Thursday, 28 April 2016

Written by: Richard Storry
Narrated by: Jake Urry
Length: 4 hrs and 13 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:16/03/2016
Publisher: Richard Alan Storry
5 STARS

Publishers Summary
Set in a sprawling gothic mansion in a remote coastal location, somewhere in the British Isles, the elderly recluse Lord Alfred Willoughby is deciding what is to become of his vast fortune after his death. Whilst his head is telling him to leave nothing at all to his wastrel son, Matthew, his heart is speaking differently. After much deliberation, in a last-ditch attempt to try and show to his son the importance of applying himself to a task and staying with it to the end, he devises a series of enigmatic puzzles cunningly concealed within the lines of a poem - the cryptic lines. If he completes the task successfully and solves the puzzles he will inherit the entire estate; but if he fails he will receive nothing. However, from Lord Alfred's will it emerges that Matthew is not the only interested party. The mysterious old house holds many secrets, and nothing is as it first appears....
©2015 Richard Alan Storry (P)2016 Richard Alan Storry
My Review
This is a truly enjoyable story that enthralled me from the very beginning, I just had to listen from beginning to end. The plot is unlike most of the mysteries I read or listen to in that it's not about murder. It's about a most unusual treasure hunt, the clues are provided from beyond the grave, albeit via a reel of film.
The setting is an old mansion that wouldn't be out of place in a horror story, full of hidden secrets. There is a faithful butler to attend their every need and a cook who prepares for them meals fit for the fussiest gourmet.
The clues they must solve are very cryptic, and the attempts to solve them lead along a convoluted route to some very eerie locations. The story has the feel of an Agatha Christie play and I realised I had no idea of the time period in which the story was set, though I might have missed that bit. The ending is both unexpected and satisfying, I felt I had just listened to a rather wonderful play on the wireless. I highly recommend this intriguing tale.
Narrator
Narrated by Jake Urry, and what a wonderful job he made of it, his voice conveyed an ominous significance to the words which was just perfect for this book. He maintains a good rhythmn and his voice has a pleasing cadence which helps bring life to story. I had no trouble differentiating between the characters because he bestowed them with distinct voices, he has also mastered the art of conveying the age appropriate voices. Jake also passed my "old lady voice" test, many of us listeners get tired of any female character over 60 being given a high pitched, weak and quavery voice. Darned good job Jake, I'm sure you will do exceedingly well in the audiobook narration business.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator or publisher in return for an honest review

Friday, 16 January 2015

Coming Home for Christmas

Author Jenny Hale

Narrator Teri Schnaubelt

Length 8 hours 45 minutes

Unabridged, Audiobook

Published by Bookcouture, released 16/12/14

Audible.com

Publishers' Summary

Coming Home for Christmas is a beautifully observed story about the importance of family, the magic of Christmas, and falling in love one snowflake at a time.

Fans of Trisha Ashley, Susan Wiggs, Carole Matthews and Susan Mallery - and anyone who loves the sound of carols and the twinkling of lights on the Christmas tree - will adore Jenny Hale's feel-good debut.

Christmas is a time for family... isn't it?

Allie Richfield loves Christmas, so when she lands a job as House Manager for the amazing Ashford Estate - which includes organizing the Marley family festivities - she is in her element. With a budget bigger than her life savings and a team of staff, how hard can it be?

As one-by-one she meets the Marleys, she’s about to find out...

Allie’s new boss, Robert, might be gorgeous, but he’s also colder than the snow outside and refuses to come home for Christmas. Robert’s playboy brother, Kip, flirts with her relentlessly; and his sister, Sloane, arrives home with baggage - both the divorce-kind and the Louis Vuitton kind. Their ninety-two year old grandmother, Pippa, spends her day grumbling at them all from her mobility scooter.

With Robert intending to sell Ashford, it’s the Marley’s last chance to create some happy memories in their family home - and Allie is determined to make it happen... even if it takes a little Christmas magic! With the festive spirit in full swing, she might even discover a little happiness of her own...

My Review

Enjoyable up to a point, but I didn't really take to Allie, she is an ex nanny, with a degree in Early Education, but one who doesn't seem to be very bright.

Finding herself jobless and living back in her childhood home, after much thought (and the flip of a coin) she takes a job that her sister finds her, as a house manager.

The main characters are: Robert, the rich, reticent absentee home owner, who suffered psychological trauma in childhood. Robert is Allies' employer, he demands daily email contact with her. Kip; Kip is Roberts younger brother, indolent and charming, he knows how to play the ladies, including Allie. Grandma Pippa; she who once ruled the roost, now powerless, old and disabled, costs Robert a fortune to keep at home. Oh, and a sister, Sloane, who's kids come in handy for the plot.

Robert intrigues Allie, determined to evoke some sort of response from him, she tries to achieve this by shooting off a series of ever more ludicrous emails. Somehow, his odd responses causes her to believe she can heal him - or something - and during this process she falls deeply in love with him.

Meanwhile, whilst all this is going on, she encourages and maintains a highly flirtatious relationship with Kip. This is where my interest in the story evaporated completely, she allowed Kip to spend nights in her bed!! All the while being in love with another man! Just for kisses and cuddles you understand, followed by a good nights sleep? The shameless hussy! Unbelievable, (really) and very unlikely, or maybe our playboy was tuckered out. So it all went on .... And on.

Anyway ..........

Of course, there has to be a happy ever after ending, which, I admit was nice, unfortunately it took the creation of a series of ludicrous and tedious scenarios to achieve this.

Since writing this, I checked out a few Amazon reviews, seems I am greatly in the minority, it feels like they all read/listened to a different story to me.

Narrator

Teri Schnaubelt did a wonderful job, causing a tedious story to be more easily tolerated, she has a pleasant voice. Her excellent characterisations leave the listener in no doubt as to which character was holding forth. Who could ask for more? Her performance was tip top, I will certainly be interested in any work she puts her name to.

She is now one of my "TTB" narrators, that is one who can tip the balance in favour of an audiobook when I am undecided

This audiobook was gifted to me in return for this, my honest opinion.

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Audiobook and Book Reviews by Audiothing

The Cryptic Lines

Thursday, 28 April 2016

5 STARS

Publishers Summary

My Review

Narrator