This first novel has all the elements I look for in a book. 1st, a solid lead character. Nick Drake is struggling to put the war behind him. His PTSD is fairly realistically portrayed. Flashbacks weave through the story and are momentarily confusing at times, but help the reader understand what the character is going through. He’s flawed and relatable. 2nd, a setting you feel immersed in. The high desert setting is well described with lots of small details that make it seem like a real place. 3rd, a good supporting cast. Jemma, Pudge and November are all well rounded and interesting. The mystery is not all that compelling but the story as a whole is still well worth a listen. The only negative for me was the Narrator. At times, several characters sounded so similar that it was hard to figure out who was talking. His reading of the story was fairly flat and he often sounded like a newscaster from the 1960s, so as the action built, his voice and manner stayed the same, taking away from the building suspense.