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.

a girly story

this is a good story, however it will be mostly enjoyed by readers who like "women's novels". detective is secondary. primary here is ladies psychology and her intimate story. good overall though.

One of the best books I've ever read!

What made the experience of listening to The Witness the most enjoyable?

This book had mystery, romance, suspense and made you feel like you were at home among friends.

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character was Elizabeth/Abigail. She was very courageous and handled adversity in the best way possible and coped well with the hand that she had been dealt.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scenes with Abigail and Brooks' mother were my favorites! Brooks' mother was such an affectionate free spirit and that was just what Abigail needed. It was wonderful to watch Abigail discover the wonder of being mothered.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book made me laugh out loud and just generally feel happy. I enjoyed every minute.

A "page turner!"

What did you love best about The Witness?

If this was a print book, I would have figured out a way to read while driving! It was so great, with brilliance in character development and you can tell a ton of research went into this book. It's one of my favorite NR books. Loved it!

What other book might you compare The Witness to and why?

Similar plot to Nicholas Sparks Safe Haven in that its about a woman on the run and in danger, who falls in love with the local beefcake. Nora Roberts is a superior writer and she's not opposed to say the "F-word" from time to time or get a tad steamier than sparks. Also the characters in Witness and the story are superior to Safe Haven.

Which scene was your favorite?

The end when our heroine fakes her own death with the help of the FBI!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Girl Einstein on the run falls for the local hunk.

Nora just keeps getting better

What did you love best about The Witness?

The characters are strong, and Roberts has thrown in a good mystery to boot.

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

I drive almost 1000 miles a week, and have so much more time to listen than to physically read a book. Julia Whelan did a great job as a narrator, bringing the quirkiness of the characters to life.

Any additional comments?

I'm a big Nora Roberts fan. She includes romance without going into gory details, and develops characters very well. I have to do a lot of thinking in my job, and listening to a Nora Roberts book is like going on vacation - not so light that it makes you feel like you've wasted your time; more that you can simply have fun in the listen. Witness is definitely a great read.

Romance and suspense evoke every emotion you have

What did you love best about The Witness?

I cared deeply about the heroine and was fascinated at how she faced her challenges. Nora Roberts writes so well I felt I became one with the characters.

The romance is beautiful, the suspense spine chilling, but not too much for the genre.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the setting of the small town of Bickford where she find herself after twelve years of running. Elizabeth is now known as Abigail. Brooks Gleason is the police chief with an insatiable curiosity and intrigued by the gorgeous, mysterious and armed Abigail. I enjoyed the easy development of the romance and lack of conflict between Elizabeth and Brooks. There was enough tension in other areas. The reader always knows that Abigail is likely to have to flee again. One doubts that one clever woman a small town police chief can bring down a powerful and dangerous Russian mob family. This hangs like a dark cloud over their blossoming romance.And ... I LOVED the DOG!

Which character – as performed by Julia Whelan – was your favorite?

The heroine, Elizabeth Fitch was my favorite. She is on the run from the Russian mafia. All she has is a sky high IQ, a talent for computer programming, and the will to live. At age Elizabeth rebels from her mother’s strict rules. A prodigy, Elizabeth was driven by her mother to dress a certain way, read the right books, and be a neurosurgeon. There was no room for fun, friends, and boys. Elizabeth had had enough and she creates a couple of fake IDs, one of which buys her a friend for the evening and the two go to one of the hottest nightclubs in Chicago. One thing leads to another and Elizabeth becomes witness to a mob hit that could bring down the Volkov organized crime family. Elizabeth runs for her life and builds a new identity.I ached for Elizabeth’s loveless childhood and hoped that something would finally go right for her. I was so committed to Elizabeth that I could not stop listening.

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

Absolutely, but its a long book. I wanted to starts it again right away.

Any additional comments?

I am impressed by Nora Roberts' skills at writing Romantic suspense and will certainly listen to more. Its the kind of book that liners in your mind long after you read or listened to it.

Good book, although predictable ...

Would you listen to The Witness again? Why?

I really enjoyed listening to this book. It started off very well but after the main character fell in love, it became sort of predictable.

If you've listened to books by Nora Roberts before, how does this one compare?

This was my first "listen" ...

Which scene was your favorite?

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book, as Liz's adventure began ...

Some stories are an easy sell

For me the beginning was a hard listen, teenage girl with her odd ways and her flawed thinking... yuck. Then the story unfolded with the girl being more than just a bundle of odd suppositions, poorly and erroneously formed logic and a misguided perception of the world around her. The story unfolded to be a very easy read with the main character being more than just a supposed Mensa candidate with flawed thinking.

The narrator and author have created a story I would recommend to anyone wanting to imagine a world where love can come through, even if fear makes us want to run.

Enjoyabe Read - Nora Roberts always delivers.

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

Yes - it was engaging, and interesting with a nice love angle.

What about Julia Whelan’s performance did you like?

I thought she really nailed Abigail/Elizabeth.

Loved this!

This was a great story. I loved that a young girl could become a strong woman. The character development was good and the story kept me on the edge of my seat.

Love you love love love

I absolutely love this book!!!! I love this book so much that when I run out of credits with my account I listen to it over again!!! I love the characters of the story, I love the narrator and I loved the story!!! I think Julia Whailen is one of the best audiobook narrators!! I wish there were more Nora Roberts books read by her, and I think this is the best Nora books story ever!!!!! Narrators really make a book and Julia is so good that I actually look for books that are narrated by her! She's great with voices!!!