Silent Thunder

By: Iris Johansen, Roy Johansen

Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Hannah Bryson is a marine architect who's been given a fascinating assignment. A Russian nuclear submarine called The Silent Thunder has been purchased by the United States for exhibition in a museum. Hannah must create a schematic of the sub to check for hazards and design seamless modifications to make it safe for the thousands of expected visitors.

Her brother, Connor, acting as her assistant, knows how much this work means to Hannah. But Connor discovers something on the sub: a mysterious message hidden behind one of the panels. And then, in a brutal assault on the sub, Connor is murdered and the chase is on for Hannah to find her brother's killer.

Soon she discovers that she's being used as bait. And what she doesn't even realize she knows could end her life as well.

©2008 Iris Johansen (P)2008 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Johansen's collaboration with her crime-novelist son imbues their saga with muscular characters and a brisk immediacy that keep it gripping and relevant." ( Booklist)
"Jennifer Van Dyke's classy performance enhances Iris and Roy Johansen's action-packed adventure." ( AudioFile)

A romance wrapped up like a suspense thriller

Since this is from Harlequin I shouldn't have been surprised that this is a love story. Starts out sounding more intellectual but the main character tends to get a bit annoying with her "what is wrong with me, why can't I think straight" stuff when you know it's all romance in hiding. It would have been better as either a straight out mystery or a straight out romance. Although the story was pretty good the two mixed together got in the way of really enjoying the novel. I don't think guys would like this that much even if it is about submarines (which is what got my interest to start with too).

Mother and Son Great Combo

I have always like the way Iris has introduced a new character in one book and then write the following book about that character. So I could not wait to listen to Silent Thunder, little did I know that this book would be my favorite book ever. Iris and her son are a great team and I can't wait for their next book.

Great Treasures Await

when I first began reading the book I could not pull myself away. About half way through there was a little stall in the action...so bear with that part because this is when background information on the character are revealed . Its then that the action is at full throttle and the ending is unbelievable

Hannah Bryson: all fluff (as read)

This was my first Iris Johanson novel. My son got to read a NY Times Best-Seller for his high school English class and I decided to see what one of those books was all about and listened to it as he read the print version.
I found the plot line fairly predictable once a new character was introduced to thicken the plot. It was entertaining enough but I found the reader to be extremely annoying. I think because it was a woman voicing the dialogue that was overwhelmingly men. Not only that but I found the accents to be rather fakey. However, the most important annoying thing, by far, was that Hannah Bryson was read to be rather fluffy and overly "feminine." I wanted to hear her as strong and cerebral; an analytical problem solver. All I heard was this wimpy, breathy voice. It made me crazy to have to listen to it (and in my mind, I kept putting the stong female voice to it after I heard the words in that "wimpy woman" voice). Even SIL Kathy was voiced to be a stronger, less wispy, voice than Hannah!
Of all that books that I've listened to, this was the only one that was annoying because of the reader-- and was the only one that I 1) considered just quitting 2/3 of the way through and 2) that I was very happy to have DONE.

Very disappointing

Had great expectations of this nove. Feel the first mistake was the choice of a narrator who did not do a good job in changing character voices, after a while everyone sounds the same. Without sounding chauvinistic I feel a male would be a better choice. Also there is a lot of irrelevant rhetoric that lends nothing to the story. This could have been a very intriging novel with the proper elements.

Bullwinkle

this was a poor clive cussler wannabee; one of the characters said early on "this isn't a clancy novel". although the narrator was good, the constant boris and natasha voices made me wonder when rocky and bullwinkle would appear

Well.......

I found my mind wandering lots during this tale - very unusual for me. The story really lacked any depth to the characters - made the whole thing almost silly. Sorry - but can't recommend it.

Tried to like this

I listened to about 2/3 of the book waiting to like it. I finally gave up.