Using a wide range of voices, narrator Julia Whelan navigates the riveting turns in this thriller. It's challenging enough for Dr. Kate English to grieve for her murdered mother. Then she starts receiving notes filled with twisted threats and begins emotionally unraveling. Whelan keeps to a straight tone for the narrative, saving her theatrical voices for the dialogue. Kate and her friend Blair have slightly different tones, and all the men are differentiated perfectly. Kate's young daughter has an appropriately higher pitch, and her father has a slightly hoarse voice. Minor characters all have distinctive traits. Many interact during the same scenes, and Whelan never misses a beat in keeping the details clear. A wonderful example of a story enhanced by a creative narration.
Pub Date: 2019
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062930637
Publisher: Harper 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
Grisham's story of the murder of two disparate Supreme Court Justices has a scope that could make abridgment difficult. Fortunately, all the plot threads are in place here: the sexual trysts, the murder investigation, and the political maneuverings which extend from the White House to the cloistered halls of the Supreme Court itself. A story this big has to be fun, and it is. While the reading seems tight at first, actor Anthony Heald soon warms to the material. Or perhaps the breakneck pace of the story takes over. The tapes are crisp and clear, and occasional music accentuates the suspense--adding to the fun.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
DD ISBN: 0553750933
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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