Lee Child drops listeners inside a zone of suspense protected by tripwires--warning devices that alert their makers of intruders. The taut, carefully orchestrated thriller is Child's third featuring ex-military policeman Jack Reacher. Narrator Dick Hill presents an astute audio portrait of the tough, complex hero with a penchant for trouble he didn't ask for. Hill read both Child's DIE TRYING and KILLING FLOOR and his familiarity with Jack Reacher and his macho combination of heroism and good-heartedness make the listener feel just as comfortable with this intriguing series. The rich, gritty characters provide Hill with ample opportunity to make sound portraits. He's brilliant at offering the ebb and flow of danger and suspense. Talking with Lee Child, AUDIOFILE discovered the author's theatrical background in commercial TV and voice work. He takes a true professional interest in his audiobooks, but doesn't want to jump right in and read them himself. He's not even tempted, and, as he notes, his British accent isn't right at all for the solidly American characters. Child admires Dick Hill's performances and says he's gratified to have such a qualified narrator to deliver his books into audio. Listeners will likely agree. Hill captures the essence of each character yet never neglects the rich texture of detail in the narrative. Not to mention the highly charged suspense--there's no chance of missing that.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1999
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In the latest Kinsey Millhone mystery, Kinsey is hired by an aged, wealthy man to retrieve his daughter from prison, where she has served time for embezzlement. Kinsey quickly figures out that the girl isn’t an embezzler but instead has done time for her money-laundering boss. All heck breaks loose. Judy Kaye has a warm, rich voice that seems just right for Grafton’s P.I. Her delivery mirrors the smart-aleck tenor of much of Kinsey’s dialogue. Strangely though, when Kaye is interpreting a male character (and there are many), she raises her voice to a higher register, so that many of the men sound like adolescents with changing voices, or worse, like chipmunks. It may be Kaye’s subtle social comment, though. For once the listener adapts, this odd gender reversal seems natural.
Pub Date: July 13, 2004
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Benedict Juliard, forced from steeplechase racing, becomes increasingly involved in politics and protecting his father's life. Prebble's relaxed but masterful command of characters allows an easy flow during conversations, as well as the sudden transformations from narrative to action scenes. His clear, precise speech; polished style of delivery; and sense of timing give a steady consistency and excellence to his reading. Prebble carries the main characters with ease, but he seems to delight in performing the secondary characters, who feature a great variety of accents to match their roles. Another polished performance by a master of reading.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1998
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
