Narrator David Monteath expertly heightens and diminishes his Scottish accent to differentiate the characters of Denise Mina's novel based on the true story of murderer Peter Manual, who terrorized Glasgow in the 1950s. Monteath has an easy voice to listen to, but the audiobook itself is not an easy listen. The story alternates between the trial of Manual and a night-long meeting between Manual and William Watt, the man whose family Manual is later convicted of murdering. Mina steps deeply into the thoughts of each character in an attempt to find the truth, but, as she reveals, everyone is a liar. Listeners who pay close attention will be rewarded by the quality of the writing.
Pub Date: May 23, 2017
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781478985860
Publisher: Hachette Audio
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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