Paul Hecht’s portrayal of gravelly voiced, life-worn Bernie Gunther is a tour de force. Gunther—former policeman, PI, and POW—served in both World Wars—on the German side. When the novel opens, it’s 1954, and Bernie is living a quiet life in Cuba, doing odd jobs for Meyer Lansky. He’s arrested, and his true identity discovered. Temporarily imprisoned in Guantánamo, and then a New York City military prison, he’s eventually transferred to Germany’s notorious Landsberg Prison, where he undergoes a brutal interrogation as a possible war criminal. The frequent flashbacks to the ‘30s and ‘40s are easy to follow, thanks to Hecht’s smooth transitions. Hecht makes Gunther’s remembrances agonizingly real, whether he’s telling the story of a village of Jews who were massacred or focusing a sardonic glance at human foolishness.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2011
Duration: 15 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781461825272
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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