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Friday, 20 March 2026

A brilliant audiobook with first class narration - 5 star

There can be no doubt that the increase in listening to, and the availability of audiobooks has been helped greatly by the quality of the narration. It is the job of the narrator(s) to create a believable scenario and by the use of sound and words convey the listener to another dimension…..The trial of Doctor Crippen is the start of a number of audiobooks bringing to life the excitement, anticipation and horror that is the life and eventual death of the said doctor. This was an amazing experience, I was transported to the Old Bailey of 1910 and I felt privileged to be a spectator as the story unfolded. Crippen was accused of the murder of his American wife Cora Crippen (stage name Belle Elmore)  , described by some as an overbearing and dominant woman . The couple moved to London in 1900 and she was last seen alive Jan 31st 1910. She was reported missing after Doctor Crippen reported she had returned to the US and later died. The good doctor was arrested aboard the SS Montrose as it approached Quebec Canada…Crippen was fleeing with his lover, Ethel Le Neve, who was disguised as his son.

A truly brilliant audiobook, expertly narrated, a trial brought to life inside my head and with nervous tension, I waited for the outcome of the jury….surely they could not get it wrong? Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the privilege of an early hearing…simply wonderful :)


Thursday, 12 March 2026

A superb audiobook highly recommended - 5 star

The state of Alabama views abortion as a crime punishable by up to 99 years in prison. The resident judge in Union City Alabama is Mary Stone who is about to preside over one of the most controversial cases in the city's history. A well regarded and respected doctor Dr. Bria Gaines has performed an illegal abortion on a 13 year old rape victim. The forth coming trial will divide the community like no other as pro and anti abortion supporters stand ready to fight for their beliefs. In addition Judge Stone has to fight to retain the family farm that she runs and treats as a sacred responsibility along side her court duties. With a wonderful narration by Viola Davis this legal thriller is one of the very best and highly recommended.

Monday, 19 January 2026

Utterly Brilliant! - 5 star

A number of contract killings have taken place throughout Scotland as well as the assassination of a well known author in York, possibly by Islamic extremists. DS Max Craigie works for the Policing Standards Reassurance (PSR) team within Police Scotland. This unit is a small, specialized team, Series & Organised Crime (SOC) Max and his colleague DC Janie Calder are based at Police Scotland's corporate headquarters at Tulliallan, Fife. They operate under the radar, often reporting directly to the Chief Constable to investigate the most serious crimes, particularly those involving police corruption. 


This is a complex case with numerous threads connecting local Drug gangs with mysterious assassins and Russian Kingpins with interesting names such as The Cashier and the wonderfully strange “X” The audiobook is brilliantly narrated by Angus King. I believe that the success of an audiobook is due in no small way to the ability of the narrator to bring alive not only the story, but the characters, and to do this he must be quite expert at language and dialect. Angus King’s narration is so accomplished, the story he tells just comes alive in my head, creating such drama and excitement.


This is the first book I have read (listened to) by Neil Lancaster, and am totally in awe of his storytelling ability. The reason he can write such vivid accomplished books is because he has lived that life first as a military policeman, and then a detective with the Met where he investigated the most serious of crimes in the capital and beyond. This involved specialist covert work using any means he could to gain information and evidence from and against murderers, human traffickers and drug dealers. So the books that Neil Lancaster writes reflect a life he knew so well, and oh my goodness what intense, fearful, exciting stories they are………

This is now my No 1 crime author and I heartily recommend this book, so if you are a crime fan you must read. Accomplished, marvellous, wonderful, it will stay with you for many days as will his dark humour!