anyone, especially those who say they never have time to read.