Audiobook Review of The Sleeping Doll

Jeffrey Deaver's Novel is Full of Twists and Turns

Aug 16, 2008

This is a review of the audiobook version of The Sleeping Doll by Jeffrey Deaver. In true Jeffrey Deaver fashion the listener is taken on a journey full of plot twists.

Jeffrey Deaver is an excellent author for the audiobook format. His books are full of twists and turns, which keep the pace rolling along and make for an engaging listen.

The Book

The Sleeping Doll is one of Jeffrey Deaver's recent books and this translates well into the audiobook format. The main character of this book is Kathryn Dance who first appeared in a previous book, The Cold Moon. Kathryn Dance leads a man hunt for Daniel Pell, who is also known as the 'Son of Manson'. Her main expertise is the study of kinesics (body language) and the listener gets a fascinating insight into the meanings of subtle body inflections. Fans of Jeffrey Deaver will be pleased to note that Lincoln Rhyme fleetingly appears at one point in the book.

The Narration

The Sleeping Doll is narrated by Anne Twomey who is a skilled and experienced narrator. It seems appropriate for the book to be read by a female narrator given that Kathryn Dance is the lead character. Anne Twomey has a slightly understated style of narration, letting the plot lead the way. She does not resort to dramatic characterizations that can be excellent when they are done well or toe-curlingly cringe-worthy when they are done badly. Ann Twomey's reading of the book follows the pace and the twists and turns of the plot perfectly with the listener never feeling as though they're been hastened through parts of the book.

The Sleeping Doll certainly has its fair share of Deaver twists and turns and this keeps the listeners attention throughout the book. Occasionally a listener may find that they have to hit the 'back' button to replay some of the more complex twists – particularly those that are unexpected. This ability to rewind and replay, however, is one of the joys of audiobooks and often enhances the enjoyment of the book.

Conclusion

At over 15 hours this a long listen, however the pace is maintained throughout the book with it just slowing down at the end to give time for loose ends to be tidied. The Sleeping Doll would be an excellent book to take on a trip or to listen to on a long journey, however there is adult content and language making this unsuitable for young listeners.

About the Narrator

Anne Twomey is an actress and has narrated several well known audiobooks including novels by Dean Koontz and Nicholas Sparks.

Further Information

The copyright of the article Audiobook Review of The Sleeping Doll in Audiobooks/Ebooks is owned by Kate Pullen. Permission to republish Audiobook Review of The Sleeping Doll in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.