Eastland’s debut is a gem of a historical mystery, and narrator Paul Michael does it full justice. The hero, known only as Pekkala, was Russian Tsar Nicholas II’s investigator—the only person the ruler ever trusted. After the Romanov family was killed, Pekkala spent 11 years in a Siberian labor camp, thanks to Stalin. Now Stalin has brought him back to determine if any of the Romanovs are still alive (rumors to that effect have abounded since the revolution), who killed the tsar, and where his wealth is hidden. Deftly alternating between the time of the revolutionary murders and the hunt for the truth (1929), Michael has a lot of material to juggle. He's stolid as the unfazed Pekkala—even in the face of Joseph Stalin, wholly believable as the humane tsar, and even gives the monster Stalin some humanity. This listener waded through the production without stopping. If there's another Pekkala story in the works, this listener can't wait to hear it.
Pub Date: April 27, 2010
Duration: 9 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780307735973
Publisher: Random House 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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