Narrator Will Patton turns this story into an audio blockbuster. Early on, Patton sounds like he’s reading a police procedural. He uses a terse, confident voice to portray Detective Ralph Anderson, a no-nonsense meat-and-potatoes type who’d never consider a supernatural explanation for a baffling case. But Ralph’s worldview expands as he digs deeper into the brutal murder of 11-year-old Frank Peterson. When Holly Gibney, the troubled sidekick turned ace private investigator from Stephen King’s Bill Hodges Trilogy, enters the story, Patton gives her a halting speech pattern and falsetto voice. Holly’s unique sound and open-mindedness effectively contrast with the decent but sometimes hardheaded men surrounding her. King’s usual sprawling cast of characters is also present, and suffice it to say that Patton does them all justice.
Pub Date: May 22, 2018
Duration: 18 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781508252221
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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