Speaks the Nightbird

By: Robert R. McCammon

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Length: 30 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Fiction, 2013

Judgment of the Witch

The Carolinas, 1699: The citizens of Fount Royal believe a witch has cursed their town with inexplicable tragedies - and they demand that beautiful widow Rachel Howarth be tried and executed for witchcraft. Presiding over the trial is traveling magistrate Issac Woodward, aided by his astute young clerk, Matthew Corbett. Believing in Rachel's innocence, Matthew will soon confront the true evil at work in Fount Royal....

Evil Unveiled

After hearing damning testimony, magistrate Woodward sentences the accused witch to death by burning. Desperate to exonerate the woman he has come to love, Matthew begins his own investigation among the townspeople. Piecing together the truth, he has no choice but to vanquish a force more malevolent than witchcraft in order to save his beloved Rachel - and free Fount Royal from the menace claiming innocent lives.

©2002 Robert McCammon (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Edoardo Ballerini performs this story of accusation and fear flawlessly. He effortlessly switches his pitch, accents, and timbre to suit the unfortunate Rachel Howarth, the endless curious Corbett, and the various determined characters, good and evil.” (AudioFile)

"a compelling story that should find a wide readership. Highly recommended for popular fiction collections." (Library Journal)

"An excellent story, full of tension and suspense.” (Stephen King)

To Burn a Witch was Easy, but…

If you’ve ever wondered how things could have gotten so out of hand during the Salem Witchcraft Trials (or any of the “true” witch accusations from back in the day) then Speaks the Nightbird is a must read. Robert McCammon paints a tension filled story of a woman on trial for witchcraft in a community struggling to survive, a town set on burning her and one man willing to risk everything to prove her innocence. When I first approached this story, I admit I was leery. How interesting can this story really be? But I’ve loved McCammon’s work since Swan Song and trusted in his ability to craft believable characters, intriguing conflicts and seamless plots. In Speaks the Nightbird he has taken what could have been a stuffy, old tale of misguided laws based on religion and spun it into a highly enjoyable adventure with twists around every turn. As a reader, you’ll feel Matthew Corbett’s frustrations as he uses logic and deductive reasoning to clear Rachel’s name in a setting where superstition rules. This was a fascinating read and I can’t wait to get started on the next novel in the Matthew Corbett series.

Edoardo Ballerini’s narration was the ideal choice to voice McCammon’s work. He understood the characters and gave each one a unique voice that held consistently throughout the story. I was also excited to see that he is the narrator for all of the Matthew Corbett series on Audible.

draws you in to a different time

The story starts out somewhat slowly, but rapidly grabs you and you must keep going. The characters are become real and you will enjoy the twists and turns of the take.

Increased my walking distance

Would you listen to Speaks the Nightbird again? Why?

I would listen to Speaks the Nightbird again because of the interesting character sketches and the way McCammon weaves in the clues leading toward the conclusion of the story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Speaks the Nightbird?

A memorable moment is when Matthew sees the outcome of the innkeeper at the Indian camp, a very just punishment. I kept hoping for the innkeeper to "show" up again, and was not disappointed.

Which character – as performed by Edoardo Ballerini – was your favorite?

I look forward to more tales about Matthew and enjoyed the narration of Edoardo Ballerini. He is superb in tone and has a great ability to change voice with regard to each character...keeps the interest alive.

great book...right up until the end

I really wanted to like this book. It started out so well and had lots of good things going for it. There's a ton of interesting characters, a pretty good mystery (ie. you are unlikely to guess the culprit in the first twenty pages), well researched history, a plot that moves along at a fair pace. Then, at the last maybe the last fifth of the book it all fell apart for me. In general, I liked Matthew, and I appreciated that McCammon didn't fall into the anachronistic trend of having his 'good' characters assume that there are no such things as witches or witchcraft. Matthew really isn't sure if Rachel is a witch or not for a fair chunk of the book. It's the kind of book where there are lots of clues given here and there and you know perfectly well that they're clues and will be important later, but it's hard to predict how they will be useful. It seemed like it was going places. Then everything went to pieces, when Matthew leaves Fount Royal the book starts to fail. The ending was such a disappointment. It was't that the villain didn't fit the role, but there was an entire chapter of exposition on why he/she had done what he/she had done and all the tired cliched reasons. After such a carefully realistic and convoluted setup, it all wraps up so neat and tidy. I just wanted more. I suppose if the next book in the series went on sale, I might consider it, but I won't be rushing out to spend a credit on it.

loved it. lots of twists and turns.

The story line was awesome. lots of twist and turns. some were predictable whereas some were a complete surprise.

Unexpectedly engaging, despite the pace

It wasn't slow moving, but it wasn't fast by any means - a constant trickle. There's action up front that gives way to the slower, more complex story line. Good character development. It was a good mystery with lots of details that doubly served as puzzle pieces for Matthew to solve the case by and red herrings to trick me and keep me guessing. I liked the narrator. I'd definitely consider getting a second book in this series.

Excellent narrator makes this good book better

Would you listen to Speaks the Nightbird again? Why?

I am looking forward to the sequels. The book is well written and thought provoking.

What about Edoardo Ballerini’s performance did you like?

Eduardo Ballerini is one of the best narrators I have listened to. His accents are impeccable and each character is distinctly identifiable.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I had a hard time "putting it down"

Any additional comments?

I will put any book by this narrator on my wish list.

Awesome read!

The story is very well written with a variety of complex characters and sub plots. The detail the author gives regarding the descriptions of everything from the clothing to food to the illnesses which were present during this time in history make the read so interesting. There is ample historical detail that you can easily find yourself present with the characters before you realize it's just a book. Great mysteries are woven with many of the characters. The narrator is incredible. He is masterful in his ability to fully distinguish voices and nuisances with each character. I will be reading all of the Matthew books!

Didn't want it to end

Where does Speaks the Nightbird rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

top 5

What was one of the most memorable moments of Speaks the Nightbird?

when Matthew's mentor dies

What does Edoardo Ballerini bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

MR Ballerini's voice paints pictures in your mind

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

30 hours is a long time to listen to all in one setting, but I woodda if I couldda

Any additional comments?

I just bought books 2&3 Can't wait to listen

Magnificently written, masterfully narrated

This audiobook is a masterpiece. McCammon painted the characters so skillfully, I could almost reach out and shake their hands. The plot grew from interesting to intriguing to riviting. I became caught up in solving the puzzle, to the point I didn't want to put the book down. The narration is excellent, I could listen to Ballerini's voice all day. I've added this series to my wish list, and I'm buying book 2 now!