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THE CHILD

A cast of narrators takes on Barton's second audiobook of psychological suspense. The four female perspectives Barton oscillates between are kept distinctly separate through the readers—Mandy Williams, Rosalyn Landor, Jean Gilpin, Steve West, and Katharine McEwan—preventing the story’s complexity from losing listeners. Each does a credible job with the character from whose vantage point she tells the story, but the cohesiveness of the overall performance falls apart when each depicts characters outside the one whose perspective she’s performing. In these cases, the interpretations of the characters vary from reader to reader, leaving listeners scratching their heads at times. Still, Barton's highly predictable plot is saved by the quality of the performances. Their authentic emotion and energy keep listeners engaged.

Pub Date: June 27, 2017

Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins

DD ISBN: 9781524779931

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026

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    THE SUM OF ALL FEARS

    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

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      SILENT PREY

      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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