Narrator Fred Sanders presents Alaska journalist Tom Kizzia's compelling story in a thought-provoking style. Listeners are introduced to Papa Pilgrim, his wife, and their 14 children, who live off their land in Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Sanders injects bits of characterization into the story when recounting interactions between the family members and Pilgrim's conflicts with his neighbors and the National Park Service. These anecdotes add authenticity without overdramatizing the story as listeners learn how Pilgrim hides behind Christian values and antigovernment individualism while manipulating and abusing those around him. The depth of this true story of one man's brutality and his family's resilience is best experienced in the documentary style offered by Sanders.
Pub Date: July 16, 2013
Duration: 10 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780385393652
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An interesting Ozark history that doesn’t quite cohere.
Author Hale presents the case of his young cousin Haley's disappearance on Cave Mountain in 2001 and the ensuing search and rescue operation, the largest in Arkansas history. Hale connects this with the murder of 3-year-old Bethany by a small and isolated religious sect decades earlier on the same mountain. Narrating these two stories in a low, slightly gruff tone, Hale weaves together family anecdotes, Ozark lore, local and broader history, and Christian theology. While the two cases are intriguing, the work lacks focus and contains extraneous details.
An interesting Ozark history that doesn’t quite cohere.Pub Date: March 3, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063398153
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: March 10, 2026
Bower’s performance gives an accessible, straightforward account of a case which remains unsolved after 80 years.
This audiobook examines the 1947 murder and dismemberment of Elizabeth Short, known as the Black Dahlia, and shares new information. Narrator Michael Bower gives a deep-voiced, intense presentation that humanizes Short. He gently traces her youthful experiences in Hollywood that culminate in her death. Despite the growing list of suspects, Bower expresses author Mann’s frustrations as all are dismissed for lack of evidence. Listeners will appreciate the newscaster-style delivery, which is clear and distinct even as the number of suspects grows. The author states he intended to separate fact from fiction.
Bower’s performance gives an accessible, straightforward account of a case which remains unsolved after 80 years.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668118818
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
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