Narrator Robert Petkoff uses a variety of New England accents to enhance this thriller, which takes place on an island off Maine. Petkoff's controlled, dark narration adds some brine to the unraveling mystery of who killed seven people on a beached ghost ship. Like a set of Russian nesting dolls, the story reveals secrets that beget secrets as Israel Pike, the island outcast, attempts to put a corrupt cop out of business. The trouble is that the cop is also Israel's uncle, who's still angry that Israel committed patricide 15 years earlier. The plot also includes a woman who appears from the sea named Hatchet (so called because she always carries one) and a sad subplot dealing with Lyman, a kid whose drunken dad beats him. Put it all together with Petkoff's professional storytelling, and the result is hard-to-put-down suspense.
Pub Date: July 25, 2023
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549151248
Publisher: Hachette 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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