The Investigators : A Badge of Honor Novel (AUDIO CASSETTE)

Rating:
Summary: Very Good Reading!
Review: I thought that this was a very good series book and I very much enjoyed reading the book. Every time I see a new book by Mr. Griffin I buy the book. I have taken weeks to read some books that were very good. For some reason I can't put down one of Mr. Griffin's books until I have read it at least once. I say keep up the good work, and more books in each series.

Rating:
Summary: A good, fast-paced read with some surprises in it.
Review: I was really glad to discover just recently that W.E.B. Griffin had also penned books under the name "Alex Baldwin," as that was how I originally came to know his work (some really fine writing in that series). "The Investigators" allows him to reach out to a different type of reader, and show his stuff. I've now read four of his books and I'd put this one somewhere in the middle (Griffin is a very good writer - he's funny and really seems on spot with all the little details). Griffin's character development in "The Investigators" is a bit uneven, but the story takes some interesting turns, and I found it to generally move right along. Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series, and eventually most or all of his work. Order the book -- this guy is good!

Rating:
Summary: A good, fast-paced read with some surprises in it.
Review: I was really glad to discover just recently that W.E.B. Griffin had also penned books under the name "Alex Baldwin," as that was how I originally came to know his work (some really fine writing in that series). "The Investigators" allows him to reach out to a different type of reader, and show his stuff. I've now read four of his books and I'd put this one somewhere in the middle (Griffin is a very good writer - he's funny and really seems on spot with all the little details). Griffin's character development in "The Investigators" is a bit uneven, but the story takes some interesting turns, and I found it to generally move right along. Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series, and eventually most or all of his work. Order the book -- this guy is good!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful story until the very end.
Review: I was wrapped up in this novel the whole way through. I loved the fact that the author was able to bring together different types of storylines and tie it up at the end. I loved this novel!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Non-Stop Reading Pleasure
Review: I'm almost sorry I got hooked on this series. Why? Because He doesn't come out with the next one soon enough. Griffin has got the perfect hook the way he intertwines a couple angles in each book and only completes a part of the story line. I can't wait to see where Payne and his buddies are going to windup next. Will he go to the Feds? I hope not! Can He top this one? You almost doubt it but book after book once I start one I can't put it down. So where's the next one?

Rating:
Summary: Honey, I love you, even if I am a jerk.
Review: If this is not the last Badge of Honor book, it should be. Griffin has really lost his way. What could have been a good read, is a hackneyed story with characters so wooden they are unbelievable. Matt Payne comes off like a loutish 13 year old discovering sex. Nobody talks like Matt Payne or his honey, Susan. In other words, a good story has been spoiled by uninteresting characters made so by sophomoric dialogue. This is a book you can, and perhaps should, put down.

Rating:
Summary: It was typical W.E.B. Griffin and I enjoyed every page.
Review: If you like black and white movies, the 87th Precinct and Charlie Chan, you will love this series. I started The Badge of Honor series with the Murderers and enjoyed it enough to read the entire series. This one had a more T&A then the others and the love story is a bit juvenile so I will say it may be wisely, the last of this series. Granted this book does not tax your intellect, it simply gives you a relaxing read with old friends.

Rating:
Summary: a fast-paced police procedural
Review: It is difficult for lovers of police procedurals to go wrong with The Investigators or indeed with any of the titles in W.E.B. Griffin's fast-paced Badge of Honor series. A college professor friend of the reviewer had not only recommended the series but had given him copies of nearly all of them. They sat unread on his shelf for a few years. One day on a whim he picked one up, started to read, and could not put it down. Once finished, he immediately went on to the next. Within a short time, he had finished the Investigators, the lastest in the series. Now he cannot wait for the next in the lineup to appear in his bookstore! The books are set in the Philadelphia of the 1970s and build on each other. Indeed, the typical book in the series will pick up only weeks or months after its predecessor left off. One weakness in this approach is that a not insignificant portion of each book recounts events in earlier works. This recap is necessary to bring first-time readers of a particular book up to speed; however, it does get repetitive as the same events reappear in book after book. The best approach is to read the series in order. Griffin's characterizations, while not deep, are deft. He seems to favor policemen who do not look like policeman, like Detective Matt Payne and Inspector Peter Wohl. Indeed, the concept of an upper-class WASP (or WASP-like) male working as a policeman is irresistable to Griffin. Griffin's plots are well-constructed; he usually has a number of story lines interwoven in a single book, and many continue on into the next book in the series (another reason for reading them in order). One problem is that Griffin tends to let his plots run on til the end of the book, and then to resolve them abruptly in the last page or two. It's as if he can't decide how to wrap things up and then washes his hands of the matter with an excess of brevity. The series concept is excellent; we enjoy seeing our old friends return in a new book. One problem is that Griffin sometimes has trouble keeping his facts straight. Matt Payne, for example, is sometimes described as a cum laude graduate of Penn; sometimes, he graduated summa cum laude. Chief Inspecter Dennis V. Coughlin, as another example, is usually described as a life-long bachelor who suffers from unrequited love for Matt Payne's mother. In one of the books, however, he announces that "I'll have to check that out with the wife!" These examples, although not overly common, could be multiplied. Griffin, who seems to be a bit of a recluse or at least an intensely private person, could use a fact-checker! These caveats aside, Griffin has put together a fine series which one hopes the 70-year old author will be able to supplement substantially over the years. The reviewer has read all of them twice; they are that compelling. For readers interested in police procedurals, adventure stories, urban grit, and simple narrative excellence, The Investigators (along with the entire Badge of Honor series), is a must read.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable reading, keeps your interest!
Review: It is hard for me to accept that W.E.B. Griffin is just one person, the way he/they turn out novels. I've read the Army, USMC and Police (Badge of Honor series) and have enjoyed them all. The Investigators by necessity does some "re-hash" of the past which is boring for those of us that have followed the lives and tribulations Peter Wohl and Matt Payne, et al, but it is no doubt necessary for the first time reader. This book isworth the time as all the other Griffin books always are.

Rating:
Summary: The Bage of Honor Series is set in the 70's
Review: It seems that many people have difficulty with these books because they miss the fact that the series is set in the early to mid 70's. Read the earlier ones it becomes clear.