Respected war hero and pillar of the community Pete Banning, without any explanation before or after, murders his pastor. Thus begins this saga, which includes sometimes painful views of the racist and misogynistic way of life in Mississippi in the 1940s, along with the intense cruelties of war. Michael Beck, who has narrated many of John Grisham's books, is well tuned to the slow, even pace of the story, which includes lengthy, detailed descriptive passages. Beck excels at dialogue, voicing men, women, blacks, whites, young, and old with varying degrees of Southern accents. Even patient listeners, however, may find themselves fast-forwarding to find the answer to the question at the center of the story: Why did Pete Banning kill the Reverend?
Pub Date: Oct. 23, 2018
Duration: 17 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525639268
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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
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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