Past Caring

By: Robert Goddard

Narrated by: Paul Shelley

Length: 19 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Why should distinguished Edwardian Cabinet minister Edwin Straford resign at the height of his career? Why does the woman he loves so suddenly reject him? Why, 70 years later, should people go to such lengths to prevent the truth coming out?

©2008 Robert Goddard (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Written in clear, resonant prose, Goddard's first novel, nominated for the Booker prize, is a poised telling of a complex tale....In one sense a historical thriller, and in another a romantic novel of a love affair gone disastrously wrong, this is, in any case, a wonderful read." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Psychological drama and intricate plot will entice readers." ( Library Journal)

Wow

Really fantastic. I found this story to be quite engaging. It took a while to get going and I needed to take notes to keep track of everybody, but it was very very good. I did think that there were a few moments that stretched credulity, as in, "well, why doesn't he just tell her?" But, it certainly wasn't a deal breaker and was totally overshadowed by the expert craftsmanship oozing from every page. Thanks, Robert!

Read the Reviews, not the poor publisher's summary

I hesitated so long whether to get this book.. It had relatively few reviews despite being out for 2 years and the cover artwork and publisher's summary are bland. I eventually took the plunge and glad I did! I highly recommend it.
There are 2 main characters that contribute to telling the story. A man about 30 in early 1970's is hired to find out what happened to a man who was an English Cabinet Minister (at about 1930, if I remember correctly). That sounds kind of boring, but there is quite a robust plot with a couple of unexpected revelations and some duplicitous characters. Even though there are 2 stories with a fair amt of characters, the book is not overly complex to be thoroughly entertaining. Narrator was good, not great, but I would listen to other books narrated by him. I will look for more from this author.

More like this, please!

Where does Past Caring rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 5 books both for story and narration

What did you like best about this story?

The author gives you enough hints to figure out what is going before the protagonist does BUT you never really know what is going to happen next.

Which character – as performed by Paul Shelley – was your favorite?

I liked the fact that Paul Shelley wasn't "performing" but just reading the story in a captivating but calm voice that let the story and all the characters shine through. The novel was the star, not Paul Shelley, and that is the mark of a great narrator for me.

Who was the most memorable character of Past Caring and why?

Elizabeth, Edwin, and Martin. They were the key characters that made the story real and compelling.

Any additional comments?

I loved this book. Aside from Dying To Tell, it is my favorite Robert Goddard novel. Paul Shelley is a great reader too! Please give him more narration work! I would listen to a book for his narration.

A lovely relaxing read

Where does Past Caring rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Past Caring is a good book with an interesting plot and well woven characters. I enjoyed it !

An old favorite, beautifully read

I read this book back in the 80’s when it first came out. It set me off to read all of Robert Goddard’s other books. I was concerned that if I listened to it now it would loose some of its luster in my memory. It did not. I’m so happy that Mr Shelley did the reading. It was perfect! On a side note: A year after I first read Past Caring, I had such a craving to read something else by this author. I couldn’t remember his name, just the title. I went to the bookstore and searched for Past Caring so that I could make the connection and find another book by this author. I searched every section, and read the back of countless books. Disappointed, I chose a book that looked like it would satisfy my yearning. It was winter, and while sitting in my car warming the engine, I took out my new book to thumb through it. Inside the front I read, Past Caring by Robert Goddard. That remains my favorite serendipitous moment.

What a storyteller!

One of the best moments in Audiobook listening is trying out a new author and feeling you've struck gold, that you'll want to 'mine' their other books before you're done. Robert Goddard was completely new to me and I don't remember how I chose to put this book in my wishlist. But he's a terrific writer and I will definitely read more. I would call his writing style 'leisurely', but it never drags. The plot twists are amazing, but they are consistent with what we know of the characters and life in general. The plot twists are startling, yet plausible at the same time, making it a very good story. It's the kind of book you want to keep listening to for hours, ignoring everything else, including sleep. The narrator was top notch and I would choose him again.

Goddard is a Special Writer

This is one of those rare books that will make you wish you haven't read / listened to it just so the pleasure of it would still be in your future. Goddard's prose is highly eloquent. His use of language is simply stunning. The characters have the right amount of depth and complexity while still being possible to relate to them. The story is not very high octane, but it is very gripping. A nearly perfect book in many respects.

Great Characters Coupled with Excellent Narration

What a great find. Highly recommend to anyone. The story is well thought out and crafted to keep you wanting more. The narration was excellent and complemented the story line and characters. I wish Goddard had more books of this length as options at Audible. This is one of the few books I have listened to that has little to no filler. A great balance of setting the scene, the environment, the characters and always emphasizing the intricate plot contained within the book. 6 stars if I could give it.

great storytelling and writing

What made the experience of listening to Past Caring the most enjoyable?

The complexity of the story and it was well read. Characters engaging as was the protagonistls

A high-quality, long-arc thriller

After this paragraph, spoilers abound, but right now you’re safe. If you’ve never read a Goddard novel, do it. His stories are long, complex and wholly satisfying if not entirely original. I read a lot of thrillers and mysteries, so quite often I can predict how a plot point is going to turn. The thing of it is, Goddard binds his readers to the story with this knowledge not by astounding you every five minutes with some fantastical twist. He doesn’t need smoke and mirrors to keep a reader going. He does it by knowing how to set tension, creating interesting characters that still have surprises up their sleeves and by helping you get ahead of the story and urging the protagonist to catch up. I’ve read his first novel (this one) and his latest (Long Time Coming) and both are equally good; quality, long-arc thrillers spiced with historical detail and real-life characters. I will definitely read more.

Spoilers set to kill.

While only my second Goddard novel, I’m not surprised at how he weaves his tales. This one is long and complex with lots of players, but I loved every minute of it. Edwin’s memoir is so tantalizing as a device and for itself and so was the search for the post-script. As soon as its existence was revealed I knew where it had to be hidden and silently urged Martin to think and could hardly bear his fumbling when I knew where it was all along! It takes a deft hand to tie a reader to the story so completely. The current trend seems to want to only do this with unknowable and unforeseeable twists in the story, but Goddard does it with knowledge, binding you to his protagonists through mutual desire for success.

From Martin’s dissipated self-interest to Eve’s two-faced game playing and Edwin’s ineffectual victimhood the story never felt slack or stale even though I could guess a lot of it. What else but a secret marriage would be Edwin’s undoing? What else could have been Martin’s undoing? Of course Eve was not as she seemed. Alex was on shaky ground to begin with. And of course Elizabeth would always be the long-suffering innocent. The only thing that threw me was Leo’s ultimate purpose. It seemed really strange to me that he’d take out his vitriol and long-distilled hatred on an innocent old woman who had nothing to do with his circumstances. Strange, but the way he morphed from kindly patron to vicious criminal mastermind was very well done. Sure he was a bit of a cliché and the whole gun incident set up the penultimate ending, with Martin’s reward at the end being the capper. Satisfying if not wholly original. I’ll definitely read more of Goddard in future.