THE DEAD GIVEAWAY
A Ghost Story in the High Desert

by Quentin Eckman

Narrated by: Dave Cruse

Production by: Quentin Eckman

High Desert Adventure!

Quentin Eckman creates a relatable, imaginative storyline set in Joshua Tree National Park and explains the history of the area. The majestic beauty of the trails, well-known rock formations, vistas, and spectacular meteor showers in the high desert is the ideal backdrop for Lewis Price, who wants to retire peacefully.  Price settles in the small town near the park and rents a room from a charming widow. He was recently released from a mental hospital with medication to treat his bipolar diagnosis of talking to people no one sees. The once famed ball player reacts unexpectedly to a bank robber when waiting to deposit his first retirement check. The bank situation sets off a chain of events that pull listeners into the story in the first few minutes. Price later connects with a man who resembles a bygone-era prospector stuck in the afterlife.

Each of the characters, from Price to Bill Keys to his landlady and to the bank robber work, interact in concert to deliver this delightful, action-packed adventure. Brisk dialogue with touches of honesty, anger, humor, and regret teases out the history of people and places to put readers or listeners inside the three-dimensional world in The Dead Giveaway. The story has several exciting twists of multiple story threads that meet in the unexpected conclusion.

Dave Cruse gives a solid rendition of the story with appropriate raspy voices of age, hints of anger, and flawless intonations to bring this ghost story to life. There were no issues with the quality of the audiobook and the performance perfectly complimented a delightful story. Fans of crime and mystery genres will enjoy The Dead Giveaway, and look forward to more fiction by Quentin Eckman.

Disclaimer: This Audiobook was provided free of charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-biased, honest review.