The first chapter grabbed me, but this quickly devolved into a mediocre story with cheesy dialogue and stereotypical one-note characters. It was a fine and kind-of-entertaining as a quick read, but by the last 50 pages I was almost skimming through because I was over it. I also thought there was a BIG narrative miss at the end.

Robert McCammon should be among the great writers people talk about. And he’s not and I just don’t understand why. This was a wonderful book.

Thank you Cemetery Dance for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Listener will be released February 27, 2018. It can be preordered from Cemetery Dance, Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, B&N.
This was my first time reading a Robert McCammon book. I've heard such good things that I was already starting to collect his books and Boy's Life is on this year's TBR. This book just made me an instant fan and now I want to go back and read everything he ever wrote.
This is part historical novel, set in 1934 and part supernatural suspense blended together expertly. The story is told in Parts and we are introduced to the immoral, unscrupulous adults, John Parr/Pearly and Ginger LaFrance who swindle folks to make their way during the Great Depression. McCammon scandalizes us with what some people are willing to do to survive by taking advantage of others. This kind of evil knows no bounds.
In contrast, another Part is our protagonist's story, Curtis Mayhew. We instantly love Curtis. A young, black man who lives with his spirited mother Orchid (she made me laugh out loud) and works at a train yard helping weary travelers with their luggage and such. An honest living.
I was blown away at how effortlessly McCammon transported me to the setting of his story. I could see it all through Curtis' eyes. Every situation he found himself in was just another way for McCammon to reveal more layers of this young man's character. We become very invested in his life--then, towards the middle of the story, we also meet Nilla-a girl about the same as Curtis born into privilege and we discover why Curtis and Nilla are so special.
The lives of all these unique characters intersect under some very intense circumstances and I'd say the last 200 pages MUST be read in one fell swoop. You legit cannot put this book down once our story climaxes and begins its push towards the finish. I never wanted it to end. I could have read about Curtis Mayhew forever. I feel confident adding him to my short list of favorite literary characters of all time. All the kids in this story were so fleshed out, making this story dangerous and risky, my mom-heart was beating out of my chest.
In a word, I love this book. I'll be adding it to my all time favorite stories and I know I'll be visiting it again and buying myself a copy when it comes out. Please take it from me and BUY THIS BOOK. Preorder it, throw your money at it. A must have for any serious reader.

This was quite a read. McCammon takes a so-real-it-hurts story set in 1930 Louisiana and subtly adds his own touches to it, a touch of magic, of otherworldliness. This element could easily overpower another story, make it solely supernatural, or even derail a serious plotline. But McCammon's book isn't really a book about psychics, or "listening" or anything so supernaturally mundane. At it's core, this book is about people, and about the best and the worst that they can be.

This book was not what I expected from Robert McCammon. I've read many of his other books and loved them. This book was just not great. The story was bleh. The characters were one-note. All the women in this story were either weak or evil manipulators. I felt like he could have resolved the story better as well. This book just felt like it was rushed, thrown together with trite stereotypes and an easy out.

Overall a loser for me.

Telepathic Talking & Listening
Review of the Audible Studios audiobook (February 27, 2018) narrated by [a:Marc Vietor|3044224|Marc Vietor|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1467059308p2/3044224.jpg] released simultaneously with the Cemetary Dance Publications hardcover original.

I'd never read anything from Robert McCammon previously, but after reading a recent enthusiastic 5-star review of [b:Boy's Life|36505403|Boy's Life|Robert McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509393911l/36505403._SY75_.jpg|16685995] (1991) from GR friend Debbie Y I decided I had to check him out. Coincidentally a mid-March 2024 Audible 1/2 price sale provided this copy of The Listener shortly afterwards, so I dipped in with this shorter work.

This was a completely engaging crime story set mostly in 1934 New Orleans during the heart of the so-called "public enemies" era. The Lindbergh kidnapping (1932) and Bonnie & Clyde's rampage (ended in 1934) are reference points. A trio of small-time grifters come together to stage a double-kidnapping from a wealthy family. The villains are cold-blooded and merciless but unbeknowst to them, one of their victims has a special talent of telepathy which is connected to a similarly gifted teenage Red-Cap porter who works at the local railway station. As the porters in that era were exclusively Black-Americans this book also somewhat ties in to my recent read of Suzette Mayr's [b:The Sleeping Car Porter|61354631|The Sleeping Car Porter|Suzette Mayr|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1656260378l/61354631._SY75_.jpg|96766786] (2022).

The story is harrowing enough on its own and may not have needed the supernatural connection element, but obviously some method of tracing and solving the crime was needed, so you just have to accept that sort of Stephen Kingish element to the story. I thought all of this was well done, and the narration by Marc Vietor in all voices was excellent as well.

There was an further element of peril added towards the end which did take it over the top somewhat though and a bit of a downbeat ending kept it out of 5-star territory for me. Still McCammon is terrific in atmosphere and scene setting and in the portrayal of the culprits who are chilling in the extreme (some of them more than others). I look forward to further McCammons in the future!

Trivia and Links
The foggy grey-white cover of both the English language hardcover and the audiobook editions has to be one of the dullest ever designed. Foreign language editions such as [b:Момчето, което чуваше всичко|54150049|Момчето, което чуваше всичко|Robert McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1592470522l/54150049._SX50_.jpg|52610846] and [b:Słuchacz|61761160|Słuchacz|Robert McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1659003878l/61761160._SY75_.jpg|52610846] and [b:Слышащий|57904400|Слышащий|Robert McCammon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1619819060l/57904400._SX50_.jpg|52610846] did so much more.

Not the best McCammon book but an enjoyable read. At times I wasn't sure who the main character was supposed to be but a good story.

As good as anything I've read over the last few years. Robert McCammon is a brilliant story teller.