After the grim reality of WWI, Tom Sherbourne signs on with the Australian Lighthouse Service, enjoying the uncomplicated solitude of isolated Janus Rock. Narrator Noah Taylor sounds appropriately depressed and low-key as Tom reveals details of his life. Listeners will grow to like this orderly man who takes comfort in sameness. Tom marries Isabel, and they’re happy until Isabel suffers a series of miscarriages. When a boat drifts ashore carrying a dead man and a live infant, Tom and Isabel decide to raise the baby as their own. Taylor does well with the dialogue and character development in Stedman’s intriguing debut novel. The author’s polished storytelling poses a heart-wrenching moral dilemma for the couple, and Taylor’s narration adds color to the otherwise bleak landscape.
Pub Date: July 31, 2012
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781442350304
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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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