This is an unsatisfactory abridgment. Even a listener who hasn't read the book will be aware of large gaps of missing information.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1988
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Reader Michael Prichard delivers a convincing rendition of Archie Goodwin, the burly right hand of the portly Nero Wolfe, world-renowned gourmand and detective. Prichard preserves the 1970s setting and 1950s origins of the story, bringing listeners a well-paced narration of murder and politics--a combination of elements that usually guarantees an exciting listen. This audio entertainment is as well formed and fragrant as one of Wolfe's hothouse orchids (the stout sleuth cultivates them by the hundreds in his town house greenhouse) as Goodwin walks us through an explosive murder investigation and political wheeling and dealing in a tough yet intelligent read.
Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2006
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Audio Partners
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This collection of eight short stories contains gentle tales of fantasy and magic--not the magic of wizards and wands, but of wishing mats and enormous cats and gifts brought by the winds. In a lovely English accent, Lizza Aiken quietly narrates these stories in which magic and good fortune often come to those who deserve it. Although her pitch changes little, she registers a range of emotions--from the sadness of a girl whose necklace of raindrops has been stolen to the joy of a child who moves from a hard life and a ramshackle trailer to a happy home amid the clouds. A NECKLACE OF RAINDROPS would make a soothing choice for a family car trip after a long day.
Ages 6+Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2016
Duration: 1 hr, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781101915721
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, Olivia Delancey, daughter of Baron Pettigrew and composer of rousing martial marches, sells her compositions to the Beacon, using her friend Martin Purdy's name. Michelle Ford's crisp tones fit perfectly with the manners of the Regency period, during which women of means were sheltered from the world. William Marsh, the Beacon's owner, falls head over heels for Olivia while he searches for the true composer of the wildly popular tunes. As this romance moves from episode to episode, Ford's characterizations shift from shrill women to sexy ones, from bashful men to those of bluff and bravado. Stick with Ford's performance to learn which of Penttila's characters will survive society's inflexible conventions to achieve personal happiness.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Nicky Penttila
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In a bright, clear voice, narrator Jen Taylor transports listeners to post-WWI Czechoslovakia for an insightful look at a resilient Jewish family's life. It's been five years since Papa left to find work in New York City, leaving Mama and his two young daughters, Szerena and Gisella, to wait until they can join him. The story traces a year in their impoverished village, which is described through a colorful collage of farm and domestic activities interspersed with intriguing details of diverse social customs, religious traditions, culinary practices, folklore, and childhood adventures. Taylor enhances the narration through her use of accents and skillful voicing of emotional events leading up to the family's joyful reunion in America. This is an engaging audiobook on the twentieth-century immigrant experience.
Ages 10+Pub Date: June 19, 2020
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781593169466
Publisher: Listen & Live Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A May-December romance turns obsessive with complications of class conflict in this British novel that, in turns, borrows from LOLITA, FATAL ATTRACTION, and insipid romances. James Faulkner is not well known in this country, but his ominous persona makes him a favorite stage and TV villain in England. He reads in a compelling, unhurried baritone, almost godlike (or Satan-like) in his detachment. Oddly, his approach gives potency to the book's erotic elements while de-emphasizing some of its deficiencies.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1997
Duration: 8 hrs, 36 mins
Publisher: Chivers/Sterling
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Diplomatic Ruby, 45, and her unrestrained husband, Jack, 65, speak a few months apart, she before and he after her death from lung cancer. They tell their touching story in alternating chapters (except the last). The two readers take full advantage of this innovative format. Ruth Ann Phimister's style is mostly calm and reflective. Tom Stechschulte's tone is conversational and animated, a style that works especially well with Jack's offbeat witticisms. Since his characters language is so colorful, Stechschulte's performance shines more, but the contrast works piquantly, like plain rice setting off a spicy dish. The characters do right by one another, and, similarly, the narrators enhance what each has to offer.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1998
Duration: 4 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Elizabeth Pan's unique voice and authentic pronunciation are a perfect fit for this lively introduction to Chinese New Year traditions. The story's young protagonist, Alex, joyfully shares her enthusiasm for this important holiday with her friend, Ethan, whom she invites to participate in the New Year festivities. As the children eagerly join the family's preparations, listeners learn about customs that bring good fortune and details of the grand banquet of traditional foods and their special meanings. Alex's favorite moment, the lantern festival, brings this charming story, and the holiday, to a magical ending. Pan's narrative style is animated and engaging, and she gives a delightful presentation of Chinese New Year expressions (with pronunciation help and English translations) in the back matter.
Ages 4-6Pub Date: Dec. 29, 2020
Duration: 8 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593400869
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The voices of Paul McGann weave this neighborhood tale of Liverpool. At age fifteen, Stella is a self-possessed young woman who wreaks havoc on the troopers at the regional theater where she has hired on as a gofer. This is not a lighthearted romp though the vagaries of theater life, but rather a sadness as told at the hands of the gossips at the corner table. As lies and intrigues abound, Paul McGann ably plays every part in the unraveling of these lives with gentleness and sensitivity.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1999
Duration: 6 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This story, familiar from a television mini-series a few years back, portrays Mac and Muff Graham, experienced sailors on the beautiful Sea Wind, who meet a hippie couple on the lam on a deserted Palmyra Island. This clash of lifestyles turns deadly when the Grahams "disappear" and the hippies return to Hawaii in the repainted Sea Wind. The story ends with a brilliant trial recalled by defense lawyer Bugliosi. What makes the presentation an extraordinary listening experience is Richard Crenna's full-bodied narration, which gives weight and depth to every characterization in a highly dramatic reading.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Gary Bennett narrates this science-fiction-meets-magic mash-up filled with twists and turns. Charlie Gault just wanted to engineer an amazing spaceship. He never intended to crew the ship on its maiden voyage, get sucked through a wormhole, meet space pirates, or become a gladiatorial slave. Also, he really didn't expect magic. Bennett's even, calm demeanor, without much variation, is in keeping with Charlie's approach to the crazy events that follow his ascent into space. Though the story is filled with a wide range of aliens and offbeat characters, Bennett does not differentiate them. For listeners willing to join Charlie on his wild ride, this audio begins a nine-book series.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2019
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Scott Baron
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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