Jim Frangione’s crisp baritone adds to the tautness of this conspiracy thriller. He confidently takes the listener through a plot involving a mysterious Siberian cave, the Russian mob, assassination attempts, car chases, and a shadowy business tycoon. Ry O’Malley, a former special-ops officer whose father’s past is the gateway to understanding the powers of the cave, undertakes to protect Zoe, who also has involvement with the cave. Frangione’s perfectly paced reading suits the action, and he consistently pronounces the names smoothly and uses accents complementary to the characters. Vocal changes are so natural that it’s easy to forget that Frangione is the sole narrator. The ending is predictable, but the presentation is wonderful.
Pub Date: March 8, 2011
Duration: 17 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781442338050
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
C.J. Box writes about life in wild Wyoming, short stories of people living a rugged life by choice or by circumstance. David Chandler narrates in a rough-edged whiskey voice that suggests summer heat, bitter winters, and windswept prairies, guiding the listener through 10 adventures of men like Fish and Game Officer Joe Pickett. Chandler brings the listener into this strange world where, more often than not, men have to create their own justice. His performance of the economical stories, some rarely seen, is perfect. The tale of the frozen body of a Native American basketball player turned speed freak, her arm reaching through the ice of a lake in a final jump shot, is one of the most fascinating in the collection.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781470392796
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Dirk Pitt, intrepid adventurer and master explorer, searches the Sahara for the deadly toxin that is killing marine life world wide. This audio, abridged by Harold Schmidt, lacks most of the adventure, as well as the humor, of Cussler's novels. Narrator Tom Wopat brings an unconventional vocal slant to the ever-cocky Pitt. Using lots of vocal characterization, Wopat brings across the smug brashness of Pitt and handles dialogue briskly. Enhanced by sound effects and small pieces of music, this is an interesting and perplexing mystery.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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