Once again, narrator Susan Duerden provides us with the voice of the indomitable Maggie Hope, an American-born WWII Special Operations operative in Britain. Maggie has been banished to an isolated island off Scotland, along with other spies who, by virtue of their knowledge or actions, are viewed as a threat to the war effort. One by one, the island's guests are murdered in a story reminiscent of Agatha Christie's AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. The listener's experience is greatly enhanced by McNeal's attention to descriptive detail. Duerden deftly portrays each of the characters--from the Scottish residents to the posh lady spies, the fellow prisoner who turns out to be a German spy, and Winston Churchill. A worthy addition to the series.
Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781524782498
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Ayla, one of the "others," is adopted by a clan of Neanderthal cave people. She struggles to conform to their ways, but her advanced human traits overwhelm and threaten their primitive culture in this initial installment of an immensely popular series. Although the story might benefit from abridgment, Rowena Cooper easily carries out the formidable task of enlivening the mostly silent and stereotypical characters with consistent, diverse personalities and human dimension. Through skillful phrasing and inflection, she maintains the reader's interest and suspense, especially with Ayla and her plight, throughout this rambling and imaginative story.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 22 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This lyrical, sensual novel of woman's lot in Manchu, China, is as well researched as it is well written. Authentic in tone, it's nonetheless written for Westerners by a Western expert on China. Moreover, Susan Clark performs the demanding text superbly, with only occasional signs of fatigue. For the most part she not only sustains the quaint diction and Asian atmosphere, but also, creates whole worlds with her voice. She acts the book, rather than reads it, and, in so doing, turns a pretty trifle into a stupendous beauty.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Literature
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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