Caught in the Light

De: Robert Goddard

Narrado por: Michael Kitchen

On assignment in Vienna, photographer Ian Jarrett falls suddenly and desperately in love with a woman he meets by pure chance, Marian Esguard. Back in England, he separates from his wife and goes to meet Marian at an agreed rendezvous, only to hear her tell him on the telephone that she will not, after all, be coming. Then she vanishes from his life as mysteriously as she entered it.

Who and where is the woman he met and fell in love with in Vienna?

©1998 Robert and Vaunda Goddard (P)2012 Audible Ltd

Enjoyable escape

Suspenseful to the end, this is a thoroughly enjoyable listen for those of us fascinated by ghosts from the past. The protagonist's history and relationships get entangled with the early history of photography. There's romance, suspense, and uncomfortable family relationships, but--in a manner true to life--some things never quite get resolved. The protagonist is not an especially likeable character, as other reviewers have noted, but that leaves room for him to grow and see his life in new ways. Other characters are well delineated through his somewhat narcissistic gaze. Best of all--and the reason I got this title in the first place--is Michael Kitchen's crisp, somewhat idiosyncratic, quite entrancing delivery. Having adored him as Inspector Foyle, I could listen to him read a laundry list with pleasure.

Good, Could Have Been Excellent

What did you like best about Caught in the Light? What did you like least?

I did enjoy the story, I read the other reviews and I guess I was expecting a little more. I did like the story. I know this is fiction, but it was just not believable enough for me.

If you’ve listened to books by Robert Goddard before, how does this one compare?

No

What about Michael Kitchen’s performance did you like?

I did like Michael Kitchen's performance. He did a fine job.

Was Caught in the Light worth the listening time?

It was good enough

Captivating! Spellbinding! A winner!

What made the experience of listening to Caught in the Light the most enjoyable?

Goddard's masterful weaving of characters and their entangled interactions with each other developed into an intriguing plot that held me captivated throughout the entire book! I could never anticipate the next development nor foresee the ultimate consequences of the current developments.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Caught in the Light?

Without giving this intriguing plot away, Ian's sheer shock, then his debilitating sorrow, and finally his justifiable rage when he reads Marian's letter of explanation was most memorable to me. Ah ha! Once Ian absorbs this 'confession', the plot thickens!

What about Michael Kitchen’s performance did you like?

Excellent performance -- Michael was walking in Ian's shoes.

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

It held me spellbound. I could hardly fathom the all-too-believable twists and turns.

Any additional comments?

Caught in the Light is Goddard at his best! I recommend readers read this book first and then rush, don't walk, to purchase the next achievement of this gifted mystery writer.

Hmmm

My second Goddard book. I have to say he is a great writer and a fantastic creator of suspense. Once you start you just have to keep reading. BUT that's not to say I love the story.

I absolutely loved this book until Part III. There is a "historical" element that is fascinating and compelling and i adored the characters. It went on much too long and most of it was completely unnecessary for the overall plot, but I didn't care. I wish he had extracted that part and made a standalone book about it! But just like Painting the Darkness, it then took a huge nosedive once the great reveal was made. My love turned into hate, irritation and a feeling of being manipulated and screwed over by the writer.

SPOLIER ALERT!!


The villain in this was a caricature of evil, so over the top and ridiculous, After everything we go through in the set up, we are forced to be subjected to an insane sociopath. He is written to be so irritating--all knowing and superhuman and of course ten million steps ahead of everyone else. He was a caricature, unreal and silly. Worst of all, there is a murder of a child. I was so angry that Goddard made this happen. I do not think it was necessary and just seemed gratuitous horror. Goddard was much too enamoured of his evil puppet.

He is a great writer but his moral compass is whacked.

Another riveting listen!

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

I think this "read" was even better then the last ("Painted in Darkness" by Goddard) - if that's possible!

Michael Kitchen reads lines so wonderfully and seems to understand each character so well that the slightest inflection or pause gives us hints of what is behind the written word - which is how the author would want it to be. His talent as a character actor teams up so well with Goddard's novels!! I hope there are many more to come.