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Dietrich

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Gritty and suspenseful, Dietrich is a hard-boiled whodunnit from Audible Award-winning and internationally best-selling author Don Winslow, performed by four-time Academy Award nominee Ed Harris.

It’s the summer of ’77 in New York City, and the only thing more unnerving than the scorching heatwave is the rampant murder, leaving washed-up homicide detective Richard Dietrich on edge.

When Dietrich investigates a brutal mob hit the brass doesn’t want him to solve, he goes from phoning it in to getting in over his head. Caught up in a mysterious second homicide with an even more perplexing perpetrator, Dietrich starts to second guess his instincts—and his memory—as he searches for answers at the bottom of a bottle.

Audiobook

Published March 28, 2024

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About the author

Don Winslow

99 books7,665 followers
Don Winslow is the author of twenty-one acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel and The Border sold to FX in a major multimillion-dollar deal to air as a weekly television series beginning in 2020.

A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.


Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

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5 stars
142 (13%)
4 stars
422 (38%)
3 stars
398 (36%)
2 stars
111 (10%)
1 star
14 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
Profile Image for Barbara .
1,884 reviews1,572 followers
April 20, 2024
The Don Winslow and Ed Harris duo does it again in Audible Original’s “Dietrich”. Winslow writes gritty, irreverent, and hysterically funny shorts, while Ed Harris narrates the story in a way that you cannot imagine it narrated any other way. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to one of their stories, treat yourself! Saying that, one must not have TWs regarding coarse language (read extra-strong profanity).

The story takes place during a hot spell in New York City in 1977. Richard (Dick) Dietrich is drinking vodka (he’s on the job; Jameson is for evenings); he’s working a case regarding the mob. Bullshit Bobby was killed, although no one really cares.

This is 1 hour and 11 minutes of fun. It’s a nice little mystery. Great twist at the end.
Profile Image for PattyMacDotComma.
1,794 reviews1,074 followers
June 21, 2024
5★ (audio short story)
“...Son of Sam killings. That's what the whole city, the media, the department is focused on. It's August in NY, 102, with a thousand percent humidity. No one is going to bust balls over Batshit Bobby. Go through the motions. shrug. and put it on the shelf.”

Dietrich is a broken-down alcoholic who is still a detective only because the city is short-handed due to the Son of Sam manhunt. When the murder of the aforementioned local homeless man is reported, he and his partner are assigned to ‘investigate’ the case, that is, close it.

They’re sure they know the crime boss responsible for it, but almost nobody seems to know anything about it. When Dietrich finds a lead, and thinks they might actually be able to put this guy away, he gets a little more enthusiastic about his job.

Maybe he’ll ease off on the heavy drinking, but then another murder is reported.

“Dietrich stands over the body in the alley behind Domico’s Pizza Place. [The body] lies face down in a smear of dried blood. Someone put two in the back of his head.

‘Natural causes?’

‘You get two bullets in the head, naturally you're going to die’


I don’t think I’ve read any Winslow before, but after hearing the first-rate narration by Ed Harris, I may have to try some more. Harris is terrific. This is an Audible Original, and only about an hour of listening.
Profile Image for Alan (the Lone Librarian on semi-hiatus)) Teder.
2,762 reviews273 followers
May 15, 2024
Retro Cop Noir
Review of the Audible Original audiobook narrated by Ed Harris (March 28, 2024).

The short story Dietrich is set in the summer of 1977, the so-called summer of The Son of Sam. That is only a sideline to the main plot which involves broken-down alcoholic homicide detective Richard Dietrich investigating first the murder of a homeless man Bullshit Bobby and then the follow-up murder of the drug dealer who was the chief suspect in the first crime.

Setting the story in the 1970s also puts it into the era of the real-life Serpico (1973) and the corrupt activities of the New York City police, as investigated by the Knapp Commission. The NYC Police corruption is also a subplot to Dietrich's investigation.

A 3.5 but bumped to 4 due to the added gravitas of having actor Ed Harris as the narrator.

Trivia and Links
Don Winslow is a popular author of crime mysteries with his most popular novel being The Power of the Dog* (2005). He has written several short stories for Audible Originals with Ed Harris as the narrator. These have been Free Billy (March 22, 2022), Deep Hole (May 26, 2022), Dietrich (March 28, 2024) and the upcoming Oregon (to be published May 23, 2024). The latter is not yet listed on Goodreads as of May 15, 2024, the link goes to Audible.

Audible Originals are exclusive audio productions for Audible. The exclusivity may be time-limited. An author may agree to a (e.g.) six-month audio exclusive before they are free to publish the story in eBook or paper formats. To date none of the Don Winslow / Ed Harris short stories have appeared in print, but possibly there will a future anthology collection. Because there is no print equivalent, the stories are a zero count in your Goodreads page count for the year if you read them.

* Not to be confused with Thomas Savage's western The Power of the Dog (1967).

Profile Image for Krystal.
822 reviews175 followers
April 26, 2024
Ed Harris’s gravelly narration of Winslow’s gritty noir is the thing dreams are made of.

It’s the summer of ‘77 in New York and the “real”
cops are out hunting the Son of Sam around the clock. When a street kid turns up dead in an apparent mob hit no one cares. The case is handed off to the tarnished Dietrich with the expectation that it will be collecting dust sooner rather than later. Dietrich is every inch the flawed character. He’s at the end of his career, a bottle soothing the ghosts of cases past, and his loneliness is palpable.

In true Winslow fashion, he writes short stories that sink the reader right down into the character’s life, blend that with an intense twist and it makes for another memorable reading experience from this duo. Fantastic!
Profile Image for ☮Karen.
1,824 reviews8 followers
June 23, 2024
While most NYPD Precincts are focused on catching Son of Sam, Dietrich and his cohorts are looking into a neighborhood murder and interviewing witnesses. Dietrich is a drunk, plain and simple, and in a hurry to pin the murder on someone so justice can be brought. The narration by Ed Harris fit right in to the noir feeling here, and the twist at the end made it a worthwhile short listen.
Profile Image for Purplesnow13.
83 reviews48 followers
June 8, 2024
Loved this!! Good ending !! 😃

That being said … it’s nothing super special. It was just a great easy and short listen. Check it ✌️
Profile Image for Anne.
305 reviews101 followers
April 16, 2024
3.5 rounded up
Ed Harris is a fantastic noir narrator.
This short story is classic Winslow.
I’d have loved it more if I hadn’t figured it out half way through.

I could listen to Harris all day!
Profile Image for Star Gater.
1,926 reviews62 followers
May 8, 2024
Noir-like short story. This is more of a dramatization than audiobook.

Profanity is not in short supply.

Found this to be too dark for breakfast.

The final portion of the ending surprised me.
Profile Image for Guillermo.
482 reviews23 followers
June 5, 2024
Every Don Winslow book needs to be narrated by Ed Harris. His cadence just matches the grim, bleak worlds Don Winslow constructs. Maybe they’re worlds he traversed during his time as an investigator. In either case, they are worlds I don’t mind visiting for an hour and change.

Much like Deep Hole, Dietrich follows a flawed man who, at times, seems to be going through the motions. In this case, the man is Richard Dietrich, a homicide detective, who is investigating an obvious mob hit during the summer of ‘77 in New York City. For those not into true crime, this is the summer where David Berkowitz, better known as the Son of Sam, stalked the streets in search of his victims. Despite having a witness to the crime, it seems that everyone on the force is in the mob’s pocket.

Dietrich is one of those books where you feel for the protagonist, but you may want to seek professional help if you relate to them.

Winslow crafts flawed characters and throws them into an equally flawed world. We follow as they see the horrors of their surroundings and try to make sense of it or die trying. Dietrich is no different. We witness a washed up detective knowing that he could go after a mob boss while also understanding that no one in the district attorney’s office will back him up. He understands that even his witness wouldn’t seem credible on the stage. Knowing these things, he has to make the difficult decision of going after the mob boss and potentially putting himself and his witness at risk, or letting the man get away with the crime. (Originally posted at Chapin City Blues)
Profile Image for Christina Rothfusz.
979 reviews25 followers
June 2, 2024
A short audible original narrated by Ed Harris.

Dietrich is the original tough cop, now close to retirement, he gets the cases no-one has hope for, the killing of "bat-shit Bobby" falls firmly in this category, no-one really wants it solved.

I enjoyed the narration but not the "voices" of the different characters and this changed it to a 2 star for me.
Profile Image for Ericka.
224 reviews
April 16, 2024
Crude story, didn't expect the end, but it was befitting, had to end like it did.

The story is about this broken detective, Dietrich, who once was the belle of the ball but the ugliness of this world got to him, sending him in a downward spiral converting him into a heavy alcoholic.

I love listening to Ed Harris's narrations, he is such a great story teller (among his many other accomplishments), he just gives the right touch.
Profile Image for Laura.
1,477 reviews5 followers
July 2, 2024
I liked this cinematic crime short story. It felt very Dad-book, but kept me entertained. I thought the crime was interesting and I was impressed with the story building that was accomplished in such a short book. I also really liked the twist at the end. I would read more from Don Winslow when I'm in the mood for his type of book.
Profile Image for Natalie.
451 reviews17 followers
November 3, 2025
I quickly devoured several short stories by the remarkable Don Winslow, all available on Audible. The final story I read was titled ‘Dietrich.’ Set during the scorching summer of 1977 in the crime-ridden streets of New York City, homicide detective Richard Dietrich, weary and on the brink of burnout, is assigned to investigate a brutal mob hit that his superiors are desperate to bury. What initially begins as a half-hearted investigation spirals into chaos when a mysterious second murder draws him deeper into a web of corruption, betrayal, and self-doubt. This forces him to question his instincts, his memory, and the haze of alcohol. Ed Harris narrates this Audible Original with a gravelly intensity, delivering a pulse-pounding, suspenseful tale.

I particularly relished this 1970s crime noir story. Dietrich is a likable character who I perceived as genuinely committed to doing his job to the best of his ability, with retirement in sight. I appreciated how Winslow portrayed the trauma the detective endured and its profound impact on his lifestyle. While he didn’t necessarily adopt the most beneficial coping mechanisms, I couldn’t help but like his character. I love how Winslow surprises me with his unexpected conclusions, and this one was particularly captivating!

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog
Profile Image for Michael.
Author 36 books22 followers
May 30, 2024
Dietrich is a quick, gut-punch of a story which will appeal to fans Joseph Wambaugh, Michael Connelly, and Lawrence Block. The writing has a gritty, noir feel set in a modernish time frame.

Richard Dietrich is a homicide detective who spends more time at the bottom of a bottle than on casework. The brass is allowing him to ride out his final months before retirement, but they are not assigning him any huge cases. Thus, while others in the department are working to find the identity of Son of Sam, he is looking into the murder of a general nobody. It’s an obvious mob hit and no one wants it solved. Unfortunately, Dietrich is not one to let something go, especially not after the second body shows up.

Don Winslow does an excellent job setting up the ending and Ed Harris is perfect for the audio narration.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
384 reviews6 followers
June 9, 2024
Not a book I liked. Don Winslow may be an award-winning author and I do think that the writing was good; I just did not like this story.
A New York cop can't handle all of the gruesome and terrible things related to his job so he tries to escape in the bottle. The last straw for the officer is when an obnoxious but otherwise harmless man is very brutally beaten to death and he feels helpless because he thinks that there is nothing that will be done; even though everyone is pretty sure that it is widely known who beat the victim to death.
A short story and free on Audible with a membership
Profile Image for Dave Schaafsma.
Author 6 books32.2k followers
June 13, 2024
A paint-by-numbers phone it in story by the Hollywood-friendly Don Winslow, whose Power of the Dog I did see, but never read. I am sure he's great, but I have now read three tepid Audible original stories from him, listened to this time because Ed Harris is reading it, and its just okay. It's about a washed-up drunk detective (see Paul Newman in The Verdict for a model of greater complexity, Don) who takes on the mob in a case no one wants solved because everyone is on the take. I guess the actual grim ending was a little bit of a surprise. It's just a short listen, so no gain, but no pain. But there is almost nothing original in it.
5 reviews
September 1, 2024
I have to give mad props to the author. his ability to take such a short story and cramp such a great amount of detail into it is truly a talent. This particular story is not quite a massive standout in the world of mystery crime, Thriller novels, but it definitely is a welcome to entry. If anything, I would say that this particular novel stands as a statement of the author's literary ability as well as an introduction to their style of writing and what you can expect from them. I think it personally does the job well as I now want to read another title from Don winslow. If you're in between books and do you want something quick and fulfilling, I really recommend this novel.
Profile Image for Mike Kennedy.
975 reviews25 followers
May 26, 2024
Taking place in New York City in the summer of 1977 during excessive heat waves and the killing spree of the Son of Sam, Richard Dietrich is an alcoholic detective who catches a murder case involving a mentally ill junkie. Everyone knows a Mafia Capo took out Bullshit Bobby, but no one expects Dietrich to solve the case or bring the murder to justice.

I listened to this Audible Original narrated by Ed Harris, and throughly enjoyed it. Don Winslow is a great storyteller, and he makes an hour long story feel like a full novel. Well worth an hour of you time.
Profile Image for David.
333 reviews26 followers
May 20, 2024
The combination of writing by Don Winslow and narrating by Ed Harris is tough to beat.

In this short story of noir, mystery and police corruption set in 1977, alcoholic homicide detective Richard Dietrich investigates the death of a homeless man, which carries over into a second homicide involving the main suspect of the first murder.

With a surprising twist in the end, this checked several boxes for me and clocks in right around an hour, depending on your listening speed.
Profile Image for Rick.
267 reviews1 follower
June 14, 2024
Rating: 3.75

Note: spoiler alert, in case anyone stumbles across this review.

This is a solid hard-boiled detective story, containing all of the usual aspects of the genre. Dietrich is a hard-drinking, burned out, cynical cop, who is past his prime. The twist at the end? He actually turns out to be the killer. He commits the crime during a blackout. I thought the twist at the end worked well. I'll probably read more of Don Winslow.
Profile Image for Zade.
503 reviews49 followers
June 14, 2024
As usual, my reluctance to count a short story as an entire book is overcome by my appreciation of both Winslow's skill as a writer and Harris's skill as a narrator. This is genre fiction done right, with great character development and real heart showing through the grit and grime. I've said it before, but I'd listen to Ed Harris read the back of my shampoo bottle - he has a great voice and extraordinary acting skills.

These two are a never-fail combo.
Profile Image for Ralph.
644 reviews7 followers
June 26, 2024
4.5 stars

Gritty and gripping short story about a flawed NY homicide detective, Richard Dietrich, investigating a murder of a "nobody" in the summer of 1977. It seems that no one cares about the victim or is interested in closing the case. When a mob captain, suspected of having the murder victim killed, is murdered mob-style, things begin to get interesting.

Lots of story packed in a small package.
Profile Image for César Pozo.
63 reviews
July 2, 2024
"They say that water is the most powerful erosive force in the world. It wears away rocks, canyons. But sorrow too erodes. You see so much sadness in this job, it wears you down, year after year, murder after murder, heartbreak after heartbreak. It washes away joy. Carries it downstream like silt. But slowly. You don't see it happening. Don't really feel it. And then one day you wake up and you realize you no longer have the capacity for happiness."
Profile Image for Teresa.
439 reviews32 followers
July 17, 2024
3.25 - it's Don Winslow, so you're going to have angsty characters and either surf or grime.... or maybe both. This one is dark - a drunk who is also a cop. It's a short story novella so we don't really go deep on the character, but I'll say the ending just left me a bit stunned. Not surprised by eventualities, but just not feeling much. If you're a DW fan, by all means read this, if you're just a casual reader I think you might find something more satisfying
Profile Image for Philmore Olazo.
Author 6 books4 followers
January 13, 2025
I love a good gritty cop story.

This is an interesting showing of a broken, alcoholic man saddened and disillusioned with the American justice system that protects, or makes exceptions to, the rich and powerful.

Dietrich is in the case of the murder of a boy in the streets, everyone knows exactly who did it. However everything he tries to get the criminal to justice is pushed aside, due to reliability of the witness, or the sheer power of his lawyers.

Someone had to do something to bring justice.

A hard hitting short story with excellent narration.
Profile Image for Jonnie.
831 reviews
April 20, 2024
The story is 3.5 stars. It's a short but sad story about a NYC detective who hits rock bottom. I can guess what could cause a detective to become an alcoholic, but I was amazed that he hadn't been forced out of the department. The story held my attention, but multiple aspects of the story made it too sad for me.

Excellent narration by Ed Harris. It's why I rounded up from 3.5 stars to 4.
Profile Image for Sidney.
Author 71 books138 followers
April 22, 2024
A compelling central character drives this Audible exclusive that delivers many surprises for a roughly hour-long tale. And the ending is brutal but appropriate. Beautifully read by Ed Harris. Dietrich is a burned-out, alcoholic cop assigned to the murder of a homeless man. It’s not as random as it may get seem, and despite career exhaustion, Dietrich might manage to see justice done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews

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