Narrator Susan Dalian squanders a golden opportunity for a standout performance in this unique audio mystery. Dalian is perfunctory in voicing historical preservationist Kenetria Nash, who is trapped with a killer on a remote Hudson island. Ken's dissociative identity disorder takes center stage, but Dalian fails to create any vocal distinction among the cast of diverse "alters." Aside from the baby-voiced Kiki, the many characters sharing a body with Ken sound nearly identical despite their differences in age, gender, and disposition. The absence of distinct vocal personalities exacerbates the fact that the first 30 chapters are filled almost entirely with tedious bickering among Ken's alternate personalities. Dalian's one-note performance makes the incessant internal arguments inside Ken's mind extremely difficult to follow.
Pub Date: April 16, 2024
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063114975
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Part of the joy of Tom Clancy novels is one's belief that the stories could come true. His latest entry stretches that some as we find international terrorists building a nuclear bomb which is used to set Americans and Russians against one another. Jay Robertson reads with a newscaster's voice, crisp and clear with a light touch of drama. However, he does little to help listeners identify Clancy's huge cast of characters, and dialects seem difficult for him as he occasionally slips in and out of character. Nonetheless, patient listeners are rewarded as the plot unfolds. This will be a welcome addition to any library justifying the price of the multi-cassettte volumes.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 16 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
John Sanford is back with another psychological thriller in his Prey series. Surgeon, psychopath and serial killer Bekker is on the loose again after the easiest jailbreak in recent memory. Ken Howard's reading moves along with all the brooding energy a reader could want from a suspense book. His narration is deep, clear and well-suited to the gravelly voices of retired detective Lucas Davenport and the other cops. While Howard manages good dialects and shifts in character, his female voices leave a lot to be desired. For the most part, the abridgment gleefully throws logic and characterization overboard in favor of thrills, but the basic flavor of many characters is still fairly well maintained.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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