Hampton Sides has a record of spinning compelling nonfiction narratives that translate well to audio, in particular GHOST SOLDIERS, about the rescue of Allied POWs during WWII. He continues this trend in the story of the hunt for the assassin of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unlike his earlier books, though, nearly every listener will know the ending, so he introduces a touch of suspense by using the aliases of shooter James Earl Ray in place of his real name in the events leading up to the assassination and during the manhunt after. Sides reads the book himself and is capable, although he occasionally pauses at awkward points in sentences. One wonders why the publishers chose to have him narrate as the work is straight nonfiction, not a memoir.
Pub Date: April 27, 2010
Duration: 15 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780739358931
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An intriguing audiobook that melds traditional journalism with an insightful journey of personal discovery.
Eddy called his family every night to say he was leaving work. Then one night in 1987, he never made it home. Through the following decades, his daughter struggled to deal with a loss that fundamentally altered her life’s direction. Vivienne Leheny’s narration is raw, showcasing the author’s ongoing frustration at the unanswered questions that loom large in the story. Her portrayal of the author as a forlorn teenager turned anxious and angry young woman is spot on. Leheny sounds quietly thoughtful when delivering the facts of the case and appropriately outraged at the lack of care taken by the Baltimore police to preserve evidence or pursue meaningful justice.
An intriguing audiobook that melds traditional journalism with an insightful journey of personal discovery.Pub Date: April 7, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 59 mins
DD ISBN: 9781488237249
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: yesterday
An interesting Ozark history that doesn’t quite cohere.
Author Hale presents the case of his young cousin Haley's disappearance on Cave Mountain in 2001 and the ensuing search and rescue operation, the largest in Arkansas history. Hale connects this with the murder of 3-year-old Bethany by a small and isolated religious sect decades earlier on the same mountain. Narrating these two stories in a low, slightly gruff tone, Hale weaves together family anecdotes, Ozark lore, local and broader history, and Christian theology. While the two cases are intriguing, the work lacks focus and contains extraneous details.
An interesting Ozark history that doesn’t quite cohere.Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063398153
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: March 10, 2026
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