Listening to an Ellroy book is such hard work. That is because he writes in terse bursts of hip prose. Before the listener knows it, the thought is gone and almost forgotten. The listener must concentrate. Ellroy's latest epic starts a few moments after President Kennedy is assassinated. The listener follows three principal characters through a cynical five-year period of Americana ending with the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. Along the way, Ellroy fashions his conspiracies everywhere, using some of our favorite scapegoats--the CIA, FBI, and the Mafia. Craig Wasson's performance is true to Ellroy's style. His terse voice matches the writer's lingo. Even so, when called upon, he takes time to be detailed and expressive--his accents are near perfect. Looking for a different listening experience? This is it.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 24 hrs
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
C.J. Box writes about life in wild Wyoming, short stories of people living a rugged life by choice or by circumstance. David Chandler narrates in a rough-edged whiskey voice that suggests summer heat, bitter winters, and windswept prairies, guiding the listener through 10 adventures of men like Fish and Game Officer Joe Pickett. Chandler brings the listener into this strange world where, more often than not, men have to create their own justice. His performance of the economical stories, some rarely seen, is perfect. The tale of the frozen body of a Native American basketball player turned speed freak, her arm reaching through the ice of a lake in a final jump shot, is one of the most fascinating in the collection.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781470392796
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dirk Pitt, intrepid adventurer and master explorer, searches the Sahara for the deadly toxin that is killing marine life world wide. This audio, abridged by Harold Schmidt, lacks most of the adventure, as well as the humor, of Cussler's novels. Narrator Tom Wopat brings an unconventional vocal slant to the ever-cocky Pitt. Using lots of vocal characterization, Wopat brings across the smug brashness of Pitt and handles dialogue briskly. Enhanced by sound effects and small pieces of music, this is an interesting and perplexing mystery.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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