Audiobook Review: Fire and Water by Andrew Grey – Narrated by Randy Fuller

Title: Fire and Water (Carlisle Cops: Book One)

Author: Andrew Grey

Narrator:: Randy Fuller

Run Time: 6 Hours, 33 Minutes

At a Glance: Fire and Water was a very good book, and I thought the narration by Randy Fuller was also very good.

Reviewed By: Maryann

Blurb: Officer Red Markham knows about the ugly side of life after a car accident left him scarred and his parents dead. His job policing the streets of Carlisle, PA, only adds to the ugliness, and lately, drug overdoses have been on the rise. One afternoon, Red is dispatched to the local Y for a drowning accident involving a child. Arriving on site, he finds the boy rescued by lifeguard Terry Baumgartner. Of course, Red isn’t surprised when gorgeous Terry won’t give him and his ugly mug the time of day.

Overhearing one of the officer’s comments about him being shallow opens Terry’s eyes. Maybe he isn’t as kindhearted as he always thought. His friend Julie suggests he help those less fortunate by delivering food to the elderly. On his route he meets outspoken Margie, a woman who says what’s on her mind. Turns out, she’s Officer Red’s aunt.

Red and Terry’s worlds collide as Red tries to track the source of the drugs and protect Terry from an ex-boyfriend who won’t take no for an answer. Together they might discover a chance for more than they expected—if they can see beyond what’s on the surface.

Review: Redmond “Red” Markum is a police officer in Carlisle, where a bad drug is taking over the streets. Even though Red is courageous, kind and performs his job well, people are still afraid of him. When Red was younger, he was in a car accident that took his parents’ lives and left him scarred and disfigured. He tries not to let it bother him, but he has heard all the remarks and seen all the looks and still feels very self-conscious.

Terry Baumgartner is a young man who gave up a dream of being an Olympic swimmer. Terry let his good looks go to his head. His ex-boyfriend, James, has money and gave Terry anything he wanted. But James was always in control and took Terry away from his friends and his dreams.

After Red has dealt with one drug case, he gets another call about an incident at the Y. That’s where he first meets Terry, a lifeguard there. Red can’t help noticing how perfect the young man in the small red bathing suit is. Once Red has gotten the Y incident under control, he hears a remark that Terry makes to Julie, a co-lifeguard. Arthur, a paramedic who was called to the scene, also overhears Terry’s remark. He tells Red not to listen to them and invites Red to dinner at the Hanover Grill. It’s there that Red sees Terry again, and it’s there that Terry receives a bit of advice that will change the course of this story.

The next evening, Terry and Julie go to Lavelle’s, where they pick up meals to deliver to deliver to shut-ins. The deliveries go well for Terry, but at the last one, he is surprised when Red opens the door. Red is visiting with his Aunt Margie, the one who took him in after his parents’ death. When Terry shows up at her door, Red isn’t willing to let Terry in. Aunt Margie, however, smoothes things over and invites Terry to stay for dinner. When Terry gets a call on his cell phone, Red and Aunt Margie notice how frightened Terry looks, and then he makes a hasty retreat. Aunt Margie encourages Red to go after Terry to make sure he is all right. What will Red discover when he finds Terry? Will the mystery of the drug problem get resolved? Can Red and Terry both overcome their issues?

Fire and Water was a very good book, and I thought the narration by Randy Fuller was also very good. I could tell the difference between characters and their tones of voice. Fuller did a great job of narrating the various emotions. I read along with the audio and found some slight changes to the wording, which was all for the better. It made the characters’ manner of speaking a little more believable.

I would recommend giving Fire and Water a listen.