At first, Jack Handey's Forrest Gump-like reading of his book, which is not about any Honolulu on this planet, is perplexing; then the listener gets the joke. Jack Handey, right. He's the same Jack Handey whose “Deep Thoughts” segments delighted viewers of “Saturday Night Live” during the 1990s. So Handey deliberately performs his novel with the slow and silly style of a narrator who seems constantly amazed about what he's saying. The “hero” of the book is a disaster. He's a little mean-spirited as he searches Hawaii for a golden monkey, but most of his problems are caused by a Three Stooges level of stupidity. The listener is in on the gag as Handey narrates his adventures in sleepy, singsong style—as if he's telling the story to someone he met on a park bench. “Deep Thoughts” meet silly stories. M.S. 2014 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine
Pub Date: July 16, 2013
Duration: 3 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781619693616
Publisher: Hachette 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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