The Witness

By: Nora Roberts

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 16 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

In her stunning 200th novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts proves why no one is better when it comes to flawlessly fusing high-stakes suspense with red-hot romance" (Booklist, starred review).

Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth Fitch 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.

Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance security systems designer, her own protection 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 and her sharp mind, secretive nature and unromantic viewpoint intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and professional level. And while he suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, Gleason is accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, not the powerful and dangerous men who are about to have him in their sights.

And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.

©2012 by Nora Roberts. (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

hard to put down

i don't know if i have ever read a nora robert's book before but i read the reviews on this one and saw her fans more than excited with this particular one . i couldn't resist. the story line is intriguing and the characters definitely hold the reader's attention. it seems like the very ending of the book was a bit rushed compared to the pace of the rest of the book but i enjoyed the book very much. this falls into my category as a great "beach trip" read. :)

Good story as always, good character development

Would you consider the audio edition of The Witness to be better than the print version?

I have no idea. It is exceedingly rare that I will listen to a book and read it as well. The type of book where I will do both is typically a self-help type book that I think I will want to referred to in print. Once I have heard a story, I rarely want to hear it again, regardless of medium.

What did you like best about this story?

As always, Nora Roberts develops her characters very well. Her stories are entertaining and they provide a good escape from the heavier stuff I normally listen to. In fact, I make fun of myself for listening to this stuff. I am a 34-year-old man, father of three boys, and typically interested in "manly" things. Many years ago, when I was still renting audio books from Cracker Barrel, I got a Nora Roberts book and it simply made my long drive so quickly. As a result, I will still pick up one of her books every now and then. I guess it's my guilty pleasure.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes, I suppose.

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

Yeah, pretty much.

Favorable

I don't know if I found the right headline word for a book that didn't excite me or was sad that it had to end. It is a sweet love story of a girl who's mother had planned her life before birth to become just like herself, a famous surgeon... but that's not what happens. The daughter, Liz /Abigail who lacked the love of her mother rebells for the first time at 16 and ends up in a situation of witnessing a Russian mob killing and then is placed in witness protection only to have her protectors killed so she escapes and goes into hiding for the next 12 years. She intrigues the handsome single sheriff of this small town where she's been recluse and they fall in love and then skillfully comes up with a way to expose all those involved with the mob killings... you get the picture.

I try to be objective and expose myself to good writers and all types of generas. I think Roberts is a good writer and if you like simple love stories with a taste of heat then this book will fill that bill!

Pretty good story - Fantastic narrator!

I am a fan of JD Robb books, but don't always love all the Nora Roberts novels as much. I thought this one was one of the better ones. I think the narrator had a huge part in that, but just the way Nora wrote Abigail's character made her really interesting. Maybe part of me was liking her so much because she reminded me of Bones, although not exactly the same personality. Both characters are brilliant, yet socially inept and so literal that jokes or expressions often go over their heads. However, unlike Bones, I find Abigail more vulnerable - even as tough and strong and capable as she has learned to be. Didn't she just need a hug so badly? And didn't you just want to be one of the special few allowed to pet her dog without getting your arm ripped off?
I am so impressed with how Julia Whelan narrated both the main characters' voices, but mainly Abigail's. I think she used just the right tone and expression for all her dialogue. As for Brooks, I enjoyed her portrayal of him most when he was laughing at or just charmed by Abigail's eccentricities. The story itself was pretty good, although not too suspenseful, compared to some similar storylines. The characters and the setting really were what made this book worth listening to. The descriptiveness of the town made me want to move there myself. Am I now a huge Nora Roberts fan? - well maybe a little more than before. But as for Julia Whelan, I am going to have to look into some of her other books now. Maybe I have found a new favourite narrator.

Fun and engrossing!

No big surprises in this one in terms of the ending but a great story, great performance, super fun book. I often stayed in my car even after I got home because I wanted to hear what happened next. It was lots of fun and highly recommend!

Feel good book

The progression from start to finish was well done. This is one of the few books that does not get lost in the mundane details other authors sometime fall into so they can fill pages - I tell them, "get to the point already!" This one does. The ending was a little quick, for what you had to endure to get there - but the story was well written and very entertaining.

Excellent Entertainment

This is my first Nora Roberts book. Can you believe that? For some reason I always thought a Nora Roberts novel would be "gooey romantic". Not a term I know, however, I truly enjoyed the story, the character development and the narrator. Julia Whelan is AWESOME, one of the best narrators I've heard so far. I do not believe I have ever heard a female narrator who can play sixteen year old girls, then a twenty eight year old woman as well as do southern male and female voices so well. Her understanding of the characters in this novel is truly amazing.

A perfect combination of a good entertaining novel and narration. I say, get this audio. It's well worth it.

Anti-Snooze Button?

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to The Witness. The story became compelling within the first two chapters and took some interesting and imaginative twists. Ms. Roberts' character development made me feel like Elizabeth and Chief Gleason were family friends. Julia Whelan delivered a genuine-sounding narrative that fit perfectly with the story.

I try to limit my Audible time to the 30 minutes a day just before falling asleep. When the time elapses, audio gently fades out on my iPad. While listening to The Witness there were many nights I wished Audible's player had an "anti-snooze" button that would have given me just 5 more minutes.

Loved the Narrator!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Witness to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version

What about Julia Whelan’s performance did you like?

I loved her ability to change her voice for the different characters. She can pull off southern without making it insulting to the southerner.

Excellent

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is by far the best book I have read (or listened to) in a long time. I would recommend it to anyone.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes

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

Yes