Welcome to our archive of April 2008 audiobook reviews. A good
audiobook is very much like the old time radio programs (which are fun to download) because they put on a stage
performance entirely with sound. We can't get enough of them, and now they're available on both cassette and CD, and
many websites now allow you to download audiobooks (as well as e-books) for iPods and other MP3 players. Whether you like to
call it a book on tape, an audiobook, or even a podcast, we present our audiobook reviews for your enjoyment.
The Grand Dame of British mysteries is back with a chilling story of two
murders a decade or more apart from each other. Ismay and Heather are
two sisters who live together in an apartment that was once the main
floor of their family home. The upstairs is occupied by Heather who
is taking care of their emotionally troubled mother. It all stems from
the earlier murder that took place in their home when their stepfather Guy
was killed. Ismay remembers only the look on Heather's face that day, and
the two of them have never spoken of it since. Now that Heather has finally
gotten a boyfriend, Ismay's memories are flooding back.
It's a dark tale, to be sure, but deftly told by the Mistress of Mysteries,
Ms. Rendell. You think you see the end coming, but you will find at least
one unexpected turn of events. The book got mixed reviews, but I enjoyed
this abridged version over several car trips.
Romance writer Luanne Rice returns to form with "What Matters Most". Its the
story of two characters from her novel "Sandcastles", Tom Kelley and Sister
Bernadette who have returned to Ireland to find their son whom they had left
behind some 23 years ago following a torrid affair that was the start of it all.
Their son, Seamus Sullivan, who lives in Dublin is on his own quest. He's
searching for the first and only true love, Kathleen Murphy. The two had grown
up together in an orphanage until Kathleen's parents reclaimed her and took
her back to America.
It's a tear-jerker of the first order, but I'm a "silly love songs" kind of
guy and a sucker for a happy ending... even a slightly implausible one. Don't
worry. If you liked "Sandcastles", you'll enjoy this audiobook. Reader Blair
Brown's ("The Days And Nights of Molly Dodd") gentle tones draw you into the
story and keep you on the edge of tears.
Alas, poor Rebecca Bradshaw is facing that dilmena of what to do when that old
boyfriend/girlfriend suddenly appears. She knew baseball player Jace Cooper seven
years ago and he'd dropped her like a stone just as she was working up the courage
to share her secret with him. Now he shows up at the hospital where she works and
wants to get back together. As she helps him through his recovery, she discovers
that both of them have changed.
The theme of recapturing a lost romance seems out of place for Tami Hoag, but she
carries it off. She gives us strong characters with minds of their own, which is
always a treat. Its a slick story supporting a journey through love's many
trevails, and the audiobook makes for several enjoyable hours of listening.
For those of us who loves movies, our vision of Jim will forever be that baby-faced
Jackie Cooper and Wallace Beery is Long John Silver. Listening Library gives us this
unabridged audiobook version of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a cabin boy about
a ship whose crew mutinies, turns pirate, and goes off in search of buried treasure.
Alfred Molina brings his considerable talents as an actor to bear on this adventure
story, with his gravel-toned voice and precise diction. As a bonus, there's an
audio essay by author and English naval historian David Cordingly. All in all, splendid
piece of work.
Here's a rare audiobook produced for youngsters in grades 3-5. Its the comical story of the Shluffmuffin twins, Wally and Cheyenne. The two ten year-olds are in an orphanage and they're dying to get out. But they're practically unadoptable. Wally's feet smell and pan-alergenic Cheyenne's nose never stops dripping. So it's a mystery as to why the Mandible sisters, who live in an eerie-sounding place called The Dripping Fang Forest, would be going to such great lengths to bring them home with them. And why are the twins forbidden to go down into the basement?
Spooky surroundings are masked by the comical situations, and nobody gets hurt. It's a gentler form of the Harry Potter world that parents can enjoy right along with their kids. Author Dan Greenberg reads his own work here and brings that special sensibility of knowing exactly what he had in mind when he wrote it. Its a real family treat and I'm looking forward to the next installments.
Be sure to visit us again next month when we'll
review more great audiobooks! Our
audiobook reviews are written by our Editor, Richard L. Trethewey.
Rainbo Electronic Reviews' audiobook reviews are published monthly. Back issues of our
reviews are available from the Rainbo Reviews Backissues Archive.
We're proud to announce that the reviews archive is now searchable by category so you can find audiobooks (or audio books) we've reviewed in the past.
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