"You won't really understand your times until you understand mine," says Agnes, a 40-year-old schoolteacher from Ohio, who speaks from the afterlife as she looks back at her first trip to Egypt in 1921. Narrator Ann Marie Lee's cheerful, friendly tones help listeners suspend disbelief when the déclassée Agnes is welcomed into the rarified world of T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill, and other dignitaries. Relying heavily on coincidence, the story depicts Agnes as privy to the intricate events of the Cairo Peace Conference, which created the nations of Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Syria, and ostensibly, our current problems in the Middle East. Lee is ingenuous and chirpy as Agnes spends her days with Lawrence and the Churchills and her nights with Karl, a German spy. Lee makes the listening easy, but the book is a stretch.
Pub Date: 2008
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN:
Publisher: Books on Tape
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: 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: 1993
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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