Narrator Tim Gerard Reynolds brings this true crime a storyteller's gift for capturing and holding his audience. In 1871, teenager Jane Clouson was struck 15 times, crushing her skull and destroying her face. She was two months pregnant when she was attacked, and she died several days later. Jane was a "maid of all work" in the Pook home, and the police were convinced the killer was Pook's son, Edmund. The arrest of the prominent young man for Jane's brutal murder and his subsequent acquittal due to lack of evidence suggest that in the time period, one's social class was more significant than one's sins, and that police and prosecutorial procedures weren't all they might have been. Reynolds makes this look at Victorian class and judicial systems top-notch listening.
Pub Date: April 11, 2016
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781504692403
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
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
Bower’s performance gives an accessible, straightforward account of a case which remains unsolved after 80 years.
This audiobook examines the 1947 murder and dismemberment of Elizabeth Short, known as the Black Dahlia, and shares new information. Narrator Michael Bower gives a deep-voiced, intense presentation that humanizes Short. He gently traces her youthful experiences in Hollywood that culminate in her death. Despite the growing list of suspects, Bower expresses author Mann’s frustrations as all are dismissed for lack of evidence. Listeners will appreciate the newscaster-style delivery, which is clear and distinct even as the number of suspects grows. The author states he intended to separate fact from fiction.
Bower’s performance gives an accessible, straightforward account of a case which remains unsolved after 80 years.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668118818
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
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