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Loading... Nora Roberts - The Witness & Whiskey Beach 2-in-1 Collectionby Nora Roberts
None No current Talk conversations about this book.  B.J.O. | Aug 20, 2016 |  no reviews | add a review
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Two Nora Roberts titles together for the first time in one collectionThe WitnessDaughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever. Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she works at home designing sophisticated security systems. Her own security is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town. The mystery of Abigail Lowery intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and a professional level. Her sharp, logical mind, her secretive nature, her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, even if he doesn't know what--and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed. Accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, Gleason is about to walk into the sights of very powerful and dangerous men. And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.Whiskey BeachFor more than three hundred years, Bluff House has sat above Whiskey Beach, guarding its shore--and its secrets. To summer tourists, it's the crown jewel of the town's stunning scenery. To the residents of Whiskey Beach, it's landmark and legend. To Eli Landon, it's home.... A Boston lawyer, Eli has weathered an intense year of public scrutiny and police investigation after being accused of murdering his soon-to-be ex-wife. And though there was never enough evidence to have him arrested, his reputation is in tatters as well as his soul. He needs sanctuary. He needs Bluff House. While Eli's beloved grandmother is in Boston, recuperating from a nasty fall, Abra Walsh has cared for Bluff House, among her other jobs as yoga instructor, jewelry maker, and massage therapist. She is a woman with an open heart and a wide embrace, and no one is safe from her special, some would say overbearing, brand of nurturing--including Eli. He begins to count on Abra for far more than her cooking, cleaning, and massage skills, and starts to feel less like a victim--and more like the kind of man who can finally solve the murder of his wife and clear his name. But Bluff House's many mysteries are a siren song to someone intent on destroying Eli and reaping the rewards. He and Abra will become entangled in a centuries-old net of rumors and half-truths that could pull them under the thunderous waters of Whiskey Beach.... Passion and obsession, humor and heart flow together in a novel about two people opening themselves up to the truth--and to each other. No library descriptions found. |
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Wikipedia in English
1
Who doesn't like a deal? Nora Roberts and romantic suspense lovers in general will be thrilled to find that Brilliance Audio has just made listening to some of Nora Robert's best selling romantic suspense titles even more economical to listen to by their recent release of Ms. Robert's The Witness & Whiskey Beach combo audio CD collection. Now for less than an Audible credit (just $12.11 presently on Amazon), you can get both of these stories which rank among Ms. Robert's most popular romances.
The Witness (Narration by Julia Whelan):
A super whiz teenager with FBI crime solving aspirations--but who was specifically conceived by her Type A+ mother to become a top-notch surgeon like her mother--is tired of having her mother micromanage every aspect of her life. Instead she longs to experience normal life, and thinks she's on the verge of doing that, when a long night of (and her first experience with) clubbing lead to her witnessing unspeakable things being committed by a mafia family. When her quick thinking allows her to escape, she does the right thing and seeks police protection. However, when the mafia's long reach becomes apparent, Elizabeth is left with no choice but to commence life on the run. But when you are running from the mafia, can you ever have any semblance of a normal life, much less a chance to find love?
One of the aspects that I loved the best of this story was Ms. Robert's development of the heroine's character. Creating a deeply complex and unimaginably clever heroine who suffers from somewhat of a "Rain Man" like socially awkward manner, Ms. Roberts had her work cut out for her for developing a credible romance. And yet, Ms. Roberts was able to carry off this aspect of this listen with expert flawlessness. Further adding to the entertainment factor of this listen was Ms. Robert's weaving of an intriguing suspense plot that kept me on my toes throughout. I really don't want to divulge more of the plot to you, for a large part of the enjoyment of this on the run from the mafia romance between a genius and the one man who finally earns her trust is best experienced going in with as much of a blank slate as possible.
Julia Whelan's performance is brilliant. Not only does Ms. Whelan nail the basic elements of a good narration: differentiated character voices, good timing, and well acted scenes; but Ms. Whelan actually becomes crucial to bringing this high suspense, action-filled romantic suspense to life. From her flawless characterization of the highly intelligent but socially awkward heroine who just says things that come to her mind without necessarily thinking through their effect on the recipient, to the various males (with completely different angles) in the story; Ms. Whelan portrays each character with meticulous attention to each one's individual traits as penned by Ms. Roberts.
All in all, I was glued to my earbuds throughout the entire narration of The Witness and I highly recommend this title to any romantic suspense lover who has not yet had the good fortune of listening to Ms. Whelan's engaging narration of it.
Whiskey Beach (Narration by Luke Daniels):
Narration by Luke Daniels
Lovers of romantic suspense titles with strong independent heroines are sure to enjoy Whiskey Beach. Combining an undeniable attraction, with a race against the clock to find a killer, Whiskey Beach will keep you on your toes.
Former lawyer, Eli Landon has had a life altering event. Needing a respite to recover some semblance of normal after his wife is murdered--and the cops begin to take a serious look at him as a potential suspect--Eli takes his grandmother's invitation to stay and take care of her historic home in Whiskey Beach, while she recovers from a mysterious fall.
However, the fall is not the only strange, mysterious thing that has happened in the historic home--someone has also been breaking into and digging in the basement. Fortunately for Eli, he has an ally who defends his viewpoint wholeheartedly. Her name is Abra Walsh, and Abra has suffered her own past heartbreaks. Having come to Whiskey Beach to also heal, Abra has become the jack of all new age trades. From massages and spiritual introspection to house cleaning, Abra attends to it all. And once Eli arrives on the scene, that includes her conviction and determination to prove him innocent.
Will this couple on a joint-mission find more than just the true villain? Even if love is in the cards will they be able to solve the mystery before one of them gets irrevocably hurt?
Luke Daniels delivers a talented narration in Whiskey Beach. Perfect to voice Eli's perspective, you can easily sit back and imagine you are listening to Eli tell his story. Mr. Daniels provides a higher pitched voice for Abra, which although I must admit was not my favorite, I think did adequate justice to her new age, high-spirited style. Additionally, Mr. Daniels adequately varies the pace of his delivery to provide maximum effect to this romantic suspense title.
All in all, Whiskey Beach is an entertaining romantic suspense title that will keep you guessing. My only observation was that I felt that the heroine was a little too quick to jump on the hero's side--it almost seemed like she never for one moment paused to think whether he could have committed the crimes himself. Nonetheless, Abra's resilient personality and determined spirit, did provide an interesting perspective as she navigated the treacherous waters set by the full-cast of secondary characters, and the suspense angle of this story was well developed for maximum sleuthing enjoyment.
Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review. (