Beneath a Golden Veil

A Novel

By: Melanie Dobson

Narrated by: Carly Robins

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

As elegant as the Sacramento residence she operates, Isabelle Labrie keeps her past concealed, like the treasure she hides under the Golden Hotel. It's 1853, the heyday of the California Gold Rush. Isabelle is full of hope, staking her claim on the city's refined clientele and her future on a sweetheart's promise to marry her when he returns from the gold fields. Then, unexpected guests - fugitive slaves seeking safe passage to the North - force her to confront her past and reconsider her path.

While Isabelle learns to trust God's provisions, a law student in Virginia must confront his father's cruelty and rescue a young slave from his family's tobacco plantation. As the two escape to freedom, and Isabelle risks everything to harbor runaway slaves, the past and present are set on an inevitable collision course - one that reveals hidden treasures of the heart.

©2016 Melanie Dobson. (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

What a great informative book

The story totally captures your interest. A great read without sex and profanity which is getting harder to find. I couldn’t stop listening to it the author makes the gold rush main setting so interesting. I learn so much interesting things from her books. Second one I have listened too. But won’t be the last

Couldn't stop listening!

Would you listen to Beneath a Golden Veil again? Why?

I will listen to this story again and again. As always, Melanie Dobson delivers on character development. You find yourself easily in the story, watching these people as they struggle and win. You can't stand the bad guy. You love the heros.

Who was your favorite character and why?

How can you not love Isabelle? Her heart and tenacity grab you. But Aldon Payne is another favorite. A man struggling against the times and fighting for what is right.

Have you listened to any of Carly Robins’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to other books performed by Carly Robins. She is pretty good. Not my favorite. She did well on this.

Who was the most memorable character of Beneath a Golden Veil and why?

Victor perhaps was the most memorable as a tyrant and a man with mental issues to be sure! Issac is a great kid. You just want to grab him up and have a wild chat. Each character seems to be with me still weeks later.

Any additional comments?

Though this is Melanie Dobson's first audio title, she is not a new author by any means. Her work is always willing to look at reality eye-to-eye and still find hope. Always entertaining, her characters become friends. This book is worth your time. I would also suggest the paper versions of Melanie Dobson's other books.

Great book if you can deal with the performance

Screatchy and over extended performance. The reader’s voice and interpretation was over done and grate on my nerves. I have listed to over 1000 hours of audio books and this one was the absolute worst. I almost didn’t finish it. Characters’ voices blended an adults sounded like children and the referent message was lot in the screech.

Gold, Secrets, Slaves, California 1853

This story of the Gold Rush in Sacramento prior to the Civil War (which began in 1861) is an interesting tale of lawlessness, greed and unrest. California had been admitted to the United States Union in 1850, about the same time that the Gold Rush started. But its laws regarding slave ownership was all over the place, and often misinterpreted by the officials. Freed slaves were allowed to live and work there, but slave owners could bring their slaves into California and were able to cross back and forth over state borders with their slaves without issue. And the courts often sided with the slave owners. Women also had few rights. So, knowing all of this, the story of Isabelle Labrie and the Golden Hotel which she ran becomes one of intrigue and danger. When a young law student from Virginia had a confrontation with his father over the ownership and treatment of slaves on the family plantation, and eventually showed up in Sacramento, deep secrets begin to emerge. This is a wonderful story of the battle between good and evil; how greed enters the hearts of men and women; and the hope that faith, determination and dependence upon the Lord can see us through. You will be up late listening as the threads of the story are revealed and untangled . . . and rejoice with the victory of love over hate and injustice.

Not my usual listen...

I rarely consume books about slavery. In fact, I only borrowed this book because it had been some time since I read the blurb. I was therefore somewhat dismayed to come across episodes of slaves being brutalized. However, I decided to stick with it and I'm glad I did. I will seek out more books by this author.

Good story. not super engaging.

The narrator grinded on my ears. Don't be fooled by the sample. When she does character voices, it's is horrible. Worse than nails on a chalkboard. I may have enjoyed it more if not for listening to someone who should narrate childrens books with less characters.

Entertaining but a little predictable

I love stories about this era. I had to get used to the narrater because some of her characters were a little screechy, but overall she did a good job. The story was a little predictable but still very entertaining and tied together well at the end. I will probably listen to it again in a few months.

Couldn't finish it.

I love this author but I couldn't finish listening to it. The narrator's voice is not meant for doing this kind of work. Especially making voices for characters. He voice just grated on my nerves to the point I act said "shut up" out loud with really meaning to. I will try reading it myself some day.

struggled to finish

I can't pin point what I didn't like about this book. I did struggle with the narrator a bit. There were quite a few characters, which might have been easier to keep track of if it didn't lose my interest. Overall it wasn't a bad story, I just didn't care for the whole package. I will try this author again but only once.

the emotion of this book was wonderful

I just finished this book and loved it.
i can't say enough about this book! the history and characters were so real. i couldn't get enough from this story. the history was so rich, so real! it was so great. one of the best books i have read this year. everyone should read this book!!! the author did such a great job!
the narrator did such a good job with so much emotion.

A Gentle story of Justice.

This was my 2nd book by this author, on a completely different subject but still very good writing and narration. Its a good story and I enjoy the way this writer brings all the strands together at the end....very satisfying! I also appreciate the GOOD language without the use of swearing and blasphemy to create a realistic character.....there were plenty of these without offensive language!