Ann-Marie MacDonald's family saga, set on Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island and published in 1996, is enjoying a deserved renaissance since being stamped with the Oprah symbol. It's an unforgettable novel that deserves more than one reading, and this recording is an enjoyable way to revisit it. But the abridgment, while fine as these things go, cuts out so much of the novel's intricacy that it won't do for a reader's first foray into MacDonald's world. Nikki James has to contend with sprinklings of Gaelic and Lebanese, but other than a few cloying voices (always children or men) and her inability to correctly pronounce blancmange, she's comfortable with the text. It's just too bad there isn't more of it.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: HighBridge Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Escape on a thrilling adventure with Soneela Nankani and Andrew Eiden as they narrate this suspenseful romance. A year has passed since Simi Chopra, her assorted crew, and Jack Danger pulled off a lucrative diamond heist. Now, the Chicago Mafia boss is demanding that the jewels be returned, so Simi gets the team back together. Nankani delivers an expressive performance that emphasizes Simi's conflict between her passion for Jack and the mission. Her distinct character voices keep the listener fully immersed. Eiden's lively tone gives Jack a subtle flair and confidence that make him easy to forgive and to love.
Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2024
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593907467
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This is not a story about guns, but about blue pearls. Gerald Browne takes us to the Pacific Ocean and the world of pearl divers and natural gems and mixes in mystery, intrigue and suspense. Barry Bostwick portrays the characters in one voice, varying his intonation slightly for the Asian personalities. His reading style is very smooth, evidence of preparation and interest in the story. 18mm Blues is abridged well, collecting the important elements of the story. Unobtrusive music indicates the end of each side. Disappear into the mystery of the Far East and one of its most beautiful commodities.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1993
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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