THE AMBER ROOM is further proof that a great reader can improve the most pedestrian book. Steve Berry's latest novel focuses on the search for the eponymous room, which was supposedly hidden by the Germans in 1944. When Rachel Cutler's father dies, she suspects foul play, and the hunt begins, featuring clichéd personalities and slimy characters who kill almost everyone. With Scott Brick bringing life to characters ranging from wealthy Nazis to self-absorbed lawyers, the novel becomes a thriller that works well in audio. Brick reads with verve and a wry style that propels every moment of the book toward its exciting and improbable finish. Although not a gem, this is worth a listen.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2007
Duration: 15 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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