The Collector

By: Nora Roberts

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts comes a novel about a woman who needs nothing, a man who sees everything, and the web of deceit, greed and danger that brings them together - and could tear them apart...

When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one...

Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence - against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Chalking up their intense attraction to the heat of the moment, Lila agrees to help Ash try to find out who murdered his brother and why. From the penthouses of Manhattan to grand Italian villas, their investigation draws them into a rarefied circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away and stolen; where what you possess is who you are; and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession...

©2014 Nora Roberts (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Roberts is performing at the top of her literary game…An addictive blend of sleek suspense and sophisticated romance that would make Hitchcock proud.”—Booklist (starred review)

“A pair of strong, commitment-averse protagonists, vividly drawn villains—a classy, stunningly beautiful, sociopathic assassin and a soulless recluse, in particular—an abundance of Fabergé egg history and a plot that keeps readers on edge add up to another classic for Roberts.”—Library Journal

“Sizzling suspense…Will keep readers riveted.”—Publishers Weekly

Good story with a lot of twist.

I really like the main female character. We developed plot with good side stories. Made you root for the good guys.

Absorbing Pot Boiler

And that's not an insult; it's a very good pot boiler. There's an excellent mystery/murder involving some accurate historical, and some fictional, details about the missing Faberge eggs. There are two love interests and several engaging characters. The evil people are both colorful and evil and all characters are well developed. The plot runs smoothly and wraps up nicely at the end. It's predictable almost all the way through and there are few surprises, but in spite of this, it keeps the reader interested. The prose is acceptable. It's not Du Maurier, but it's good grade school English that doesn't insult the reader's intelligence or challenge it either. In a book you read for pure entertainment value, that's what it should be.

The reader is terrific. She does all the voices, including the male ones, most convincingly. For the hero, I keep hearing Nicholas Cage in my mind. His best friend has got a mild New Jersey accent, close enough to the real thing to make him distinct as a character. The women in the story also have distinct differences in voice pitch and tone. Kudos to her for making this Audible experience great! She kept the right balance between reading the book and acting it out and she definitely enhanced my appreciation for the novel.

Not a fan of the characters

I have attempted to finish the story twice, but the hard to believe chemistry between the main characters made it impossible. I rarely leave books unfinished, but I just could not continue to listen to the male protagonist's rough, arrogant, completely insensitive demeanor. Random spurts of sensitivity or softness didn't make sense with his otherwise bullish ways. I can see the plot line benefited from his manner, but at the detriment of the story's plausibility. It was even harder to imagine an independent and sensitive woman could tolerate his manner, let alone become romantically involved. Some readers may appreciate or enjoy this pairing but I found it a shallow attempt at "unique." Maybe some day I will struggle though to learn the ending.

Julia Whelan does well with narrating the varied characters.

unpredictable suspense and romance

loved the thrill and suspense ALSO the love tangles and crime solving great job !

Not Nora Roberts best

Story was good. Julia Whelan was excellent (as always) Characters were not as well thought out as usual. Male was bossy, overbearing and physically restraining which is not Nora Robert's usual style. Portrayal of strong female character fell decidedly flat when she allowed physical coercion without remark. I prefer her characters as she usually portrays them. Strong but not abusive (nor willing to accept it). One not-so-good one out of hundreds of good ones isn't bad at all. I will continue to be a fan but just could't give more stars to this one.

Funny and Romantic Murder Mystery

I loved the characters and the story and am sad the story has ended. Leaves me wanting more from Nora Roberts!

Wow!

This is an amazing story! It has it all. This is a must read. I loved it!

The Collector

Where does The Collector rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Collector was not quite as good as some of the others I have read of Nora Roberts.

Would you be willing to try another book from Nora Roberts? Why or why not?

Definitely yes! I have read her books for a number of years and enjoyed the combination of mystery and romance.

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

No

Loved this one!

This story was fun, interesting, and kept me intrigued. I love mixing romance with mystery.

Favorite

This is the first book by Nora Roberts I’ve read. After reading 20+ additional books by her it’s still my favorite n I go back to it over n over. I absolutely love the narrator n could listen to her read all of Nora’s work. Her characters r strong smart funny. I’m curious about the male leads. R they based on someone she has experienced? The intimacy n her books become the dream of every woman. Is this based on personal experience? I hope so. Keep writing Nora.