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The Safe Man  By  cover art

The Safe Man

By: Michael Connelly
Narrated by: David W. Collins
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Publisher's summary

Published for the first time under his own name, a dark and haunting story from number one New York Times best-selling author Michael Connelly.

Like his father before him, Brian Holloway is a safe man. That is, his specialty is opening safes. Every job is a little mystery, and he has yet to encounter a lock he can't break or a box he can't crack. But the day Holloway gets called in to open a rare, antique safe in a famous author's library, his skills open a door that should have remained closed.

In this haunting and singular story, previously published anonymously, Michael Connelly proves once again that he is "superb at building suspense.... the reader can never be sure what sudden turns the plot may take" (Wall Street Journal).

©2012 Michael Connelly (P)2012 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about The Safe Man

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Eerie Michael Connelly short story

THE SAFE MAN was released anonymously by Michael Connelly in 2005 and re-released by him in 2012. The title refers to a locksmith who also opens safes. I do not usually care for ghost stories but this one is special.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wish it was a novel

Any additional comments?

This is such a fantastic premis for a great full thriller. Micheal could have realy taken this there and back.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Neat Little Story

"Box Man" -- a man who opens safes. There's a legitimate market for this work, apparently. The locksmiths skilled in safe-opening without the (presumably lost) keys even have a website and can post tips to each other.

Our hero is a box man, and the problem safe has not been opened for a very long time. What is in it?

The reading is somewhat wooden; I would avoid this reader in general. However, it's still very easy to listen to and understand, and the plot is most interesting. I recommend this audiostory.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Terrific writing, excellent narration, BUT…

Not so happy with the woo-woo spooky element, however. I like Connelly's writing a lot, and David Collins was a good reader. I'd rather have had a more realistic tale, or (better) one that looked weird but was then explained naturally rather than supernaturally.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

This was good

This is a short story. It was good. The title states that it is "a ghost story". That gave me the impression that it might be spooky. It is not. When i figured out what the twist was, i was a little surprised but nothing more. I recommend this for just a time filler but don't expect anything more.

Narration: David W. Collins did an ok job. I could listen to something else he narrates.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
  • GM
  • 11-01-12

Ideal for Halloween

Any additional comments?

Although a little predictable, The Safe Man kept me listening in one sitting to the end. I was looking for something a little eerie but not blood-curdling, and this filled the bill perfectly. Thank you to Audible for providing a just-spooky-enough Halloween listen!As previous reviewers cautioned, the length is more like a short story than book (I read somewhere it's an excerpt). Might not want to use a credit. An excerpt from The Black Box is also included.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

my only complaint is I wish it was longer

great story. it'd be awesome to see it fleshed out into a full novel. worth the 3 bucks easy

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A good short story.

What made the experience of listening to The Safe Man the most enjoyable?

I had a short ride in the car and this was the perfect short story to entertain me while driving.

What did you like best about this story?

The topic was different than anything I'd read before.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Perfect to pass an hour or so. Good story, decent reader.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Shallow Plot, no real conclusion.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Just when the book should have gotten interesting it ended. It was like the author just decided to say "the end" because he was bored.

What about David W. Collins’s performance did you like?

He did a great job, I was defiantly drawn in.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Love scary spooky stories

Loved it. wish it wasn't a short story. Then again it was kind of dark. I love scary stories and this fits the bill

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