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Title: The Lazarus Curse

Subtitle: Dr. Thomas Silkstone, Book 4

Author: Tessa Harris

Narrator: Simon Vance

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-29-14

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 113 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

London, 1782. The sole survivor of an ill-fated expedition to Jamaica has gone missing upon his return home. Dr. Thomas Silkstone had been entrusted to catalog all the New World specimens and therefore feels compelled to investigate the disappearance. Meanwhile, a rumor circulates that a potion with the power to raise the dead is afoot, and the formula is thought to be in the missing botanist's journal.

As he investigates, the good doctor is drawn into a world of trafficking in corpses for profit. When a headless corpse is discovered, Silkstone uncovers the sinister motives of those who would stop at nothing to possess the Lazarus potion.

Inspired by true-life physician Dr. William Shippen Jr., this delightful series has been hailed as "CSI meets The Age of Reason" (Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author).

Members Reviews:

Series has bogged down

This series has been well researched, written and related in audio...however, Harris is sinking into melodrama as she seeks to keep the series going. I suggest she lets the relationship between the doctor and his lady love move forward or end. After four novels It is disappointing to have these two people once again find themselves in a torturous tangle. As I reader I feel like I am trapped in a Saturday afternoon matinee watching the screen fade to gray on a heroine tied to the railroad tracks. I don't think I can endure seven hours of "Bedlam"......the probable site of the next installment in this series

INTRIGUING DOSE OF SILKSTONE FROM HARRIS & VANCE!

It is such a great honor for me to be the first Audible.com member to review this book. It was with much trepidation combined with excitement, earlier this year, I read the print version of this book about slavery in Britain. The fourth in the author's Dr. Thomas Silkstone series was released in July, but I was lucky enough to get an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) directly from the publisher. And now I get a second swipe at the brass ring with the audio version! WOW!!!

As a black American, I was curious to learn more about a barely documented part of British history. About 8 pages in, I was so taken aback by a certain scene that I was "thisclose" to abandoning this effort. But, just like passing a bad wreck on the highway, you don't want to look at the carnage, yet you just can't turn away! I'm so glad that I stuck it out.

Much of the subject matter - black magic, voodoo, obeah, etc. - was not new to me, especially as it pertains to enslaved Africans. But I knew nothing about the horrible conditions that existed among enslaved and free blacks in England during this era. However, author Tessa expertly presents a sensitive and uncomfortable issue without interjecting "political correctness" - a habit among white authors that I find to be unnecessary when recounting actual historical facts to a present day audience. Who are alleged "PC" writers trying to protect? As black people, we still feel the pain of oppression whether it is "n-word" or "nigger" being bandied about! "A rose by any other name......" etc.

Tessa Harris does a magnificent job here. As usual in her Silkstone series, the reader is educated on a little known part of history that had a major impact on a small segment of the English population.

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Title: Secrets of Sloane House

Subtitle: Chicago World's Fair Mystery, Book 1

Author: Shelley Shepard Gray

Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-24-14

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 56 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

One woman's search for the truth of her sister's disappearance leads her to deceit and danger in 1893 Chicago.

Rosalind Perry has left her family's rural farm in Wisconsin to work as a housemaid at Sloane House, one of the most elegant mansions in Gilded Age Chicago. But Rosalind is not there just to earn a living and support her family - she's at Sloane House determined to discover the truth about her sister's mysterious disappearance.

Reid Armstrong is the handsome heir to a silver fortune. His family is on the periphery of Chicago's elite because their wealth comes from "new money" obtained from successful mining, but marriage to Veronica Sloane would secure his family's position in society - the lifelong dream of his ailing father.

When Reid begins to realize that Rosalind's life may be in danger, he stops thinking of marriage prospects and concentrates instead on helping Rosalind. Dark things are afoot in Chicago and, he fears, in Sloane House. If he's not vigilant, Rosalind could pay the price.

Set against the backdrop of Chicago's Gilded Age and the1893 World's Fair, Secrets of Sloane House takes us on a whirlwind journey of romance and mystery.

Members Reviews:

Christian fiction

Yet another book premise which appeals to entirely the wrong audience.

The main flaw (among many) in this book was the main character. Rosalind was such a doe eyed innocent it's hard to believe she didn't' die of fright when looking at her own shadow. Yet we are somehow supposed to believe she leaves her farm, family and small town to move to Chicago to investigate her sisters disappearance? It is baffling that the author decided to make her 23 years old (the author gives no reason why she had not married), if the author had simply made her 16 it would have made her timid, naïve, girlish behaviour more understandable (though not more likeable).

It took the author almost 15 minutes to describe; Rosalind taking up a tea tray to her mistress then exchanging a few greetings with a male member to the household, after which she had to lean against a wall and breath just to get over the stress.

The logical inconsistencies in this book kept piling up such as how Rosalind expected to find her sister and how she obtained a job in the household in the first place being an inexperienced milk maid. There were also some editing mistakes such as one of the main characters being introduced twice.

I recommend to anyone thinking of buying this book to have a look at some of the other titles the author has written (as I should have done) - if Christian fiction appeals to you then enjoy this book.

Inspirational fiction should come with a warning!

Years ago, audible used to identify the genre to which books belonged, but no longer.There was nothing in the summary to warn me that this was inspirational fiction, which I avoid whenever possible. Tavia Gilbert is wasted on this drivel. I'm returning this one pronto.

Warning re: rape as part of this story.

What did you like best about this story?

The mention of being Christian and trusting Christ, although it certainly could be drawn out more, and the mystery.

Have you listened to any of Tavia Gilberts other performances before? How does this one compare?

She is very distincT and exacT in her pronunciation, which gets to be too much after awhile.

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Title: Lord of the Silent

Subtitle: The Amelia Peabody Series, Book 13

Author: Elizabeth Peters

Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-04-14

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 9 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Each book in this best-selling series is greeted with cheers by the ever-growing number of fans who relish the adventures of the Emersons, a family of Victorian archeologists. The shifting sands of intrigue and wry humor that fill these mysteries are always a delight. It is the autumn of 1916, and war has cast its long shadow across Egypt. Cairo is filled with soldiers, and the ancient tombs are filled with treasure hunters. Amidst this chaos, the Emersons have come for their yearly dig. When Amelia Peabody Emerson discovers a fresh corpse in an antique tomb, she knows this season will be a most intriguing one.

Elizabeth Peters doctoral degree in Egyptology and her award-winning literary talent are an unbeatable combination. The Amelia Peabody Emerson books have twice earned their author Grandmaster status among mystery writers. Peters says Audie Award-winning narrator Barbara Rosenblat is the best actor to perform her books. Listeners agree, naming this series as their favorite one year after year.

Members Reviews:

Another Good Story

If you could sum up Lord of the Silent in three words, what would they be?

entertaining nice twist suspense

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lord of the Silent?

that would be a spoiler in the story line so can't say. Liked the ending as well tied up loose ends.

What does Barbara Rosenblat bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you had only read the book?

Barbara Rosenblat does the voices brilliantly. I had to purchase one of the books as audible didn't have it . It took a while getting into it reading, as i am so used to listening to these books.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

may be the ending.

Any additional comments?

I liked the style of having more from Ramses and Nefrets viewpoint.

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Title: Children of the Storm

Subtitle: The Amelia Peabody Series, Book 15

Author: Elizabeth Peters

Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-04-14

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The year is 1919, one year after WWI has ended. Amelia Peabody and her husband, Emerson, finally feel they have a moment to rest. Their family is all gathered together in their Luxor, Egypt, home, including their son, Ramses; their daughter-in-law, Nefret; and their two grandchildren. Just as the dust from the war begins to settle, a new wind kicks up, and their lives take a turn for the worse. Soon after the discovery of a well-preserved tomb, some of the treasure is stolen. The murdered body of the thief, who happens to have been a trusted employee of Amelia and Emerson, is later found in the desert. Then Ramses is kidnapped by a woman dressed as the goddess Hathor, whose intentions are unknown. Other strange occurrences follow, but none seem to create a discernible pattern. Amelia cant resist investigating, and finds herself in the midst of a terrifying adversary. Amelia refuses to give up until she has uncovered the mystery behind the baffling events and made sure her family is safe. Though Amelia is as courageous and daring as ever, she is up against the fight of her life in Children of the Storm.

This complete and unabridged audiobook production features a dazzling performance by narrator Barbara Rosenblat.

Members Reviews:

Another A.P.E. Masterpiece

True to form, Elizabeth Peters, with the incomparable voices of Barbara Rosenblat, has produced yet another spellbinding narrative! How is it possible to await the next thrilling instalment? I shall be one of the first to acquire her next masterpiece

A jolly good listen!!! Highly recommended

Another jolly good listen!! Am making my way through the series and have not found one that I am even slightly disappointed with!! 5*****

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Title: The Girl in the Cellar

Subtitle: Miss Silver, Book 32

Author: Patricia Wentworth

Narrator: Diana Bishop

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-03-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 67 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Miss Silver helps a woman with no memory reconstruct a terrible crime.

She awakes in a dark place. A young woman with a shattered memory, she knows neither who she is nor how she came to be in this abandoned house. All she possesses is a faint sense that someone is lying dead at the foot of the stairs. Horrifyingly, she is correct. In the cellar lies a young woman, her body broken, her head split, her life undone by a revolvers shell. The amnesiac flees and finally has a stroke of luck: She meets Maud Silver.

A dowdy governess turned daring detective, Miss Silver sees immediately that something is wrong. She comforts the confused young woman, and coaxes out of her what little story she can tell. The memory of the body sets Miss Silver on a fantastic adventurethe last written by Patricia Wentworth, and one of the most thrilling of them all.

Members Reviews:

Not this cozy author's best; maybe, worst

Patricia Wentworth has become a favorite of mine, since I discovered her Miss Silver books at audible. Diana Bishop, the narrator throughout the series, is, in my mind Miss Silver. Here as always, Ms Bishop gives her best. But the tedium of the material let's her down.

As I see it, here are 2 problems with 'Girl..'. First, far too much time is spent inside Ann's-the protagonist's- mind; and, as Ann is suffering from near total amnesia, time spent amongst her thoughts is necessarily arid and repetitive. To paraphrase: She didn't know where she was or how she came to be there or where she had come from or why or even... Some of this is necessary, granted. But it never lets up, and the smallest details are examined in brain-numbing detail. Second, and far worse, Miss Silver seems little more than a tag along in this particular story- I don't recall she had opportunity to 'cough' more than once or twice, so brief was her appearance. Though I usually find her peculiar governing tic annoying and bordering on the tubercular, I admit to almost missing it in this story.

I hope this is no one's first visit with this able detective; there are many, many better offerings with Miss Silver in proper charge.

Unusual Mystery Plot

I really like Patricia Wentworth's books.....this story had an unusual plot and was certainly believable. Since she wrote over 30 "Miss Silver" mysteries I have a lot of listening pleasure ahead of me. The narrator was excellent. Ready for my next "read" with audible.

i love Patrecia wentworth Cozy mysteries.

i love every book i read by miss Wentworth.

i have read all her Miss Silver book's.

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Title: Theft of Life

Subtitle: Crowther & Westman, Book 5

Author: Imogen Robertson

Narrator: Dudley Hinton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-22-14

Publisher: Headline Digital

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The electrifying new historical thriller featuring Harriet Westerman and Gabriel Crowther

London, 1785: When the body of a former West Indies planter is found staked out by St Paul's Cathedral, suspicion falls at once on a runaway slave. But the answer is not that simple. The planter's death brings tragedy for Francis Glass, a freed slave working as a bookseller, and a painful reminder of the past for William Geddings, senior footman in the household of unconventional widow Harriet Westerman.

Harriet is reluctant to confront the powerful world of the slave trade but she and her friend, anatomist Gabriel Crowther, must face its shameful truths - and the fact that much of Britain's wealth is built on wilful destruction of human life. The secrets of London's slave owners reveal a network of alliances across the capital. And while some people will risk everything to preserve their reputation, some acts can never be forgiven.

Members Reviews:

Love this series

I really enjoy the series. great characters and quick pace. this one was particularly good and the characters keep evolving.

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Title: The Day the Music Died

Author: Ed Gorman

Narrator: Bronson Pinchot

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-20-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In 1950s Iowa, a murder-suicide forces a lawyer to put aside his rock-and-roll grief.

Sam McCain loves Buddy Holly, because he's the only rock-and-roll star who still seems like a dweeb, and Sam knows how that feels. With the unrequited love of his life at his side, Sam drives more than three hours through the snow to watch his idol play the Surf Ballroom. That night, Buddy Holly dies in the most famous plane crash in music history, but Sam has no time to grieve. Because there are too many lawyers in this small town, Sam makes a living as a PI, doing odd jobs for an eccentric judge - whose nephew, it seems, has a problem only a detective could solve. His trophy wife has been murdered, and as soon as Sam arrives, the nephew kills himself, too.

The police see this as a clear-cut murder-suicide, but Sam wants to know more, diving into a mystery that will get dangerous faster than you can say "bye-bye, Miss American Pie".

Members Reviews:

Comfortable, well-crafted cozy

American detective fiction tries to be too action packed or grisly for me, cozies tend to be too cute, and I usually skip anything containing the PI acronym-- but Im very glad I took a chance on this. The Sam McCain series seems to be the same weight of a Charlotte MacLeod, with similar gentle humour, humanism and craftsmanship. McCain is a young small town PI/lawyer who sleeps with his cats since his romantic ideal eludes him; He confers with his Mom and Dad and gets sick if he drinks alcohol (but still it doesnt get too cute).

Gorman is I think an older author, and there is thread of respect for elders and veterans running throughout the three in the series that Ive enjoyed so far. This is more nostalgic rather than historical fiction written with modern sensibility, but that made it a better comfort read, the kind of mystery that soothes a head cold and relieves tension from listening to too much about current affairs. I get the feeling that Gorman is capable of much heavier fiction, but he gifted the world with some needed diversion instead.

Pinchot's narration was perfect. I bought the book as a Kindle edition first, thinking it would be better as a speed read, but it was written and narrated so well that I recommend the audio (check whisper sync price).

Good story but keep the politics

I have read several of these stories. I like Sam, his town and his cases, but I don't need the useless politics. It's heavy handed and annoying. Do I have know you think abortion is cool? Is it really useful that all the bad guys are Republicans?

Unfortunately it just makes a good story tiresome.

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Title: The Torah Codes

Author: Ezra Barany

Narrator: Bryan Reid

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-14-14

Publisher: Barany Publishing

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 18 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A reclusive computer programmer, Nathan Yirmorshy, pounds out ones and zeros in the quiet of his home while his landlord secretly watches from behind a two-way mirror. When an intercepted note connects the landlord to a secret society, and a detective ends up dead, Nathan must abandon his home and everything familiar to him, open his heart to a tarot reader he has never met, and trust her with his life - just as the ancient scriptures have foretold.

An appendix of essays by rabbis, doctors, and physicists discuss the themes of the book, specifically, the Bible codes and the Shekinah, the female aspect of God.

Members Reviews:

Eat your heart out, Dan Brown

What did you like best about this story?

It's very compelling. While the story of "codes hidden in scripture" has been done before with varying degrees of success, Ezra Barany puts a new twist on it that works quite well and keeps you listening! There's also a good deal of humor sprinkled in to what would be otherwise grim at times situations.

Which character as performed by Bryan Reid was your favorite?

The main characters- Nathan and Sofia- are both very well done, as is his interpretation of the Rabbi. Bryan Reid definitely has a solid grasp of Jewish pronunciation and concepts and managed to get that across in his reading.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Two moments in particular are very well done, but to say what they are would be very spoilerriffic! Suffice it to say that there are some plans that take a while to come together, but when they do they are glorious!

Any additional comments?

There are a few essays at the end of the book that shed more light on some of the concepts presented in the book; while the book is perfectly enjoyable if you do not read them, they give an added depth to certain parts of the story that people might find interesting if they're so inclined.

Intriguing Thriller

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

For the most part, yes. The story was intricate enough, I had to listen carefully to catch the details. The author is skilled in developing the action and revealing details in the plot on an "as needed basis", therefore keeping the suspense alive. And adding in the red herring was a nice touch.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I really liked Mr. Reid's character voices. I was never in doubt which character was speaking and his delivery made the characters very real. I found his narration style a little confusing, though. I believe he was going for a dry delivery, such as in noir, but at times it came across as a little dehumanized and more like a computer. A storyteller will have an emotional reaction to the action of the story which helps guide the listener, and I believe this should come across even in a dry read. However, this was MINOR distraction and didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book..

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked when Nathan realized that asymmetry can be beautiful, too.

Any additional comments?

I thought it was interesting the author included the essays about the real-life theory of the Bible Codes at the end. I listened to all. Some were very interesting and others didn't really hold much information that I was interested in, but they're there if you want to listen.

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Title: Murder at the Breakers

Author: Alyssa Maxwell

Narrator: Eva Kaminsky

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-08-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 95 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

As the 19th century comes to a close, the illustrious Vanderbilt family dominates Newport, Rhode Island, high society. But when murder darkens a glittering affair at the Vanderbilt summer home, reporter Emma Cross learns that sometimes the actions of the cream of society can curdle one's blood....

Newport, Rhode Island, August 1895: She may be a less well-heeled relation, but as second cousin to millionaire patriarch Cornelius Vanderbilt, 21-year-old Emma Cross is on the guest list for a grand ball at the Breakers, the Vanderbilts' summer home. She also has a job to do - report on the event for the society page of the Newport Observer.

But Emma observes much more than glitz and gaiety when she witnesses a murder. The victim is Cornelius Vanderbilt's financial secretary, who plunges off a balcony faster than falling stock prices. Emma's black sheep brother, Brady, is found in Cornelius's bedroom passed out next to a bottle of bourbon and stolen plans for a new railroad line. Brady has barely come to before the police have arrested him for the murder. But Emma is sure someone is trying to railroad her brother and resolves to find the real killer at any cost....

Members Reviews:

Entertaining mystery

This book has the flavor of Newport, and the author's skill in creating that golden era incomparable. I felt the danger Emma was in, and the love for her family. I can't wait to start the next story

Historical Fiction, without the History.

I know that this book is not meant to be Serious Literature, and I was searching for something casual and easy when I purchased it, but...

Did Alyssa Maxwell do any research when she wrote this book? It reads more like a guidebook (for children) to Newport than historical fiction. The author's perspective seems an attempt at describing the past from a present (tourist) point-of-view instead of historical fiction written with integrity, which at its best should pull a reader into a time and place so that it almost feels lived. And appropriate linguistic details are lacking: I am sure, for example, that no heroine--spunky though she may have been--would have said "Oops" in Gilded-Age-Newport.

Eva Kaminsky's narration takes this experience from bad to worse: her always-slightly-ironic-and-smug voice makes the characters sound like millenials (but not even real ones--just the kind of stereotypical millenial the media love to lambast).

I am returning this book so that I can use my credit more wisely.

Born and raised in Newport

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

No one that I can think of

What do you think your next listen will be?

Listening to In Cold Blood

What didnt you like about Eva Kaminskys performance?

I love all the readers.Eva is no exception.

You didnt love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

None that I can think of

Any additional comments?

Born And raised in Newpot. This is a silly story.Will not buy another book by this author.This could have very well ruined Bellevue Drive for me.

This is one I would return.

Great whodoneit

This book keeps you guessing until the last page. Alyssa Maxwell's way with words shine and makes up for the not so great narration. I can honestly say this was the BEST story I have "read" in a long time.

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Title: She's Leaving Home

Author: William Shaw

Narrator: Cameron Stewart

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 02-26-14

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

London, 1968: The body of a teenage girl is found just steps away from the Beatles' Abbey Road recording studio.

The police are called to a residential street in St John's Wood where an unidentified young woman has been strangled. Detective Sergeant Cathal Breen believes she may be one of the many Beatles fans who regularly camp outside Abbey Road Studios. With his reputation tarnished by an inexplicable act of cowardice, this is Breen's last chance to prove he's up to the job.

Breen is of the generation for whom reaching adulthood meant turning into one's parents and accepting one's place in the world. But the world around him is changing beyond recognition. Nothing illustrates the shift more than Helen Tozer, a brazen and rambunctious young policewoman assisting him with the case. Together they navigate a world on edge, where conservative tradition gives way to frightening new freedoms - and troubling new crimes.

Critic Reviews:

"A first-rate police thriller set amidst the seamy underside of the swinging sixties; a young girl's murder on a bleak housing estate near the Beatles' recording studio leads an intrepid police duo into a world of inter-generational quarrels, racial tensions, and arms dealing. The totemic year of '68 will never seem the same again." - CJ Sansom, author of the nationally bestselling Matthew Shardlake series and

Members Reviews:

refreshing period Brit police procedural

Not saccharine-cozy, certainly not hard-boiled, this includes a decent mystery with humour and nice late 60s period touch. What the author gets refreshingly right is that overused "younger eager investigator --- older senior officer" relationship. The Beatles background is just a small part of the period setting; more prominent are the changing gender roles, sexual mores (nothing explicit though), and race/ethnic group relations. And it was better written than most of its kind. The Whispersync price was a great bargain when I purchased. I hope there are more "Tozer and Breen" books on the way - I could have tried a series binge, based on this one.

Probably a great one to read! Narration lacking...

This is a tough one to review. The story was really good, smart and funny, but as they say about humor, timing is everything. I get the feeling Cameron Stewart's timing and voices, especially of women, were so off and over the top i found myself cringing whenever he used them. If id read it myself i have no doubt this would get better marks.

It has everything to be a great police procedural. A likable though flawed, and smart detective. Great synergy between the police team. Good contrast between good and sloppy police work. Sharp wit and humor.

In the end i dont think its a waste of time or money. Its very likely to be a 4-5 star listen for most people.

Hapless detective

** spoiler alert ** I wanted to like this story, but I have never read a more haplessly rendered detective character. Set In the 1960s in London, with the Beatles as background, there isn't a single person in this novel who doesn't bully and push around the main character. It becomes increasingly difficult to believe that he is a smart, capable policeman. I know the book is set in a time when racism and sexism was common, but the casual use of racist terms and sexist comments made me queasy.