Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    From Dead to Worse
    From Dead to Worse
    From Dead to Worse
    Audiobook10 hours

    From Dead to Worse

    Written by Charlaine Harris

    Narrated by Johanna Parker

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    After the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the manmade explosion at the vampire summit, everyone-human and otherwise-is stressed, including Louisiana cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse, who is trying to cope with the fact that her boyfriend, Quinn, has gone missing. It's clear that things are changing-whether the weres and vamps of her corner of Louisiana like it or not. And Sookie-Friend to the Pack and blood-bonded to Eric Northman, leader of the local vampire community-is caught up in the changes. In the ensuing battles, Sookie faces danger, death, and once more, betrayal by someone she loves. And when the fur has finished flying and the cold blood finished flowing, her world will be forever altered.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMay 9, 2008
    ISBN9781436133012
    From Dead to Worse
    Author

    Charlaine Harris

    Charlaine Harris is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing for over thirty years. She was born and raised in the Mississippi River Delta area. She has written four series, and two stand-alone novels, in addition to numerous short stories, novellas, and graphic novels (cowritten with Christopher Golden). Her Sookie Stackhouse books have appeared in twenty-five different languages and on many bestseller lists. They’re also the basis of the HBO series True Blood. Harris now lives in Texas, and when she is not writing her own books, she reads omnivorously. Her house is full of rescue dogs.

    More audiobooks from Charlaine Harris

    Related to From Dead to Worse

    Titles in the series (16)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Fantasy For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      A Year in Reading: Tim Lane

      Dec 8, 2021

      We stopped at the Topaz Internment Camp, where my wife’s family was held during World War II, near the tiny town of Delta, Utah. We found the apocalyptic remnants of one of our country’s great shames. The post A Year in Reading: Tim Lane appeared fi

      7 min read

    • Article

      Now There’s No Doubt Meghan And Harry Had To Leave

      Mar 8, 2021

      A seldom remembered fact about the royal family is that, before the death of Princess Diana, it was not normal to be interested in them. Tabloids were fascinated, but it was more of a convention than news – like a splash about tomatoes causing cancer

      6 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      May 25, 2022

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Blonde BOMBSHELLS

      Feb 15, 2024

      Blonde BOMBSHELLS
      7 min read

    • Article

      It’s About Altares

      Aug 17, 2021

      It’s About Altares
      7 min read

    • Article

      WRITING Lost Voices

      Nov 2, 2023

      WRITING Lost Voices
      8 min read

    • Article

      Kathleen Kent And Laird Hunt On Witches And Wickedness In American History And Literature

      Oct 17, 2018

      The concept of the witch has figured prominently, not only in American history but in American literature as well. From Cotton Mather’s cautionary essays to Nathaniel Hawthorne to Arthur Miller, readers have been held in thrall by accounts of accused

      8 min read

    • Article

      Four Of A Kind

      May 3, 2023

      Four Of A Kind
      4 min read

    • Article

      Tom Cunliffe

      Sep 4, 2020

      Tom Cunliffe
      5 min read

    • Article

      Tom Cunliffe

      Sep 4, 2020

      Tom Cunliffe
      5 min read

    • Article

      Notes from St. John the Divine

      Oct 3, 2022

      I wondered whether Joan would have been pleased by any of this. The post Notes from St. John the Divine appeared first on The Millions.

      6 min read

    • Article

      Looking for Lorraine

      Sep 20, 2018

      Looking for Lorraine
      8 min read

    • Article

      Manson Inc.

      Jul 2, 2019

      The Benedict Canyon house was demolished years ago. A church looks down on the old ranch, which is now a state park. Most everyone who fell under his thrall is dead, or aging quietly in prison. None of that matters. The further events recede into his

      12 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for From Dead to Worse

    4/5

    2,850 ratings204 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      This keeps popping up on school reading lists, so I was really expecting something a lot better. If that hadn't been the case, it might have rated 3, but it just wasn't all that. The premise is fun: 16 heirs get together to play a game to determine who gets to walk away with $200m. However, 16 was probably too many, as most weren't really fleshed out at all. Probably could have cut the guest list in half and made a tighter, more appealing tale.
    • 5/5
      Justin SafarikJuly 20, 2009The Westing Game For a book to be remembered by its reader it must capture their attention, and heighten the need for further reading when you have reached the end of an exciting chapter. As the reader you are drawn to learn more about the constantly thickening plot of murder and deceit, which is exactly what The Westing Game entails. There are however, a few potential flaws in the overall presentation of the novel. There are too many characters throughout the story, which can easily confuse the reader as a result of all of the names. Although a possible down side of the book, it is actually one of the factors that got me interested in it because of the unique aspect of having so many interesting characters. Another reason I enjoyed this book is that it is both a mystery and an adventure book, and brings together two reading demographics. The story is able to capture those essences very well, in its main conflict, of who the true heir to the Westing fortune is. Also that fact that it is told from a third person perspective allows the characters to be analyzed in greater depth. Overall, it was the storyline that was one of the greatest highlights of the book because it never seems to have a resolution until the end scene, even though it provides many different explanations throughout the story for the game, its creator, and the heirs. This trait is also a big part of the mystery. Every character seems to have their intake on the events. Even though they all seem reasonable, it is shown that most of them have flaws. An important lesson that I took away from this story was to expect the unexpected because as demonstrated in this story no matter how solid and airtight your solution about the back story of one of the heirs seems, there is always one flaw that proves your solution to this great mystery false. The most interesting aspect that The Westing Game embodies for me was that of guessing, and how throughout the story, you too are always trying to reason out the events, through either logic or misperception of the characters. Not only was it the intertwining plotline and the guessing game that intrigued me, but it was also the 16 or so main characters in the book, which is uncommon in any novel. By doing this the author was able to make a very deep and intuitive story with less background of each character. Due to all of these factors this book easily became one of my favorite novels. From the great writing style and the multitudes of underlying plotlines of the heirs and heiresses that change the story in so many ways to the number of intriguing characters. I would recommend it for any age reader and having won the Newberry medal greatly distinguishes this book that has broken boundaries with the writers intuitive style and new age thinking. Overall this is an essential read for both thrill-seekers, and mystery fanatics alike, no matter what their age.
    • 5/5
      I read this book back in Elementary School, when I bought it from the Scholastic Book Fair. I have never forgotten it. It's a great murder mystery with great characters and humor. Re-reading it as an adult, it's still delightful and highly recommended. A book you can read to your kids and enjoy while you do it.
    • 5/5
      I recently reread this, and enjoyed it even more than I did as a child. The entire book is so well-put-together, it's amazing. And despite being written over thirty years ago, it's barely aged a day--as long as you don't notice that none of the characters have computers or cell phones. (I bet mysteries were easier to write back then.)
    • 2/5
      I tried to read this several times as a child and was never able to get past the first chapter--I thought it was boring and dated. Returning to it as a 28 year-old, I did get all the way through it but was still distinctly underwhelmed. There were some things I liked, chiefly the presence of several strong female characters (including a female African-American judge as one of the main characters, pretty impressive for a children's book from 1979!). Raskin does a good job of making all her main characters seem interesting and like potential culprits, though often there are simply too many characters onstage for the reader to feel a strong emotional connection to any one of them.The mystery itself, however, was unsatisfying and depends on none of the sixteen characters investigating the 'clues' given to them being able to recognize the fairly obvious source of those clues until VERY late in the book. I found this frustrating as an adult reader and can only imagine how impatient I would have gotten in my younger days. There are also several things that simply haven't aged well, including racial stereotypes and the use of the word "Mongoloid" to describe someone with Down's Syndrome. All in all, though I can understand that people admire The Westing Game for being different and for having a much more complex plot than most juvenile mysteries do, I feel like I didn't miss out on all that much by not reading it when I was younger.
    • 3/5
      Apparently this is an American children's classic. I can't remember why it got on to my 'to read' list. Amazon is full of reviews raving about its cleverness and how it's full of puzzles and wordplay, but I was disappointed. It possibly helps if you've read it as a child. Or, I suppose, if you actually are a child.
    • 5/5
      I don't know what made me think of this book a few months ago, but I did, and added it to my to-read shelf (even though I would have read it many moons ago...). I was at the library the other day and they had it, so I grabbed it. It was a little different than I remember, but definitely very enjoyable.
    • 5/5
      I recently rediscovered this dearly loved childhood friend. This may have been the first real mystery I read, and it was as satisfying to read as an adult as it was 25 years ago. The characters in the book, while written to a level that a child can understand, have complexity and real emotions. The mystery is enchanting and full of surprises. I recommend this book for mystery lovers of all ages.
    • 4/5
      I first read The Westing Game when I was in fourth or fifth grade, and I retained very few memories of it aside from the fact that I recalled enjoying it and one major spoiler that I won't go into here. I picked it up again because I was in the mood for a quick mystery, and I was not disappointed. While The Westing Game is of course a children's book, I think adults would nonetheless find the plot entertaining and enjoy the unveiling of the book's numerous twists. I was also surprised to find that this book had a bit more depth than I recalled; in my experience with children's books, it's unusual to find characters exploring their inner selves (why they do what they do, what they really want out of life) as much as I found them to do so here.

      The strength of the book is the premise; who doesn't enjoy a "beyond the grave" will that entreats the deceased's heirs to find the killer? But beyond that I found the clues to be interesting (although I STILL wasn't able to figure out one of the twists before it was revealed, even these many years later) and the characters to be good enough for a book directed at this age group.

      My only minor criticism is if I can't figure out the mystery before it is shown to the reader, then I highly doubt any child who this book is for will be able to figure it out. Maybe I overvalue my detective skills, but I tend to think in books of this type the reader should be given a fair chance to reason out the conclusion, and I'd be surprised if a child would be able to uncover this book's secrets before the ending arrives.
    • 4/5
      This is a mystery for people who love word games. Sam Westing, the millionaire whose will orchestrates a game for the 16 potential heirs, is described as eccentric. It seemed to me that most of the heirs are eccentric, too. Each character has a habit or distinguishing trait that seems to define his or her personality and relationships with other people. The puzzle itself, rather than the prose, is the book's main attraction. I enjoyed the puzzle, but now that I know the solution(s), I don't think it's a book I'll be picking up again.
    • 4/5
      I have to say I was extremely excited to read this book. It was critically acclaimed and one of our sons was beginning to read it for his book club at school (4th grade). We began reading it together. Soon I couldn't wait to read more quickly than he was allowed to so I went ahead and read it on my own, ahead of his schedule.I have to say I feel a bit conflicted. The story line is good. It had sort of a deja-vu feel to it though. This them has been done in film before, if not in book form. Sixteen people are called to the reading of a will and told that they are heirs to a vast fortune but that they have to figure certain things out in order to win the fortune of which they are heirs.Contrived? Yes. The author, at times, gave too much away. Other times I felt she left things a bit confused, especially for readers who are young. I figured out two very important clues as I read. Other bits of information left me scratching my head as to why the author even bothered to include them. I think a lot of children may love this book. Ii really think that it feels as if it was finished in a bit of a rush though. It seems that if a little more time had been spent the writing would have improved greatly and would have had a broader appeal to adults.
    • 3/5
      I thought it was a weird story, a bit confusing, it was hard to take note of all the characters until I read up to almost 70% of the book. Couldn't say that it was fun.
    • 3/5
      A pleasant read with a fun mystery to solve. The style is very Young Adult, in a way that turned me off a little.
    • 5/5
      The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs ho must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance. One fateful day, sixteen people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will. To their surprise, the will turns out to be a contest, challenging the heirs to find out who among them is Westing's murderer. Forging ahead, though blizzards, burglaries, and bombings, the game is on. Only two people hold all the clues. One of them is a Westing heir. The other is you!
    • 5/5
      This is one of the best books ever written, EVER. I first read it when I was 11 and yet still frequently re-read it. It's great for all ages and, really, you won't know the solution to the mystery until you read it through the very last page! Wonderful and brilliant, a great book especially for those who love mysteries.
    • 5/5
      This children's mystery is reminiscent of "Clue". 16 seemingly unconnected tenants are brought to Sunset Towers to play a game and to solve the mystery of Sam Westing's death. According to Sam's will, one of the 16 is his murderer, but who is it?I loved this book! It was a bit challenging at first, trying to keep all of the characters straight in my mind. However, they were all cleverly developed and connected to one another. I liked the way the author skipped around, focusing on the different characters at different times. The solution to the mystery was also well planned out. I never saw it coming. I really appreciated the play-on words that were used throughout and the clues that led to the solution. Appropriate for 4th grade and above.
    • 4/5
      When Sam Westing dies, his will calls together sixteen heirs and promises his multi-million dollar estate to whichever of them can solve the mystery it lays out for them. The result offers a satisfyingly clever puzzle for readers (which should be solvable if proper attention is paid) and an exploration of the sixteen heirs' characters and interactions that has a sophistication rare in a novel aimed at middle schoolers. I enjoyed this one when I was younger, and it was a delight to reread it now.
    • 4/5
      This is an entertaining mystery perfect for all ages. Ellen Raskin does a wonderful job of keeping the reader in the dark at the beginning of the novel and then gradually pulling out more and more back story to illuminate the plot. My only real criticism is the limited setting. It seemed like the residents of Sunset Towers never left, with the one or two exceptions when Otis Amber was followed. I understand such narratives were likely left out to keep the novel more concise, but at the same time, it also makes it more limited.
    • 3/5
      This is the eighth book about Sookie Stackhouse, psychic barmaid, and it shows. There is a lot of history and a whole mess of background characters and ex-love interests clogging up the works. But the premise that made these books so popular holds true. Sookie remains a good, though far from perfect, person, and I enjoy reading her adventures from her kind-hearted but slightly catty point of view. Although Sookie's mind-reading gives her an edge in many situations, she's wildly underpowered compared to the rest of the supernatural creatures she rubs elbows with. Sookie worries about the violence and manipulation that comes with being friends with vamps and weres, but her loyalty toward her friends always pulls her back into dangerous situations.

      Overall, the plot is wobbly and far from air-tight. Both the weres and the vampires are involved in bloody struggles for power, but each conflict fizzles, with little build or climax. This book is mostly about wrapping up old plot threads.
    • 5/5
      How I never read this when I was a child is beyond me. It's exactly what I love in a book. Murder, wealth, lots of suspects and an interesting setting.The game is clever, the characters are interested, and it had me hooked until the very end. It brought me back to being a child and trying to solve the riddles. Recommended to any body - child or adult - who loves games.
    • 5/5
      A bit of a mystery story and a bit of a puzzle, this novel is altogether fun, and I am not surprised that it won the Newbery award. I read it years ago, and am astonished at how much I had forgotten when I recently listened to it in audio format. The story is about an unlikely group of people, intentionally drawn together by a mysterious character, unbeknownst to them. A realtor, who is not really a realtor, convinces them all to rent rooms in the Sunset Towers apartments. Their lives are further bound together when Sam Westing, eccentric millionaire, dies and designates them as his heirs. His will is far from ordinary. He demands that they play a game, rather macabre, to find out the name of his murderer, and the winner will inherit the majority of his fortune. The will proceeds to pair the heirs up in partners of two, and the book has a large cast of characters to choose from: Sydelle Pulaski is a secretary, on an extended vacation from her job; James Hoo owns a restaurant, and his wife and son, Doug Hoo the track star, assist him in it; Dr. Jake Wexler is a podiatrist, and his office is in the apartment along with the home he share with his wife Grace and his two daughters, Angela and Turtle; George Theodakaris runs the cafe on the ground floor, with the help of his wife and son, Theo, while his other son, Chris, is incapacitated due to his medical condition; J.J. Ford, or Judge Ford as she is more commonly called, is a judge
    • 5/5
      [Feb 2013]
      Another read for another middle school book discussion and dang, I still love this. The way the clues are planted, and the characters all so developed and have their own issues.... man, it's great. It's surprisingly not dated for a book that's been around as long as this one and I will continue loving this until the end of time.

      And I will also continue being surprised at how the whole mystery comes together because I NEVER remember how all the clues and characters intersect.

      [April 2008]
      As someone who has never liked mysteries, I was always surprised how much I loved this one. And I still do. Red herrings and pointed fingers and plot twists--it's smartly written, and despite the huge cast of characters, no one feels like a caricature or an afterthought.

      Now I just have to convince middle-schoolers how good a book it is!
    • 5/5
      I thought this was a fun mystery book about teamwork and getting to know the random people in your crazy mysterious family.
    • 5/5
      The Westing Game is about an eccentric millionaire (named Samuel Westing) who dies and has his sixteen heirs attempt to solve various clues in order to inherit two hundred million dollars. But Mr. Westing's game brings all sorts of secrets out into the open. I first read this book as a sixth grader and I remember being amazed by how clever the mystery's solution was. There is more to nearly every character than meets the eye--particularly those characters who are intimately connected with Mr. Westing. Upper elementary and middle school students, especially students who enjoy solving puzzles, will enjoy this book.
    • 5/5
      I read this halfway through 4th grade probably, but it was one of the few books I ever read for school and didn't think the teaching of it ruined the book.
    • 5/5
      I like books that layers and layers (clues within clues). This is one of those books. Just when you think you have some of the characters or clues figured out, there's another layer uncovered to get you thinking again. Sixteen characters are a lot to develop in a story, but Raskin pulls it off. She writes the story in a sophisticated way that I think mystery lovers of all ages will enjoy.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book a lot. Everything seems to be coming together, and I love the way Eric can remember his time with Sookie now. :) Can't wait for the next one.
    • 4/5
      This one's a cute little mystery, played out amongst an odd collection of characters. A self made millionaire, Samuel W. Westing has died, and instead of a traditional will, he has left a mystery. A game, actually. Sixteen people are potential heirs, all they have to do to get the fortune is solve the mystery of who killed Westing. By the bizarre terms of the will, each heir is partnered with another, none of whom are related to the others. So you get husband competing against wife, children against their parents. One refreshing aspect of the book is that you don't get the stereotypical animosity you would expect with a formula potboiler. Some teams are very competitive, some are quite willing to work with the others. Despite the anxiety caused by a thief and a bomber operating behind the scenes, you see a growth in many of the characters. So if you're in the mood for a quirky, light hearted mystery, check this one out. It's fun.--J.
    • 5/5
      This is one of my favorite books of all time. I first read this book in 4th grade--it was one of the longest books I've ever read. Over 20 years later, I still re-read it on occassion. Raskin cleverly builds her puzzle while telling an engaging story.
    • 4/5
      A book I'd never read myself, only read about. I have mixed feelings. I thought it a good mystery and clever premise. !6 'heirs' are named in the will of Sam Westing and one of them, it's claimed is his murderer. The game part is that the heirs are paired and given clues and whoever can name the murderer will inherit millions. I know it's a classic and a must read and all that, and I did finish it, but was ultimately disappointed.