Audio Review: The Last Guy Breathing by Skylar M. Cates - Narrated by Matt Baca

Author: Skylar M. Cates

Narrator:: Matt Baca

Run Time: 8 Hours and 53 Minutes

At a Glance: Matt Baca has a really nice voice, but there needed to be more to Locke’s characterization.

Reviewed By: Maryann

Blurb: Henry Clueley doesn’t want to be in Glamour, not after moving far away to overcome a difficult, if privileged, childhood. He’s no longer that pudgy kid desperate to escape his hometown, but it still holds painful memories. When his recently widowed mother needs him, however, “dependable Henry” does the right thing—even if it means leaving the IRS to take a boring corporate position. Things don’t stay boring for long. Soon Henry helps the local sheriff’s department unravel a crime. Posing as half of a fake couple seems like a fun idea… until Henry learns he already knows the deputy playing his other half.

Deputy Locke may be new to the Glamour Sheriff’s Department, but he’s fought his way up in the world and is determined to make a good impression. He keeps his private life quiet, even from his beloved younger brother. Locke knows better than most the need to protect what’s his.

Henry resents the arrogant, gorgeous cop, and Locke thinks Henry is sheltered and spoiled. Their secret and steamy encounter only adds to the animosity. As they join forces, Henry thinks a relationship with Locke would be catastrophic, but the white-hot passion between them makes it hard to resist.

Review: Henry Cluely has left a job with the IRS in Washington, DC, and has returned to Glamour, Arizona, to take care of his mother. Henry’s mother isn’t handling her finances at all, so he has come home to help. She ignores Henry every time he brings up her finances, and Henry is frustrated. Henry is a very loving and caring son, but sometimes he just wants to be bad. As a youngster he had weight problems, which got him bullied, even by his own father. Henry still hasn’t seen how great he looks, he still thinks of himself as being overweight and not attractive to other guys. And with all that, he also has to contend with Deputy Locke, who is just one big arrogant thorn in his side.

Henry has been hired as an accountant at Decker and Thomas, a very lucrative financial planning company. Lately, Henry has been noticing discrepancies in the numbers, and he brings it to retired Sheriff Tony Carrino. There was an old Financial Crimes Unit case that Tony was involved in, but the case had gone cold. Now, with the suicide of Cynthia Murphy, this case has come alive again, and Henry is there to provide information. Sheriff Lisa Hawkins has a meeting with Tony, Henry, and Locke, and now Henry and Locke will need to go undercover as a couple. Locke is already resentful, thinking he would have to babysit Henry and never get credit for the case. Henry is just tired of Locke, what with his being an all-around smug jerk. Will Henry and Locke be able to put their differences aside and solve this case? And once this case is over, will Henry leave and go back to DC?

Deputy Locke is fairly new to the police force in Glamour. Locke is rude and inconsiderate toward Henry, and makes it his goal to make Henry miserable. But even though he comes across as a tough guy, Locke is very insecure. Growing up, life had been hard for Locke. His mother was selfish and deserted their family, and his father not caring anymore, left Locke responsible for his younger brother James. Locke did things in his life that he is not happy about, but they kept him and his brother alive. Because of Locke’s own issues of trust, he makes some serious mistakes with both James and Henry.

This is the third book in The Guy series, and there’s not only a good mystery, but it was nice getting to visit with the Carrino’s again. Matt Baca did really well with the narration of The Last Guy Breathing. He has a very nice voice, but I wish there had been more to Deputy Locke’s characterization, as he comes across as flat and unemotional. I realize the character is somewhat mean and controlling, but even when he talked with his brother, James, who he supposedly cared for so much, his voice just sounded stern, and they didn’t joke or tease the way brothers would.