Written by a New York Daily News reporter, this is the first in-depth journalistic account of the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting that resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly school children. It's a factual account, but emotion is never far from its pages. Narrating a work such as this requires a subtle balancing act, and Adam Verner manages fairly well. He reads with a respectful voice and avoids sounding maudlin. As he keeps the story at the center, his low tone has a reassuring quality. However, what prevents his performance from rising above the ordinary is that he's never far from a funereal whisper. At times, it's difficult to follow the book because he loses vigor and one must lean in to hear. He's obviously reflecting the gravitas of the tragedy, but it does detract from one's listening experience.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 7 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781452618210
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An interesting Ozark history that doesn’t quite cohere.
Author Hale presents the case of his young cousin Haley's disappearance on Cave Mountain in 2001 and the ensuing search and rescue operation, the largest in Arkansas history. Hale connects this with the murder of 3-year-old Bethany by a small and isolated religious sect decades earlier on the same mountain. Narrating these two stories in a low, slightly gruff tone, Hale weaves together family anecdotes, Ozark lore, local and broader history, and Christian theology. While the two cases are intriguing, the work lacks focus and contains extraneous details.
An interesting Ozark history that doesn’t quite cohere.Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063398153
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: March 10, 2026
A fascinating look into the history and operations of the worldwide Mafia, replete with revelations and insights.
This may be one of the most comprehensive works on organized crime ever written, beginning with crime organizations more than a thousand years before the Mafia existed. Nathan Osgood carefully delivers the work, allowing listeners to take in the sometimes-incredible implications. Perhaps Gingeras could have scaled back the first two hours of the work, which detail the rise of criminal organizations like Japan's yakuza, China's tongs, and many others over the centuries before finally getting to the modern-day Mafia. But once he gets to the late 1800s, the audiobook comes to life as the roots of the Mafia are laid bare and facts fly like bullets on Valentine's Day.
A fascinating look into the history and operations of the worldwide Mafia, replete with revelations and insights.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 35 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668104569
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: April 28, 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.
