**1-Star Audiobook Review for *They All Fall the Same* by Wes Browne**

*They All Fall the Same* by Wes Browne unfortunately misses the mark in nearly every way, leaving me disappointed with both the story and the audiobook experience.

The plot, while initially intriguing, quickly devolves into a series of clichés and overly predictable twists. The narrative feels contrived, with characters that lack depth or realistic motivation. Rather than building suspense, the story seems to drag on unnecessarily, with moments that feel repetitive and drawn-out. I found myself losing interest rather quickly, as the "shocking" twists were easy to predict from the beginning.

As for the audiobook, the narration did little to elevate the experience. While the voice actor's delivery was competent, it lacked the emotional depth needed to truly bring the characters to life. The pacing of the narration also felt off, with some parts dragging longer than necessary, which only added to the frustration of listening to a lackluster story.

The characters themselves are one-dimensional and fail to evoke any real emotional investment. I never felt connected to their struggles, and by the time the so-called twists came into play, I was no longer interested in what would happen next.

Overall, *They All Fall the Same* felt like a missed opportunity. While the premise had potential, the execution left a lot to be desired. If you're looking for a gripping, unpredictable thriller, I would recommend looking elsewhere. This audiobook didn’t live up to the hype and was ultimately a disappointing listen.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

I really enjoyed this book, it was a sad story but so unique and really interesting. I was gripped the whole way through. I felt like all of the characters were really interesting and I think it was really well written. Can’t wait to reread it, I recommend it.

The Murdagh family if they had a rival family.

I couldn’t really tell you much other than that and the catalyst of the conflict being that one family essentially caused the death of the head of the other family’s child. Other than that, this was just eh. Kinda bland.

There were too many characters to follow while listening to this that I oftentimes found myself having very little idea of who was who.

This really was one long game of cat and mouse to me.

A southern noir thriller about a crime boss whose daughter dies from a fentanyl-laced heroin overdose. This was good on audio and perfect for fans of S.A. Crosby. I liked the fast-paced, dark and gritty subject matter and thought it was chillingly relevant to what's going on all over the country today with the high rise of opioid use. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy by this new to me author!

This was an interesting story. At times it felt slow moving but I did enjoy the story line and plot.
3.5 stars

They All Fall the Same by Wes Browne is a gritty and emotionally charged crime novel that explores the life of Burl Spoon, a cannabis kingpin at the helm of a decades-long empire in Jackson County. While Burl has built a business that commands respect, his personal life is in turmoil—his family is fractured, his relationships are strained, and the ghosts of his past continue to haunt him. The novel kicks into high gear when his daughter overdoses on fentanyl-laced heroin and one of his employees is murdered, pushing Burl into a relentless quest for vengeance against the family responsible.

Burl’s journey is a gripping study of morality, redemption, and the costs of a life built on violence and secrecy. His complicated relationships with his children, particularly with his daughter and estranged son, offer an emotional depth that adds layers to his character, showing how far he is willing to go for a sense of family and revenge. Browne’s portrayal of Burl’s internal struggle between his thirst for retribution and his desire to protect his granddaughter Chelsea is what elevates the story beyond a mere crime thriller—it’s a poignant examination of fatherhood, loyalty, and the price of power.

The novel’s fast-paced narrative and sharp dialogue make for an engaging read, while the portrayal of a man caught in a moral conflict adds a significant emotional weight. Burl is a complex character, and his story, which unfolds against a backdrop of crime, family, and loss, is both suspenseful and heart-wrenching.

They All Fall the Same is a raw, thrilling novel that keeps readers hooked until the last page, with a mix of high-stakes action and deep emotional conflict that will appeal to fans of crime thrillers and character-driven drama.

Organised crime is running rife and revenge is everything. This is the story of Burl, his newest nemesis Clovis and their respective family and employee’s. Revenge is the word of the day with Burl wanting justice for the death of his daughter from a drug overdose. The story started slowly for me and didn’t really up the pace throughout. Many have given this a 5 star review, so maybe it just wasn’t for me. I also found the Southern drawl a little irritating at times. I received an AC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book. I read the audiobook. The narrator wasn’t the best but definitely had a good country type accent so it worked.
It wasn’t much of a thriller, more suspense. The characters weren’t too complicated.
You go in knowing that just about everyone is a bad guy, but at the end you’re rooting for them. It’s more like who is the worse bad guy.
You definitely understand why Burl is doing what he is doing. The story is a little suspenseful but more general fiction.
The real twist is in the epilogue. Don’t miss that part.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy.

I received an early edition of this book in exchange for my review. although this is typically not my usual genre, I decided to give this new to me author a try. The writing was fluid, but I found myself pretty detached from the characters and had a challenging time completing this novel

Wow, this was a wild read! Burl was not a likeable dude but in the end redeemed himself a bit. This was my 1st book by Wes Browne but will not be my last, I am adding all of his books to my TBR.

#TheyAllFalltheSame
#NetGalley

This is not my typical read but it was so good! What a great story of revenge and fighting for those you love. It was a well told story and I enjoyed reading it in it's entirely. Would recommend to others!

This is a gripping and intense read that will captivate fans of dark, suspenseful stories, particularly those who enjoy the gritty, atmospheric world of Southern noir and are drawn to complex, morally ambiguous characters navigating the blurred lines between retribution and redemption.

Whew, this is my first book that I have read by this author and it did not disappoint! A fast pace and electrifying read! What could go wrong when crime boss Burl Spoon aims his hatred against the local distributor in town, Clovis Begley? Both have a very lucrative income revenue but they both protect family at all costs. How far is Burl willing to go to keep his only granddaughter, Chelsea safe? The narrator, Matt Godfrey does a phenomenal job portraying both characters along with female characters. His voice is very impactful and what I envision for dealers' voices to have. Matt kept me engaged till the very end. The only issue I had was I had to pay close attention when the POV changed as I didn’t find a lot of distinction between Burl and Clovis at the beginning, but after time I picked up on the inflections. If you're craving a book with themes of power, corruption, family and legacy then be sure to check out this mystery thriller!

This book was a hard one to stomach. While I likes a majority of the story the violence to the animals was a lot for me to handle. Basically everyone in the book is a terrible person but you still find yourself rooting for the one. I think for me this book would have been so much better if it didn’t have the animal killing and abuse.

Rating: 3⭐
Narration: 5⭐

A crime thriller that follows Burl Spoon, who's a Kentucky cannabis crime boss who believes money and power are everything. He struggles to keep his family together. Burl's hubris crumbles his family and threatens the safety of his granddaughter.

I had higher expectations for this book. I felt the story dragged on mainly because there was very little character growth for Burl, until the end. Everything put into the storyline was thoughtful and necessary. I think I felt like it dragged because everything seemed predictable to me. I didn't hate it but didn't love it. It was an okay read, no regrets.

The narration was great. I felt I was straight in Appalachia and poured into the story. All the characters were distinctly their own. I don't know if I would've finished the book if it was a digital or a physical book because the narration really brought it to life for me.

This book is perfect for those who love noir crime thrillers, and stories about family, power, and redemption.

This book had a really cool setting and concept, and overall the story was interesting. I was curious to know what would happen, but not as immersed in the story as I’d liked. I really enjoyed that the characters were morally grey and liked the dynamic between characters.

The audiobook narrator was great with characters’ conversations and did great with character conversations. This being said, I found the narration to be extremely choppy when reading the book’s non-dialogue text.

Title: They All Fall the Same
Author: Wes Brown
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Matt Godfrey
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date was: January 7, 2025
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 304

For years Burl Spoon has been operating a successful crime gang in Kentucky.
He is married but that is questionable as he isn’t an ideal husband nor an ideal dad to his son, Darren, and only okay to his mistress, however, he is an ideal Pawpaw to his granddaughter Chelsie but his daughter Dede and Chelsie’s mother has been a user and sure enough dies
Clovis Begley is accused of supplying Dede with the fentanyl-laced heroin that killed her.
This starts a feud between Burl and Clovis. Burl, who has built an empire on the marijuana he grows at his farm, is willing to burn the whole world down to get retribution for his daughter

Story is dark, grungy with more profanity than I wanted to hear but I was pulling for Burl.

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for granted me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date was January 7, 2025.

Audio Book Review - Matt Godfrey delivers this story with the right amount of Kentucky pronunciation to feel the authenticity. It is a clever and decisive book that plays with the emotions as drug fueled families and rivals seek out revenge in the most brutal fashion.The trail of destruction across the plains of America make this a dark and knotted affair which gives the listener hardening affect that will keep the book rolling all the way to the conclusion.

Wes Browne is great at building the characters in They All Fall the Same. I felt like I really knew them. I also enjoyed the narrator. He did a good job personifying Browne’s characters. I was very invested in the story from the start, but I began losing interest as the book continued. Regardless, I still enjoyed this S.A. Cosby-esque audiobook of family feuds and revenge. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks for the complimentary ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wes Browne creates a very atmospheric story in They All Fall The Same. Somewhere between the Hatfield-McCoy feud and the Netflix series Peaky Blinders, this is about two crime bosses who go on a revenge spree. Gritty and full of flawed characters that make for a great story, this is a very enjoyable read/audiobook.