Competition Can Be Murder: Charlie Parker, Book 8
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Competition Can Be Murder: Charlie Parker, Book 8 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Connie Shelton (Author), Rebecca Cook (Narrator), Books In Motion (Publisher)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 295 ratings
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Brian Swinney needs someone to fly his aircrafts in Scotland on a lucrative contract shuttling men and equipment to the North Sea oil rigs. Helping out their friend, Charlie Parker and Drake Langston agree to the job, ignorant of the escalating battle between the outfitters that service the rigs. Taking up residence at historic Dunworthy Castle, they become acquainted with owners Robert and Sarah Dunbar. They seem to be down-to-earth ranching folk but their daughter, son-in-law, and teenage son Richie are another story. Discovering that Charlie is an investigator, Robert begs her to look for two missing lambs. But when Richie also turns up missing and the ransom demands begin, Charlie wants out. Coupled with the kidnapping, threats from the oil rigs heat up.

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  1. Listening Length
    7 hours and 31 minutes
  2. Author
    Connie Shelton
  3. Narrator
    Rebecca Cook
  4. Audible release date
    May 7, 2012
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Books In Motion
  7. ASIN
    B00817YIB6
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 7 hours and 31 minutes
Author Connie Shelton
Narrator Rebecca Cook
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date May 07, 2012
Publisher Books In Motion
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B00817YIB6
Best Sellers Rank #345,189 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#2,404 in International Mystery & Crime (Audible Books & Originals)
#9,992 in Women Sleuth Mysteries
#10,473 in International Mystery & Crime (Books)

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
295 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Anne
5.0 out of 5 stars The best of the series
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2013
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Having read all of Connie Shelton's two series, Charlie Parker and Samantha Sweet, I can say this one is the best book she has written. The writing is smooth, flows well, the amount of research she has done shows in the detail, and the plot is realistic. The stories are always good, clean fun, and this book has the added bonus of terror that doesn't let up. The characters grow with each book, so they really must be read in order. That's not a problem, as Kindle has them all. I would highly recommend this book, this series in fact, to anyone who loves a good story.
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Robert Shapiro
5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Enjoyable Series
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2012
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This is really a wonderful book, I'm really enjoying this series very much. I'm also really impressed with the way the author has segued from her Charlie Parker series beginnings - which were a little rough in book 2 and 3 (I haven't read book 1 yet) and I felt a bit unsettled there especially with book 2 - as it always is for many authors getting started with something that they hope will be a series. By the time it got to Small Towns Can Be Murder (book 4) for me it really smoothed out into a very enjoyable series.

This is the seventh book I've read by Connie Shelton and I'm really enjoying the characters as well as the helicopter aspect and the southwestern locations.
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Bonita L. Rose
4.0 out of 5 stars Competition can be murder
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2012
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Enjoyed reading all of the.......can be murder. It is interesting and enjoyable for an evening read. It is not complicated and not steamy sex, a book you could recommend to your friends and family. I am ready for another......can be murder.
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Mark S. in NY
5.0 out of 5 stars Intrigue in Scotland
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2014
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Charlie and Drake are doing a favor for a friend in Scotland. Charlie gets to meet some local castle dwellers, visit a sheep farm, solve a kidnapping, fly a helicopter to an oil rig, and almost lose her life.

We have good people doing fairly dumb things, unhappy people doing bad things, and even average people doing things they regret. In short, we find that even in Scotland people are not perfect by a long shot. This makes the story believable, even though it is a little hard to imagine one person being involved in two life threatening mysteries at once.

Sorry guys. Rusty could not get past the customs officials in Great Britton. However, we have lambs, puppies and a small terrier name Ruffie to fill in for him. No Mexican food either. How did Charlie survive that?

The interesting thing, in both mysteries, is not so much who did it, as how far are the people involved are actually willing to go. Because in both situations the people involved should have known that it would not end well for them.
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Bill King
5.0 out of 5 stars Charlie and Drake in Scotland
Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2012
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Charlie and Drake are off to Scotland for a nice 90 day business, pleasure trip Yea right. You know Charlie can't walk around the corner to purchase a paper without getting into Trouble of finding a dead body. Now that she is also a helicopter pilot she and Drake have been hired by a friend 2 shuttle workers to and from oil rigs off the Scotland Coast that does not sit well with boat captains and union workers who used to have exclusive rights to that work. Meanwhile the owners of the cottage that Charlie and Drake are renting live in a giant castle on the same ground are having there own problems with a grandchild teen and his mates. Competition can Be Murder is my 8th in the Charlie Parker series also my favorite to date. One person missing in Scotland is Rusty due to international laws regarding pets. I miss him. OK I don't want to give up too much other than to say great book go ,out ad get it.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2014
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Connie Shelton has done it again. I couldn't hardly put the book down. Charlie and Drake are in Scotland this time. The scenery is beautiful and the suspense is great. This was one of the best in the series so far. Can't wait for the next book.
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Louise Hulbrock
4.0 out of 5 stars An easy read!
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2018
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It was an easy read and I enjoy her characters and the mystery. I read the story on vacation, so it was a nice relaxing book.
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MS. SHARON J. BERMAN
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great story
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2018
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Connie Shelton has mastered the art of storytelling. Every single book has kept me not wanting to stop reading until I get to the end. Then I look forward to the next book in the series. I hope Connie keeps on creating lots of stories. She never disappoints me.
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Top reviews from other countries

Catherine70
2.0 out of 5 stars Mountain lions in Scotland?
Reviewed in France on September 18, 2016
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I've been reading and enjoying the series -I didn't read the second book because I wasn't tempted with Pacific sea resorts as I much prefer New Mexico. I didn't mind this number 8 being set in Scotland, though, as I like the UK, however I am disappointed in the plot. Too many characters, and the second and third plots are unnecessary. This wouldn't have been too bad if I hadn't noticed an astounding error concerning the two stolen lambs, whose mother has allegedly been killed by a mountain lion...or so says the thief's wife. I was so surprised I checked, just in case I was mistaken in my belief. I was right : Mountain lions aka cougars or pumas don't exist in Europe.A minor mistake, some would say, yet up until now Ms SHELTON has been very good on fauna and flora and it's quite surprising. All in all the book is not up to the author's talent, which doesn't mean I'm not recommending it. I like the series. I only wish the leading character weren't so emotionally crippled at times, and didn't forget to offer condolences to bereaved people before asking them questions. I'm still looking forward to reading the next book, anyway.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Charlie Parker
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2012
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Connie Shelton makes the most of her visit to Scotland with her background to this book( so different to New Mexico which is Charlie's home)
Two main plots here with Charlie & Drake operating at times alone & then together.
Very exciting with the helicopter flights over the North Sea to the oil platforms & the wicked perfomances of some of the people on the rig trying to prevent Charlie & Drake completing their flights.
The other plot is about a kidnap & Charlie solving it.
Again an enjoyable read.
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Debbie V
3.0 out of 5 stars Some frustrating inaccuracies in an otherwise excellent series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 31, 2021
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I really enjoy this series, and would usually rate each one 4-5 stars but sadly I can only give this a 3 star review. The reason? While Connie Shelton has brilliantly captured life in the Highlands (I found the descriptions, culture and the way the characters talk - most of the time - well written and observed), there were several glaring, and embarrassing, errors. Apart from the Americanisms coming from some of the Scottish characters (fine if coming from Charlie and Drake, but not from the locals), the factual errors like mountain lions and wolves in Scotland made me put the book down in frustration. Others have pointed out that the time of year would mean longer periods of daylight and how lambs wouldn’t still be lambs by August. Smaller errors such as Drake searching for ID for his injured assistant for her ‘medical insurance’ (not needed for the NHS) - which could easily have been a culture misunderstanding, but not referred to again to clear it up, and the use of words like ‘trash’ for rubbish and ‘mail’ instead of post - both spoken by a Scottish character, all irritated. A little more research would have gone a long way.
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Kevin
5.0 out of 5 stars Charlie Parker mystery
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2015
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Absolutely loving this series of books. Reading them one after another means you notice certain things which may not stand out reading them as and when they are released, such as being told every time about Rusty the dog being allowed to sit under the table waiting to catch stray bits of food when Charlie goes To Pedro's and the only other guy in is the one who sits alone at the corner of the bar.
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astichintime
3.0 out of 5 stars Stick to what you know
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 1, 2012
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Don't get me wrong - I really enjoy these books - but this is a classic case of an author falling in love with a place she has only visited on holiday and wishing to share it with the rest of us. The storyline is good, well developed and up to her usual standards - it's just the details! Don't throw in Glencoe and Loch Ness when your main location is an oil rig off Scotland without first actually timing the driving times involved - and disgruntled hardworking Scottish boatmen resorting to high powered rifles to get their way - please, this isn't the Wild West - we HAVE gun control in this country! Our plucky author did at least have the sense to spare us the cliches of the Clan wars fought over generations and the lone piper on the hill to complete the tourist guide to Scotland.
Oh, just one more thing - although American TV has reached Scotland, they still herd sheep and cattle, they don't talk about "running" them.
Several times I wondered f the original setting for this story was to have been the Gulf of Mexico because sometimes the story and its characters made more sense that way.
Nevertheless, it hasn't put me off and I shall continue to read about Charlie and hopefully enjoy her further adventures.
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