The Dame cover art

The Dame

An Alan Grofield Novel, Book 2

 Preview

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Dame

Written by: Richard Stark
Narrated by: R.C. Bray
Try for $0.00

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $27.75

Buy Now for $27.75

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Donald E. Westlake is one of the greats of crime fiction. Under the pseudonym Richard Stark, he wrote 24 fast-paced, hard-boiled novels featuring Parker, a shrewd career criminal with a talent for heists. Using the same nom de plume, Westlake also completed a separate series in the Parker universe, starring Alan Grofield, an occasional colleague of Parker. While he shares events and characters with several Parker novels, Grofield is less calculating and more hot-blooded than Parker; think fewer guns, more dames.

Not that there isn’t violence and adventure aplenty... The Dame finds Grofield in Puerto Rico protecting a rich, demanding woman in her isolated jungle villa, and reluctantly assuming the role of detective. A rare Westlake take on a whodunit, The Dame features a cast of colorful characters and a suspenseful - and memorable - climax.

©2012 Richard Stark (P)2013 AudioGO Hard-Boiled Fiction Mystery Exciting
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What the critics say

"Marvelous.... Nearly half a century into his writing career, Westlake remains superb." ( Entertainment Weekly)
"Stark’s momentum is such that the more matter he throws into the hopper the faster the gears turn. The books are machines that all but read themselves. You can read the entire series and not once have to invest in a bookmark." ( London Standard)
"Crime fiction stripped down - as it was meant to be.... Oh, how the pages keep turning." ( Philadelphia Inquirer)

What listeners say about The Dame

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    7
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.ca reviews

Amazon Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Langer MD

Brilliantly Fun

Richard Stark (Donald E. Westlake) is clearly having a blast with this Alan Grofield character. The plot in this installment is incredibly superficial (helping a gangster's soon-to-be ex-wife in Puerto Rico & trying to solve an Agatha Christie-styled whodunit), but the sardonically "Don't-Give-A-F*ck" protagonist just lives in the moment - seducing young women, giving the metaphorical finger to mobsters, punching faces when he feels like it, and stealing whatever he wants. Stark/Westlake writes clearly, delivers tongue-in-cheek sarcastic dialogue at every opportunity, and provides mind's-eye vivid descriptions. Yes, you need to suspend some disbelief (this story is hilariously implausible.. making MacGuyver escapes look self-evident), but if you can do it - this book is an injection of dopamine.

The casting of R.C Bray was sheer genius. He clearly understands the author's rollercoaster-ride intent and delivers a well-paced, well-acted reading (with exemplary diction, timbre, cadence, and tone).
Bray's voice-acting in this recording is something out of a Hollywood Talent Agency. He is clearly one of the best in the business.

This book is by no means the most consequential Thriller I have read
..but it was free and a brilliant distraction for a quiet snowy afternoon. If you can put aside some literary expectations and simply enjoy, it rates 9 stars out of 10. It's a big improvement on Book One in the 'Grofield' series.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for presterjohn1

Fun whodunit

I always enjoy Donald Westlake's Richard Stark persona. His punchy style is enhanced by an excellent facility for language and a gift for brevity and precision. His imagination flies us through many adventures to satisfying conclusions, and while most of the Stark books are fairly short, they never feel rushed. They just stop talking when they're done and don't linger on sentiment.

R.C. Bray is an excellent narrator, an ideal voice for Stark.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Martin S.

Fun and frivolous!

Alan Grofield looks danger in the eye and asks two questions: can I make a joke, and can I get lucky with a lady?

This second Grofield book was far better than the first, as this is the thieving thespian finds himself in a murder mystery he must solve to save his own skin in Puerto Rico. An excellent tale, although the ending was a bit rushed.

R.C. Bray narrates this one excellently.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful