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Down Among the Dead Men
The newspapers called it Casa de la Muerta , a grisly house of horrors in the Mexican desert where five Catholic nuns were brutally murdered. Freelance journalist Nick Vargas knows it’s a terrific subject for a true crime book—and a chance to revitalize his ruined career. But when he arrives at the scene, he learns there may have been a sixth an American woman whose body has disappeared. Now Nick is dead set on finding her… L.A. prosecutor Beth Crawford thought it would be fun to join her sister on a cruise to Baja Norte. But when she meets a pair of seductive strangers onboard—and her sister mysteriously disappears—Beth follows her suspicions into a sinister world of crime, corruption, and dark superstition. Now, with the help of reporter Nick Vargas, Beth must enter the heart of evil itself, where all shall be revealed…on the Day of the Dead.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2010
100 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
Robert Gregory Browne
38 books126 followersRobert Gregory Browne is a bestselling author, Nicholl Fellow, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Gold Alumnus, and a Thriller Award nominated member of the International Thriller Writers.
He has written teleplays for Showtime, Saban, Marvel, and Fox Kids, and has published multiple novels under multiple names in multiple countries with St. Martin’s Press, Penguin Dutton, Signet, and Harlequin. His short stories have appeared in Lee Child’s Killer Year and Sandra Brown’s Love is Murder.
His novel Kiss Her Goodbye was produced for television by CBS TV/Sony Pictures. His novel The Paradise Prophecy was optioned by Temple Hill Productions for ABC Television.
He lives in California with his wife, cat, two dogs, and Jura coffee machine.
He has written teleplays for Showtime, Saban, Marvel, and Fox Kids, and has published multiple novels under multiple names in multiple countries with St. Martin’s Press, Penguin Dutton, Signet, and Harlequin. His short stories have appeared in Lee Child’s Killer Year and Sandra Brown’s Love is Murder.
His novel Kiss Her Goodbye was produced for television by CBS TV/Sony Pictures. His novel The Paradise Prophecy was optioned by Temple Hill Productions for ABC Television.
He lives in California with his wife, cat, two dogs, and Jura coffee machine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 29, 2012
“I don’t remember the shooting, but I’ll never forget the pain.” Thus begins a short journal entry from an unidentified patient, one that goes on to talk about a harrowing experience that nearly left the individual dead. It is just a quick entry, yet one that speaks volumes of the senseless and shocking brutality that has already taken place in the novel, brutality that will continue to unfold as the lives of several characters converge while attempting to uncover the truth behind a houseful of dead nuns in Juarez, Mexico.
Nick Vargas, a former reporter who has been disgraced due to his fabrication of a news story that initially earned him quite a bit of praise, is trying to write a book, one that will tell the story of the houseful of dead nuns found in Juarez, Mexico. Needing sources and more information, Vargas heads down to the house with the father and son who found the bodies. Little does he know, he is being led into a trap, one that will soon find him bound and gagged in the back of his own car trunk heading toward an unknown destination. In addition to this, thanks to a simple slip of the tongue, he now knows that the nuns weren’t the only victims of the shooting. An American girl was there as well, one who may have still been alive when the father and son found the bodies.
Beth Crawford, an assistant district attorney, thought she was going to get a nice peaceful cruise down the coast of Mexico, but instead has found herself once again playing mother to her rebellious little sister Jen, one who doesn’t shy away from making a spectacle of herself every chance she gets. It is a situation Beth is familiar with, one that she has dealt with since the death of their parents many years earlier, but during the cruise she has finally had her fill and decides to call it quits. Panicked by this, Jen convinces Beth to give her one last chance and come with her into town when the boat docks. Beth agrees and at first this seems like a wise decision because the two have a deep and meaningful talk during lunch. But then Jen disappears. Even worse, no one, not even the police, seem willing to help her, which leads her to try to find Jen herself. Such a tactic is unwise and soon Beth finds herself fearing for her own life.
Dead nuns, an abducted writer, a missing sister, and a young lady who wanted nothing more than a restful cruise, what more could a fan of intense thriller novels ask for? How about a sadistic cult that is gearing up for a sacrifice during the Day of the Dead celebration? Robert Gregory Browne brings all this and more together in his novel Down Among the Dead Men, and does so in a way that literally makes the book impossible to put down. Every time a chapter ends, one is left needing to see what happens next and therefore can’t help but continue. Startling twists and turns abound as well, one of which actually caused me to say “no way” out loud in my empty apartment, my cats looking up at me as if I were crazy. These twists, the relentless pace at which the story drives, and the characters that you fall in love with and hope to see through safe and sound to the end, all came together in a way that made this one of the best reads I have experienced this year, one which I encourage everyone to pick up. Few things in life are more pleasurable than finding an author who can weave an exciting tale and Robert Gregory Browne is most certainly one of those finds. Give him a try; you won’t be disappointed.
Nick Vargas, a former reporter who has been disgraced due to his fabrication of a news story that initially earned him quite a bit of praise, is trying to write a book, one that will tell the story of the houseful of dead nuns found in Juarez, Mexico. Needing sources and more information, Vargas heads down to the house with the father and son who found the bodies. Little does he know, he is being led into a trap, one that will soon find him bound and gagged in the back of his own car trunk heading toward an unknown destination. In addition to this, thanks to a simple slip of the tongue, he now knows that the nuns weren’t the only victims of the shooting. An American girl was there as well, one who may have still been alive when the father and son found the bodies.
Beth Crawford, an assistant district attorney, thought she was going to get a nice peaceful cruise down the coast of Mexico, but instead has found herself once again playing mother to her rebellious little sister Jen, one who doesn’t shy away from making a spectacle of herself every chance she gets. It is a situation Beth is familiar with, one that she has dealt with since the death of their parents many years earlier, but during the cruise she has finally had her fill and decides to call it quits. Panicked by this, Jen convinces Beth to give her one last chance and come with her into town when the boat docks. Beth agrees and at first this seems like a wise decision because the two have a deep and meaningful talk during lunch. But then Jen disappears. Even worse, no one, not even the police, seem willing to help her, which leads her to try to find Jen herself. Such a tactic is unwise and soon Beth finds herself fearing for her own life.
Dead nuns, an abducted writer, a missing sister, and a young lady who wanted nothing more than a restful cruise, what more could a fan of intense thriller novels ask for? How about a sadistic cult that is gearing up for a sacrifice during the Day of the Dead celebration? Robert Gregory Browne brings all this and more together in his novel Down Among the Dead Men, and does so in a way that literally makes the book impossible to put down. Every time a chapter ends, one is left needing to see what happens next and therefore can’t help but continue. Startling twists and turns abound as well, one of which actually caused me to say “no way” out loud in my empty apartment, my cats looking up at me as if I were crazy. These twists, the relentless pace at which the story drives, and the characters that you fall in love with and hope to see through safe and sound to the end, all came together in a way that made this one of the best reads I have experienced this year, one which I encourage everyone to pick up. Few things in life are more pleasurable than finding an author who can weave an exciting tale and Robert Gregory Browne is most certainly one of those finds. Give him a try; you won’t be disappointed.
September 9, 2014
Two parallel stories begin this tale. One centers on a scandalized journalist, Vargas, seeking to recover a shattered career by investigating a mass murder near the Mexican border. The other surrounds two sisters on a cruise, one a Holly-Go-Lightly named Jen, the other a straight laced attorney, Beth. The sudden disappearance of Jen in a Mexico port of call, sends Beth into a frenzy of searching. You’ll wonder how the author can possibly bring these two, completely unique, story lines together into a uniform plot. He does, very well. This is a page-turning thriller.
Read by the incredible Scott Brick, the story is approximately eleven hours of listening. Scott could read a cookbook and make it spellbinding; he uses his stellar talent in joining with Robert Browne to make a good book even better. Fun listen. Surprised that there aren’t more audio reviews; less than 50 at this writing. Lot’s of planning went into this story and all the pieces come together nicely. Enjoyed.
Read by the incredible Scott Brick, the story is approximately eleven hours of listening. Scott could read a cookbook and make it spellbinding; he uses his stellar talent in joining with Robert Browne to make a good book even better. Fun listen. Surprised that there aren’t more audio reviews; less than 50 at this writing. Lot’s of planning went into this story and all the pieces come together nicely. Enjoyed.
March 18, 2021
A lot of people did not like this book, but I did. The beginning few chapters seem to lead you in one direction, but it is preparing you for the whole story. Beth the older sister is a good person, with strong will and her sister is really weak, but does not realize that she could be strong if she just tried instead of just wanting to have fun all of the time.
The book makes you feel for people who can have their mind controlled and wish you could help those people, but sometimes you just can't. So the story is both happy and sad. It is a long book but worth it.
I recommend it, just be patient and you will get a treat.
The book makes you feel for people who can have their mind controlled and wish you could help those people, but sometimes you just can't. So the story is both happy and sad. It is a long book but worth it.
I recommend it, just be patient and you will get a treat.
January 22, 2021
Good story of deadly Mexican cult.
June 13, 2023
Very good book. This is one of my favorite narrators too.
May 30, 2024
I bought this audio book because I love listening to Scott Brick as a narrator. Scott was wonderful as always, and I enjoyed the book very much. It kept me guessing, and I liked the characters.
March 2, 2021
Keeps you interested recommend
July 15, 2020
Fast paced, suspenseful read.
July 10, 2021
It’s a compelling story with lots of twists and turns. Part mystery (trying to figure out how it all fits together) and part action thriller (after figuring it out, solving it). I thought several of the characters were hackneyed. Beth (a central character….angry bitter). The cyclists from El Paso (I was glad they were killed early in the book. They were annoying). Jen (central character’s sister…she was over the top). Honestly, I found the bulk of the book very interesting. I wanted to know what happened next, I wanted to understand how this story fit together. About 3/4 through the book it all comes together and the last quarter of the book is all thriller, a daring rescue. I didn’t find it interesting once the mystery was no longer mysterious. The “thriller” part of resolving it all was just meh.
August 15, 2012
c2010. This particular book had been withdrawn from the library services - probably because it had been a bit too well loved in the past or else it was just shoddy binding. But all the pages were there. Fast paced, one dimensional characters, interesting plot, not sure about the ending. So, all in all, I have rated it as a 2 in my normal arbitary fashion. I am recommending it to one particular person as I think it will be right up their alley. The blurb on both the front and the back covers refers to the author in general as opposed to this particular book. FWFTB: reporter, attorney, slaughter, sister, cult. FCN: Nick Vargas, Beth Crawford, Jen, Rafael, Rojas. "'A product of your imagination,' he said. 'And we both know what kind of trouble that will bring you.'"
November 22, 2016
Outstanding
I gave the 5 star rating for a couple reason. The main being the narrator tells a story that grips you from the first chapter to the very last chapter. I finished this book in two days. I stop doing anything but to listen to this book, and was overwhelmed with this story. I received this book as a free download, and I am glad I did. If you have a chance, please take it, you will not be disappointed. Kudos to the Scott Brick ( Narrator) for doing such a wonderful job, and for the author Robert Gregory Browne. I will be listening to more of his books.
I gave the 5 star rating for a couple reason. The main being the narrator tells a story that grips you from the first chapter to the very last chapter. I finished this book in two days. I stop doing anything but to listen to this book, and was overwhelmed with this story. I received this book as a free download, and I am glad I did. If you have a chance, please take it, you will not be disappointed. Kudos to the Scott Brick ( Narrator) for doing such a wonderful job, and for the author Robert Gregory Browne. I will be listening to more of his books.
March 7, 2017
I got the soundtrack version free from Audible and I have to admit that I was expecting a little more. For nearly 3/4 of the book, I had to strain to notice any "soundtrack" behind the narration. If there had been a more constant sound, I think it would have been better. The end of the book was greatly enhanced by the soundtrack.
Overall, this book was interesting, compelling, and worth a read. The characters are interesting, even if Beth gets knocked in the head and requires saving a few too many times. I've got to imagine that in the real world, all that head trauma would have killed her - particularly given her condition later in the book. Still, enjoyable and thrilling.
Overall, this book was interesting, compelling, and worth a read. The characters are interesting, even if Beth gets knocked in the head and requires saving a few too many times. I've got to imagine that in the real world, all that head trauma would have killed her - particularly given her condition later in the book. Still, enjoyable and thrilling.
September 28, 2012
For some reason I thought this was a horror genre novel, maybe because of the particular cover my copy had. But it's nothing like that, which is a good thing, imo. No, while the subject it addresses is horrifying, the story is quite an intriguing thriller. And just when you think you know what's going on, the author throws a curveball you'll never see coming. Which is also a good thing. Love those! Very well done indeed.
March 14, 2014
This was an excellent book! It moved around a bit but you could still keep up with the characters. I found it hard to put down. Bought it for $3 to read on the plane but it just got me in. I had to keep reading. I finished it in one day. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery with a twist. Will read another one of Browne's books just to see if "down among the dead men" was a one hit wonder. I hope not.
August 5, 2015
I always enjoy Peter Diamond and his road trip with boss, Georgina Dalleymore has elements of a hoot as the two police officers go off to Sussex to investigate a possible case of police misbehavior. At the same time they are drawn into the case of a unpopular and missing art teacher. There are more complications to this plot than I can begin to cover. I found the author's use of the term "the big man" somewhat irritating.
January 7, 2021
I’m actually a little surprised at all the terrible reviews of this book. I really enjoyed it. Of course, I didn’t listen to the sound-effect audio book, though, so not sure if that’s what made it not so good. I really enjoyed the story line; I loved the twists, and I really like dark books. I feel like this was a pretty dark story with interesting mystery twists and it kept me intrigued to the very end.
August 10, 2012
Even though the author didn't give enough information about the characters and the story line was a little too predictable I have to say I loved it. I remember reading this book a couple of months ago and I really liked it. My favorite part was when the main character called her ex and he told her what was going on. I was kind of shocked and maybe a little curious and intrigued.
October 28, 2014
I did listen to this book and wasn't much impressed with the narrator... the reading was very cliché in my opinion.
Other than that, I did enjoy this book a lot... The plot was fast paced and had a couple of good twists and turns.
Just the last quarter of the book was a little to constructed for my taste.
Other than that, I did enjoy this book a lot... The plot was fast paced and had a couple of good twists and turns.
Just the last quarter of the book was a little to constructed for my taste.
June 7, 2021
I was undecided between 3 and 4 stars here. Scott Brick’s slow narration didn’t move things along much quicker and I was close to giving up before getting 25% in then it had a nice little twist.
All in all it was a good, well-written book but a bit on the dark side for my likings.
If you do the audible version, crank it to 1.3x minimum.
All in all it was a good, well-written book but a bit on the dark side for my likings.
If you do the audible version, crank it to 1.3x minimum.
June 28, 2011
Robert Gregory Browne can write........ well!
He has a clear lucid style; what he needs is a story worth telling and a healthy dose of character development.
This I believe is his first novel.
I expect good things from him in the future.
He has a clear lucid style; what he needs is a story worth telling and a healthy dose of character development.
This I believe is his first novel.
I expect good things from him in the future.
December 2, 2013
Very typical You can tell that it's the dream child of some macho guy who thinks that making the heroine of the book strong and killing some guy with a rope ......all the while running around completely naked...is being a sensitive writer. Ugh.
January 27, 2015
It was okay. I think with a little more work it could have been better. I like the fact that at the beginning of some of the chapters it tells us who we will be following in the next chapter. The book was okay but I would recommend it to others.
September 10, 2015
Should have been a five star rating,but the twist at the end resulted in a book I wish I passed on
I don't like to put details in a review as I don't like them giving away the story. Could have been a good book just hated the ending.
I don't like to put details in a review as I don't like them giving away the story. Could have been a good book just hated the ending.
June 29, 2017
Not terrible - decently written - but with so many better books out there, don't waste your time. It's nothing special storywise. This was a free audiobook. They added sound effects, which added little value and was mildly irritating at times.
January 24, 2021
I am a bit confused why this book received such low ratings and bad reviews.
I thoroughly enjoyed it the storyline, the characters and the plot with lots of twists and turns.
I enjoyed the narration too.
I thoroughly enjoyed it the storyline, the characters and the plot with lots of twists and turns.
I enjoyed the narration too.
April 22, 2021
This book was fantastic. It had several twists and turns that you didn't see coming. The beginning is a completely different world from the middle and the middle is completely different from end. It all blends so well. Did not expect thr ending. There are clearly crazy cults out there.
August 18, 2010
Despite the stereotypical characters and predictable story I actually really enjoyed this book. It had me gripped from the start and I couldn't put it down.
July 7, 2012
Fast-paced and easy read.
July 30, 2013
euck. Got bored. It wasn't enough to catch me.
August 10, 2013
Enjoyable and solid.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews