Well before the first tape expires, it becomes impossible to imagine any voice other than Michael Cochrane’s inhabiting Jackson's eccentric, tragic hero, the fifth Duke of Portland. Based on a real nineteenth-century figure who unaccountably spent his time and wealth building a series of tunnels beneath his English estate, Jackson’s story portrays the duke’s journey into madness as he nurses a hurt the decades-old origins of which he pieces together only at life’s end. The tale is told through the duke’s journals and is interspersed occasionally with the observations of the duke's staff and neighbors, who are wholly flummoxed and unnerved by his bizarre behaviors. Cochrane masters these diverse characters, but his triumph is his rendering of the duke himself, at once exuberant and quixotic, as well as terribly affecting and sad.
Pub Date: 2003
Duration: 8 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: ISIS Audio Books
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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