Antonia Hodgson’s historical thriller is a fascinating look at the conditions of the notorious eighteenth-century debtor’s prison, the Marshalsea. Narrator John Lee brings the characters to life, differentiating their voices and imbuing them with vivid personalities. Tom Hawkins finds himself imprisoned in the Marshalsea, sleeping in a room whose last occupant either killed himself or was brutally murdered. The story has nearly endless twists and turns, although Hodgson brings everything together for an immensely satisfying ending. Between Hodgson’s plotting and Lee’s narration, this is an exciting and atmospheric listening experience.
Pub Date: June 10, 2014
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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