This blog post is Part 2 of my May 2020 Book Reviews you can read part 1 here. There were only two audio books completed this month, the third book I am still listening to, and it may be a while before I finish it. The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel is a mammoth 38 hours long and I'm not even half way through.
MAY AUDIO BOOKS
Missing You by Harlan CobenSynopsis
It's a profile, like all the others on the online dating site. But as NYPD Detective Kat Donovan focuses on the accompanying picture, she feels her whole world explode, as emotions she’s ignored for decades come crashing down on her. Staring back at her is her ex-fiancé Jeff, the man who shattered her heart—and who she hasn’t seen in 18 years.My ReviewHaving watched the Netflix series The stranger by Harlan Coben in April and thoroughly enjoying it, I was drawn towards Missing You when the audio book appeared as available to loan to on my library app. Set in New York, with a strong female police officer leading the story, there is the Italian mob from years gone by, and kidnappers to worry about. I found the story a little drawn out and think it would of benefited from being shorter.
Kat feels a spark, wondering if this might be the moment when past tragedies recede and a new world opens up to her. But when she reaches out to the man in the profile, her reawakened hope quickly darkens into suspicion and then terror as an unspeakable conspiracy comes to light, in which monsters prey upon the most vulnerable.
As the body count mounts and Kat's hope for a second chance with Jeff grows more and more elusive, she is consumed by an investigation that challenges her feelings about everyone she ever loved—her former fiancé, her mother, and even her father, whose cruel murder so long ago has never been fully explained. With lives on the line, including her own, Kat must venture deeper into the darkness than she ever has before, and discover if she has the strength to survive what she finds there.
It didn't quite meet my expectations, but it was a reasonable detective thriller. Plenty of twists along the way and some unusual characters, there were people that didn't appear to be who you thought they were. I'm I going to pick it up another one of Harlan Coben books, probably yes. A quick word about the narrator of the book, I didn't like some of the ways he flipped his voice and his accent doing nothing to capture the characters, they just didn't seem that genuine. Maybe I would of enjoyed the book more with a different narrator. 3 stars out of 5
You can purchase this book as audio, kindle or paperback from Amazon. By using my link to purchase I earn a small amount from the sale, which helps me to maintain my book review blog.
Mythos and other Greek myths by by Stephen FrySynopsis
The Greek myths are the greatest stories ever told, passed down through millennia and inspiring writers and artists as varied as Shakespeare, Michelangelo, James Joyce and Walt Disney.
They are embedded deeply in the traditions, tales and cultural DNA of the West. In Stephen Fry's hands the stories of the titans and gods become a brilliantly entertaining account of ribaldry and revelry, warfare and worship, debauchery, love affairs and life lessons, slayings and suicides, triumphs and tragedies.
You'll fall in love with Zeus, marvel at the birth of Athena, wince at Cronus and Gaia's revenge on Ouranos, weep with King Midas and hunt with the beautiful and ferocious Artemis.
My ReviewThis popped up in the available audio books to lend on my library app. I was tempted because it was a Stephen Fry book, of which I have not read any, and mostly because he was narrating it.
It is a big book, 15 hours long. I don't think I'd realised just how much I would enjoy this book, learning about the Greek gods people the tales behind them including the mortals in the stories. It was just so fascinating at times. Then there's the link from the stories and characters of the gods to modern day use of English language and tales.
So whilst this book was long it totally benefited from being narrated by Stephen Fry, who has a way of capturing a listener and almost hypnotising them. Even if he narrated a car manual the reader couldn't help but be drawn by his magic in telling the words.
This book will have certainly have me seeking out the next book in the series Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures, think Jason searching out his Golden Fleece, and the third book Troy: The Siege of Troy Retold is due for publication later in 2020.
4 out of 5 Stars
This book can be purchased from amazon. By using my link to purchase I earn a small amount from the sale, which helps me to maintain my book review blog.
Look out for my review of Hilary Mantels The Mirror and the Light audio soon, that is if I ever make it to the end. You can find out more about the library app mentioned in my audio book reviews here in my blog post Library Audio Books using the Libby App.
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