Discover the New Releases Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary

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Title: The Brief History of the Dead

Author: Kevin Brockmeier

Narrator: Richard Poe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-14-06

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 238 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Brilliant in concept and execution, The Brief History of the Dead is a spectacular achievement that lingers in the mind long after the final word.

Critic Reviews:

"Beautiful, delicate." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Not for everyone...

I can't exactly classify this book for anyone, as it isn't classifiable. It's not sci/fi, it's not really dramatic, it's.. well it just is. it's sort of a slice of life & death.

Don't expect this to be a thrill ride, but if you let it in, this book will have an ongoing place in your memory; little things will suddenly pop into your head, little details you might not of picked up, but all the sudden their they are.

I really enjoyed this book, but as I said its not for everyone. The narration is some of the best I've ever listened to.

Just OK

First off, I love the narrator's voice. Second, I think there's a lot of story potential and the plot idea is clever. However, I kept waiting for something more substantial to occur. It never happened and the ending was a bit of a disappointment.

Deserved a better ending

This book was intriguing and had me thoroughly absorbed in it right up until the very unsatisfying ending. If it could even be said to have one. Still worth the read, as long as you are not waiting with baited breath to see how it all ends.

Where was his editor?

What an interesting concept! What a weak result!

Your questions about the characters and the afterworld(s) are never answered. Loose ends are never tied up. Huge sections are tedious meditations or pointless reminisceses.

Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.

Deathly slow book

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Barely a professional novel, this moves at the pace of a snail crossing a sticky floor. Despite much of the novel being a one character show, there's barely any character development. It's hard to even figure out how the author uses all those time-consuming words while accomplishing so little with them. In theory I love the idea of the novel, but wake me up when it's over.

Would you ever listen to anything by Kevin Brockmeier again?

No.

What does Richard Poe bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Richard Poe is actually a really good reader. You couldn't completely tell it from this, but I've heard him read books before and he was one of the things that recommended this purchase to me. His voice has a lot of gravitas and feeling to it. Everything he reads sounds smarter because he read it, which suggests how braindead this book must actually be.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Anger that I wasted the time. Sadness that I spent the money.

Any additional comments?

Stay away.

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Title: Norwegian Wood

Author: Haruki Murakami

Narrator: John Chancer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-10-06

Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 266 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Toru Watanabe, approaching middle age, hears The Beatles song "Norwegian Wood" in an airplane and, with Proustian vividness, it transports him back to his student days in Japan with Naoko, Midori, and Storm Trooper.

©1987 Haruki Murakami; (P)2005 Naxos Audiobooks

Critic Reviews:

"Murakami tells a subtle, charming, profound, and very sexy story of young love bound for tragedy." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Wistful, magical, poetic, touching

Like all of Murakimi's works this is a book you never want to put down. It's not so much the story itself, which is as wonderful and unexpected as always, but the pleasure of spending time in Murakami's world and being able to see through his eyes. He has an almost magical ability to make anything he describes fascinating, touching and deeply enlightening.

My only minor quibble was that although the reader was perfectly good the book would have deserved much better narration, with clearer dramatic personification of the individual characters. This really isn't a criticism of this reader, I've just been spoiled recently by truly superlative readers like Simon Prebble.

Great for the long drives

Would you listen to Norwegian Wood again? Why?

Just a very well written (spoken!) book. Easy to get into, has subtle depth and has a story and premise that I think everyone can relate to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Norwegian Wood?

The relationship analysis that the main character describes and his whole journey. Almost like Catcher in the Rye.

Have you listened to any of John Chancers other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have never listened to John Chancer before but his voice acting made this thoroughly enjoyable, especially the voice of Midori.

If you could take any character from Norwegian Wood out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Midori, she's so fun and spontaneous!

Any additional comments?

The funny thing is a lot of financially successful people I know loath this book and think it's a waste of time, I guess this book is for the dreamers out there.

Wonderful book.

I saw the movie version last weekend and really liked it. Discussed it a lot with my regular cinema buddy. But I'm really glad I bought this audiobook. It's so much deeper. And what a great description of the late 60's in Japan.

And the way the protagonist uses senses to evoke memories, just amazing!

It's deeply felt, but not too sentimental.

I know I'm gushing, but this book really touched me.

Loved how each chapter had a musical interlude.

Highly recommended.

narration is too far from satisfaction

Even the pronunciation of protagonist's name is wrong. I doubt if the narrator really understands the text.

Terrific

I have to write something about this book. I love this book. I read it in Chinese 20 years ago and Japanese 10 years ago, and now I heard through the wonderful English version. The narrator's voice is so soothing. Each scene arise so vividly. Can't ask for more.

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Title: Ordinary Heroes

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Scott Turow

Narrator: Edward Herrmann

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-03-05

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 890 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

As he pieces together his father's past through military archives, letters, and, finally, notes from a memoir his father wrote while in prison, secretly preserved by the officer who defended him, Stewart starts to assemble a dramatic and baffling chain of events. He learns how Dubin, a JAG lawyer attached to Patton's Third Army and desperate for combat experience, got more than he bargained for when he was ordered to arrest Robert Martin, a wayward OSS officer who, despite his spectacular bravery with the French Resistance, appeared to be acting on orders other than his commanders'. In pursuit of Martin, Dubin and his sergeant are parachuted into Bastogne just as the Battle of the Bulge reaches its apex. Pressed into the leadership of a desperately depleted rifle company, the men are forced to abandon their quest for Martin and his fiery, maddeningly elusive comrade, Gita, as they fight for their lives through carnage and chaos the likes of which Dubin could never have imagined.

In reconstructing the terrible events and agonizing choices his father faced on the battlefield, in the courtroom, and in love, Stewart gains a closer understanding of his past, of his father's character, and of the brutal nature of war itself.

Critic Reviews:

"[Turow has] set new standards for the genre, most notably in the depth and subtlety of his characterizations...the kind of reading pleasure that only the best novelists, genre or otherwise, can provide." (The New York Times)

"Turow makes the leap from courtroom to battlefield effortlessly." (Publishers Weekly)

"No one writes better mystery suspense novels than Scott Turow." (Los Angeles Times)

"Scott Turow not only knows what his readers want, he delivers just about perfectly...Turow is the closest we have to a Balzac of the fin de siecle professional class." (Chicago Tribune)

Members Reviews:

Great book, even better performance

Loved the book and loved the performance. I actually chose this book not because it was a Turow work, but because Edward Herrmann is my favorite reader and I thought it?d be a real pleasure to listen to his treatment of a novel. His nuanced performance of this work is typically flawless. I was frankly leery of a Turow book, having never been able to really get started with Laws of Our Fathers, which was disappointing after having loved Personal Injuries. This novel was a wonderful surprise. Though at first glance one might think it's just another war serial, Ordinary Heroes looks at the basics of human existence in a very unique way. I very much liked the dual first person narratives...quite inventive. It?s a great device that allows the author a very ?readable? vehicle for his take on how our own experiences shape our lives in often unexpected ways, as well as the lives of those far removed from the immediate events we?re living through. I suspect that I would not have enjoyed this book nearly as much had I tried to read it. The richness imparted to the work by having Herrmann bring the characters and scenes to life is not to be missed.

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Title: The Scarlet Letter

Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Narrator: Elizabeth McGovern

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-23-05

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Set in the Puritanical society of 17th-century Boston, this novel tells the story of Hester Prynne, a married woman who has an affair and gives birth to a daughter. Hester refuses to name her lover, but when her estranged husband appears unexpectedly, he determines to discover the man's identity.

© Nathaniel Hawthorne; (P)1996 Harper Collins UK

Members Reviews:

Long on "Tell", Short on "Show"

Nathaniel Hawthorne's gift for style is indefatigable. Throughout the novel, his command of language delivers masterful prose dense with descriptive power.

And therein lies his great weakness. He has a genius for mining the meaning from every action, every movement, indeed, every word of dialogue, but in his exegetical fervor he neglects to simply describe what is happening. What little description he provides is overshadowed by the towering commentary surrounding it.

Perhaps that is why the Puritans are held in such a dismal light in this novel: aside from their intolerance serving as a plot device, they were known for their exegetical prowess, and Hawthorne simply detested in others what was never fully realized within himself. (This speculation serves only to amuse myself.)

Nevertheless, this novel ought to be mandatory reading for all Americans and all students of American culture. Readers and writers alike will only come away from it aesthectically edified and intellectually enhanced.

Good story. Not so good book.

I liked the story very much. It was a good story and my enjoyment of it was much more than I expected to get out of it.

The writing bothered me though. It was a "tell, don't show" book instead of the usual "show don't tell". The characters would have been much more interesting if we actually got to see the experiences that we were told about or if we were shown an actual conversation instead of the majority of conversions just being relayed via the narrator.

Captivating read

It is a classic for a reason...the story is spell-bounding and, once you start it, you won't want to put it down if you're a reader like me? The sacrifices this woman made for her daughter were of the nature only a loving and sorrowful Mother could be capable of. Highly reccomended

slow at first, the author is telling of his own world experience

Not necessarily a religious story, but one filled with humanity. The young fly into life. This story helps illumine the sometimes treacherous path testing each human heart. Therefore, it is worth pausing and listening to the silence that tells of more than surface, but fills the true space of life that requires living truly. Hester is truly a heroine of our times. She never denies the worst in herself as if to conceal...but plainly communicates who she is always in unvarnished clarity for the service of anyone, but especially pearl. Her strength in the worst is to be highly lauded. Very moving written 250 years ago.

A good peek into the Puritans of the day.

Overall, it was quite a good book. It reflected the Puritan ways of the time and the guilt people carried with them as a result.

It also, unfortunately, carried the flowery language of the day when it was written, so that lost a point from me. I considered giving it a 3, but then realised that the writing is very good, even if it's not the style I prefer (I like plot and action).

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Title: The Master

Author: Colm Toibin

Narrator: Geoffrey Howard

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-24-04

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 285 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In stunningly resonant prose, Toibin captures the loneliness and longing, the hope and despair of a man who never married, never resolved his sexual identity, and whose forays into intimacy inevitably failed him and those he tried to love. The emotional intensity of Toibin 's portrait of James is riveting. Time and again, James, a master of psychological subtlety in his fiction, proves blind to his own heart.

Toibin is a "great and humanizing writer" who describes complex relationships in "supple, beautifully modulated prose" (Washington Post Book World). In The Master, he has written his most ambitious novel, an extraordinarily inventive encounter with a character at the cusp of the modern age, elusive to his own friends and even family, yet astonishingly vivid and moving in these pages.

Critic Reviews:

"Perhaps the books greatest achievementone of manyis the gentle understatement it employs to connect James personal uncertainties at mid-career to a broader shift in the literary current at the turn of the century. The storys greater energy lies in the linkage that Tóibín forges among Jamess emotional and physical exile, the subjects of his novels, and certain key episodes in his past." (Boston Globe)

"The subtlety and empathy with which Toibin inhabits James's psyche and captures the fleeting emotional nuances of his world are beyond praise, and even the echoes of the master's style ring true." (Publishers Weekly)

"Even the reader who knows little about Henry James or his work can enjoy this marvelously intelligent and engaging novel, which presents not on a silver platter but in tender, opened hands a beautifully nuanced psychological portrait." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Perfect

I'm not normally a biography reader and didn't know much about Henry James before reading this, so it's hard to say really why I ordered "The Master." But I am so glad I did.

My interest in James arose while listening to "Reading Lolita in Tehran." James was one of the authors the Iranian women studied. I thought, here I am, able to read anything I want, and I don?t know anything about this writer that these people risked arrest to read.

And, what a wonderful book. Toibin is himself "The Master," his manner and style of writing are superb. This is what people really mean when they say someone "has a way with words."

For much of his life, Henry James lived as an American expatriate in England and Italy. The life and times of those countries are as much of James's story as the man himself. Toibin sketches the locales and cultures so vividly that I could see the garden outside the window of the house in the English countryside where James finally settled.

For anyone whose only experience with James was "Portrait of a Lady" in tenth grade, you owe it to yourself to learn something about this American legend.

Narration by Geoffrey Howard is excellent, the perfect voice for this perfect story.

astounding

A book about Henry James in sort of the style of Henry James, the same reticence and provocative hinting, the same restrained but intense examination of every word, every thought and mood. I'm a Henry James fan and thought I'd get mad at somebody who presumed to embellish and explain the life of a real person. I usually get annoyed by such hubris. But in this case I just can't.

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Title: Nights of the Rain and Stars

Author: Maeve Binchy

Narrator: Terry Donnelly

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-29-04

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 147 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Here is the story of old Andreas, the gentle taverna owner who has spent many years regretting the argument that drove his only son to America; Elsa, the beautiful German reporter who gave up her television career and the man she loves once she learned the secret he hid from her; and Fiona, the Irish nurse and dutiful daughter, who's gone off to travel with the man everyone says is wrong for her, determined to show them all, even if everyone is right. This is also the story of David, the only son who loves his family but not the family business; Thomas, the Californian who is able to cope with his recent divorce but not with sharing his son with his wife's new husband; and Vonni, who rashly left behind her life in Ireland to follow her true love to this village 30 years ago, and who is wise for everyone but herself.

A story that only Maeve Binchy could tell, told with the authenticity, charm, and grace that are her trademark, Nights of Rain and Stars will be rightly cherished by her millions of fans around the world.

Critic Reviews:

"Binchy excels in the art of the character-driven plot....Redolent of the life-affirming enthusiasm that is Greek village life, Binchy's newest is a rich homage to meaningful relationships." (Booklist)

"Binchy again proves herself a master storyteller....A great read." (USA Today)

Members Reviews:

I did not want it to end!

Maeve Binchy creates characters that seem so real that you just expect the book to continue on as their lives continue on. I was depressed when it ended...And I could not keep learning about these wonderful people and their lives. I think that this production was also well done. I enjoyed the accent of the reader...but then I have listened to many Binchy books before. Listen to this book...you will not regret it!

A disappointment

I normally like Maeve Binchy's novels but this was a disappointment. One of Ms. Binchy's strengths are the characters but unfortunately in this story, too many--though not all--of the characters were contrived. There were exceptions; the characters of Vonnie and Andreas felt authentic and multi-dimensional. The narrator was also a disappointment. Having listened to Terry Donnelly previously, I was surprised by the flatness of the dialogue.

Like a Mini-Series

We listened to this while driving cross country. It was a bit like watching a mini-series. The main plot is on track with several little side plots to enhance the story. The wife and I both enjoyed the story, and wished it would have wrapped up to a bit cleaner of a conclusion. Nonetheless, it was entertaining and a bit "real".

Binchy's usual heartwarming characters

For fans of Binchy's stories of people who come to know and enjoy each other, this will not disappoint, and it is in an exotic Greek setting, unusual for her. The diverse cast of characters grow and change, in a way that warms the heart. There is a big downside, however, in the reader. The narration is affected and tired sounding, with bad accents, to the point where it's very hard to listen to.

I wish I was in Greece with this group

I loved this book - I did not want it to end. I felt like I was with them on this trip. The story teller had me wanting more. I was very sad that is book ended

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Title: The Tortilla Curtain

Author: T. Coraghessan Boyle

Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-12-04

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 179 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

PEN-Faulkner Award-winning author T. Coraghessan Boyle weaves together the stories of two families in Southern California: one affluent, the other destitute. As Boyle creates a counterpoint of personal needs, civic responsibility, and social custom, each family's quest for the American Dream fuels deep fear and anger that ultimately lead to a perilous confrontation.

©1995 T. Coraghessan Boyle; (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic Reviews:

"This highly engaging story subtly plays on our consciences, forcing us to form, confirm, or dispute social, political, and moral viewpoints. This is a profound and tragic tale, one that exposes not only a failed American Dream, but a failing America." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

The Tortilla Curtain

A book that challenges social conscience.

An illegal immigrant and his young pregnant wife strive to survive while staying invisible in a wealthy southern California. They interact with other immigrants, unscrupulous and sometimes predatory employers, the authorities, and the wealthy citizens of the area. We see how one of these citizens, who at the onset is a supporter of America as being a land of opportunity for all, by the end sees the squatters as the cause of problems complicating his family's life and damaging the ecology of their land. Its possible to sympathize with both sides and realize there is not a simple answer..

Excellent!

A tortured and passionate story of illegal immigrants and California natives, fear and naivete, hope and hate. This could have been written at any time in the past fifty years, and would be as relevant as it was when it was published. The characters are rich and I felt for them with every turn of the story. Despite the series of misfortunes that befall the characters, the author manages to end the book on a hopeful note, which made me smile. This is a great listen for all ages.

The Dark Reality of Illegal Immigration

This book has Stayed with me many months after listening to it. The characters are real people for me. Their trials and adventures are real. I was born and raised in the area where this book is set. Although it is a work of fiction, every detail is vividly correct. The environment is one of the characters. I know this setting and now I know the inner lives of the people in this book. I do not look at day workers or the ongoing debates about immigration the same way since listening to The Tortilla Curtain. This is a fascinating and beautifully crafted story and a major commentary on an ongoing problem. I highly recommend this book for pleasure and for enlightenment..

really drags

Learning how the immigrants survive is interesting. But as an audiobook this really drags. I prefer unabridged audiobooks but abridgement is needed to make this book tolerable. The social theme of contrast between comfortable life of residents vs desperate life of the immigrants is hammered way, way beyond what is needed. We get it already, let the events speak for themselves. The internal dialog of the characters is tedious. Also, there are too many descriptions, many of which are not at all of interest. Avoid this audiobook.

So hard to listen to

Nothing but sadness and adversity. I kept waiting for them to overcome. For there to be a noble character for there to be some triumph and it never, ever comes.

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Title: Sunny Chandler's Return

Author: Sandra Brown

Narrator: Beth McDonald

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 12-24-03

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 104 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The moment Ty and Sunny first meet at a party, he can see she's no ordinary woman. With her dazzling hair, and eyes the color of gold, she's a flesh-and-blood fantasy, and Ty vows he'll have her in his bed before the week is out. Yet even when he turns on his southern charm, Sunny makes it clear she's not interested. Sure, a night with Ty would be wilder than Bourbon Street at Mardi Gras. But Sunny's not in town to become some good ol' boy's latest conquest, no matter how sexy he is. Little does she know that Ty isn't used to taking no for an answer, and he isn't about to start now.

Soon what began as an innocent flirtation becomes a tantalizingly slow, skillfully deliberate, and overwhelmingly seductive pursuit that even Sunny finds hard to resist. But resist him she will. For Sunny is harboring an agonizing secret: the painful truth of why she left Latham Green the way she did. What she really needs now is a friend; and that's when she discovers there may be more to Ty Beaumont than meets the eye. Despite his roguish facade, Sunny comes to see he has a heart of gold. Still, she doesn't know if she can trust another person with her secret heartbreak, not even the one man who may be able to heal it.

Members Reviews:

Sunny chandler

I could not even finish this - even though I expected a romance type novel to be full of romance, it was so full of sexual harassment and little respect for women in the beginning parts I could not go further.

Funny!

This book was so funny to me. Lots of tension between the 2 leads and the banter between them kept me laughing.

There is romance, but it doesn't start right away. All in all, it was okay. I found it much more humerous!

Dated but good

This is an older novel but brings to life Sandra Brown's earlier work that helped make her my number one author. The narrator is a bit grating. She sounds older, unheroine-like. But I did really enjoy the book and am very glad I purchased it.

My Absolute Favorite

Love the author! Sandra has written several of my favorites. The narrator did a wonderful job with dialog. Just enough voice difference so you could tell the characters apart, but not too much where it was obvious and distracting. Perfection!

BORING

What disappointed you about Sunny Chandler's Return?

I love Sandra Brown, but I was bored to tears with the predictable story.

What was most disappointing about Sandra Browns story?

The HUGE secret that disgraced Sunny was to predictable to be believed.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Beth McDonald?

Her accents were horrible, but I don't know that anyone could have saved this story.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

Any additional comments?

Don't waste the credit.

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Title: Gossip Girl

Author: Cecily von Ziegesar

Narrator: Christina Ricci

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-24-03

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 83 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Introducing Gossip Girl, a wickedly funny and risqué original novel about the provocative lives of New York City's most prestigious private school young adults. Gossip Girl herself is an anonymous narrator with the ultimate insider scoop on the inner-workings of this privileged society because she's one of them. Sharp wit, intriguing characters, and high stakes melodrama drive the action of this addictive novel that will make Gossip Girl the lit world's new "it" girl.

When the beautiful Serena van der Woodsen returns to private school after mysteriously getting kicked out of boarding school, the whole school is talking. All Blair Waldorf knows is that there's no freaking way Serena's going to just waltz back in with her Jimmy Choo mules and Kate Spade bag and steal everyone's heart again. But Serena's got other things on her mind, like college pressure and living up to everyone else's extreme expectations. Plus there's that Ryan Phillippe-looking guy who stands across the street and stares at her all the time.

Critic Reviews:

"A superficial, nasty, guilty pleasure." (Publishers Weekly)

"Sex and the City for the younger set." (Teen People)

Members Reviews:

XOXO New York City, Gossip Girl's Here

What made the experience of listening to Gossip Girl the most enjoyable?

Well, I really like how the narration gives its readers a literal voice. Gossip Girl is one of my favorite series and I've enjoyed the experiences with Blair Waldorf and Serena Van Der Woodsen's friendship. Honestly, Although Gossip Girl was a more noisy stalker, she actually resolved a lot of issues between these characters.

What did you like best about this story?

Oh, that's easy. I really loved how Serena Van Der Woodsen had this innocent girl persona while her reckless actions caught her in situations she couldn't escape on her own. She was just like everyone else, she needed to learn from her mistakes and that's exactly what she accomplished in my point of view.

What about Christina Riccis performance did you like?

I think Christina Ricci's performance was epic and gave life to the world of Gossip Girl.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Of course. I was about two years old when the book originally came out. Now that I'm much older, I can relate to these fantastic characters. I couldn't stop listening!

Any additional comments?

Read the Gossip Girl series it's amazing. Also, check out the CW show based on the series!

Amazing!

I love gossip girl and Christina Ricci! What a great combo! The story is written brilliantly and entices readers with more and more drama about the fast paced, and scandalous lives of Manhattans elite. :)

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Title: Haunted Ground

Author: Erin Hart

Narrator: Jennifer McMahon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 10-17-03

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 590 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

When farmers cutting turf in an Irish peat bog make a grisly discovery, the perfectly intact body of a young woman with long red hair, archaeologist Cormac O'Callaghan and pathologist Nora Gavin are thrown together by their shared scientific interest in human remains. Because of the preservative effect of the bog, it is difficult to tell whether the body has lain there for two decades, two centuries, or two millennia. As they dig into the mystery of the red-haired girl, they are drawn into the two-year-old disappearance of a landowner's wife and young son. The story delves through the many layers of Ireland's turbulent past, tracing the still-visible footprints of fortified tower houses and ancient burial mounds, ever mindful of the eternal, subliminal connections between past and present.

©2003 Erin M. Hart (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc. Published by Arrangement with Random House Audio Publishing Group, A Division of Random House, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"In every way, this is a debut to remember." (Booklist)

"In addition to a complex, multilayered plot that involves both contemporary and historical crimes, Hart's novel is rich in local color." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Archeology, Folklore and Mystery in Ireland

Overall a beautifully written story about Ireland and Irish history. This is a book that entwines mysteries from both past and present which in the end fit together fairly well. It uses archeology, forensics, history and local lore together nicely.

However, I can understand the negative reviews that others have written. To me this was related to the lack of a clear voice telling the story. Instead the book was written from a variety of perspectives and this slowed the flow of the story and made the book seem scattered. The disjointed threads at times did not fit together making it difficult to follow a clear path. This wasn't because there was too much information, but instead because there were a few spots where things became implausible. To me, these unbelievable parts distracted from what was an engaging interweaving of past and present in the story.

Recommended if you don't mind a slower story and are able to overlook a few far fetched bits.

Mysteries old and mysteries new

A beautiful weaving of past and present, Erin Hart leads you through several murders, one in present day Ireland and one in 1650's Ireland, and one unresolved one in Dr. Gavin's family. Examining all she shows how the past is so much a part of the present. The story is enhanced by the beautiful Irish lilt of narrator Jennifer McMahon, who is also up to the task of an American accent when needed. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the printed version half as much as as this version read by Ms. McMahon. I have recommended this audio book to my friends.

Wow! What a lot of fun!

Well-researched hybrid of historical fiction and murder mystery with a dash of Indiana Jones-style archeology thrown in. Characters are well-developed and interesting. A particular plus is the wonderful narration. This book is better experienced on audio than in text.

Wonderful story & wonderfully narrated

Would you consider the audio edition of Haunted Ground to be better than the print version?

Yes, yes, yes.