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A review by marilynw
One Wrong Word by Hank Phillippi Ryan
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
One Wrong Word by Hank Phillippi Ryan
Narrated by Gail Shalan
Now that the story is over, I realize I still have trouble getting my head around just what took place. Not surprising though, since several of the characters are liars, manipulators, cheats, and worse. Crisis management expert Arden Ward is stuck smack dab in the middle of this mess and while she took this one last job to minimize the fact that she was being fired, she's wishing she'd just took the firing and slammed the door behind her.
Thanks to being accused of doing something she didn't do, Arden feels forced to take the job of rehabbing the reputation of Ned Bannister, a Boston real estate mogul who was acquitted in a fatal drunk driving accident. Despite being acquitted, his reputation, business dealings, and family are suffering from the unwelcome notoriety and Arden's parting "gift" from her soon to be ex-boss is this one last job to show prospective employers just how well she can pull the shattered Bannister reputation out of the dumpster and make it all shiny again.
Arden is a smart and likeable woman and her heart is in the right place in that she really does want to help people. Too bad so many clients have something to hide and won't be truthful with her despite her insistence they tell her all their secrets. Ned's wife Cordelia is the one who asked for Arden's services but she can be cagey and seems to be holding back on the information Arden needs to help the Bannisters.
Narrator Gail Shalan added to this story for me. While Arden's inner thoughts can go around in circles, Shalan's vocalization of her thoughts brought out the humor in Arden's thinking. Really, how did Arden get into this huge mess she finds herself in now? What is usually an office job has turned into something very different and very dangerous. Add in two very cute kids and a savvy grandmother and I can't help wanting this story to continue if we get to see those three again. I can get so attached to side characters and it happened again for me in this story.
Thanks to my library and Libby for this audiobook.
Narrated by Gail Shalan
Now that the story is over, I realize I still have trouble getting my head around just what took place. Not surprising though, since several of the characters are liars, manipulators, cheats, and worse. Crisis management expert Arden Ward is stuck smack dab in the middle of this mess and while she took this one last job to minimize the fact that she was being fired, she's wishing she'd just took the firing and slammed the door behind her.
Thanks to being accused of doing something she didn't do, Arden feels forced to take the job of rehabbing the reputation of Ned Bannister, a Boston real estate mogul who was acquitted in a fatal drunk driving accident. Despite being acquitted, his reputation, business dealings, and family are suffering from the unwelcome notoriety and Arden's parting "gift" from her soon to be ex-boss is this one last job to show prospective employers just how well she can pull the shattered Bannister reputation out of the dumpster and make it all shiny again.
Arden is a smart and likeable woman and her heart is in the right place in that she really does want to help people. Too bad so many clients have something to hide and won't be truthful with her despite her insistence they tell her all their secrets. Ned's wife Cordelia is the one who asked for Arden's services but she can be cagey and seems to be holding back on the information Arden needs to help the Bannisters.
Narrator Gail Shalan added to this story for me. While Arden's inner thoughts can go around in circles, Shalan's vocalization of her thoughts brought out the humor in Arden's thinking. Really, how did Arden get into this huge mess she finds herself in now? What is usually an office job has turned into something very different and very dangerous. Add in two very cute kids and a savvy grandmother and I can't help wanting this story to continue if we get to see those three again. I can get so attached to side characters and it happened again for me in this story.
Thanks to my library and Libby for this audiobook.