• Ill Wind

  • An Anna Pigeon Novel
  • By: Nevada Barr
  • Narrated by: Joanna Gleason
  • Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins
  • 3.8 out of 5 stars (190 ratings)

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Ill Wind  By  cover art

Ill Wind

By: Nevada Barr
Narrated by: Joanna Gleason
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Publisher's summary

Haunted by personal demons and cut off from her friends and family, Anna Pigeon seeks solace in the quiet ruins of Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park. But the solitude is soon interrupted. A mysterious illness is afflicting tourists to the park. When an asthmatic child dies and a ranger colleague - and friend - is murdered, Anna must find out the truth.

Listen to more Anna Pigeon mysteries.
©1995 by Nevada Barr (P)1995 by Dove Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Ill Wind

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 2 Stars
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Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    59
  • 4 Stars
    34
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  • 2 Stars
    6
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    54
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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Ban Abridgements!

I don't like abridgements, and this audiobook is one of the reasons why -- the story is so hacked up as to be impossible to follow. Nevada Barr can turn a phrase beutifully and all of that is gone. Hold out for an unabridged version! Don't by this one!

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Terrible production

I'm a big Nevada Barr fan. Unfortunately this production doesn't work on so many levels. It is a toss up as to whether it is the terrible job of abridging the book, the monotone narrator or the fact that it's only available in a poor quality that does the most to ruin this production. What is more certain is that these things combine to result in the worst Anna Pigeon story by Nevada Barr on Audible.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Incredibly badly abridged

I will admit at the beginning that I don't much care for abridgments. Even with that bias, usually it means that secondary stories and details are admitted. This is so badly done that if I bought it on tape I'd think I'd lost a tape. You switch between points of the story abruptly and with no attempt to summarize what's happened. I couldn't follow the mystery, the only reason to get this is to follow the Pigeon's developing character. For that, and a couple of frustrating hours attempting to follow the plot the cost is really high.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

I should have read other reviews

Rosenblat fits perfectly as Anna Pigeon! I was sorely disappointed in the abridged version of Ill Wind. I was so looking forward to listening to them in order that I didn't notice this was abridged: what a supreme disappointment. I want my money back!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Great Narration, Bad Recording!

Nevada Barr is a great writer, and her character, Anna Pigeon reminds one of a modern day version of Elizabeth Peter's character, Amelia Peabody Emerson. Joanna Gleason does a very good job narrating, almost as good as the great Barbara Rosenblat!
Two flaws with this audio: it is only available abridged (way to abridged to be easy to follow!) ; and the audio is very poorly recorded and very difficult to hear, even through Bose noise reducing headphones. Without these flaws, this would be a 5 star audiobook.



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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Only get this if you want the chronology..

What disappointed you about Ill Wind?

Didn't notice it was abridged, but wanted to listen in order. Really choppy and I still don't know if it was murder or suicide??!! What?! WTH? Barbara Rosenblat IS Anna Pigeon! Was so disappointed to hear a different voice.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The continuation of the storyline of Anna's life is interesting and important to me, but really paid having to listen to a butchered version of the book.

Would you be willing to try another one of Joanna Gleason’s performances?

I haven't checked yet, but hope they don't use Joanna Gleason again for Anna.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Ill Wind?

I wouldn't have cut anything else out! It's too sparse as it is.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Clumsy abridgement

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Only because it is the next book in the series and I like to read them in order.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Unabridged!!!!!!!!! I love Nevada Barr's books and, from the others I've read, I'm sure there was much detail and richness lost in the cuts.

Which character ??? as performed by Joanna Gleason ??? was your favorite?

She was the best part of the experience. I enjoyed her performance through all the characters. She does a great job of keeping each character "in voice" so they are easily recognized and that adds to the overall enjoyment of the read.

Do you think Ill Wind needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Just the unabridged version would be enough. There are other books to continue with Anna Pigeon's story. But I would read it just to see what I missed...

Any additional comments?

If you check my library, you'll find I do series. I've discovered a dozen new authors I hadn't read before I started listening to audiobooks and I really enjoy series that keep the main character recognizable and growing throughout the series. I wanted to go ahead with Ms. Barr's books so I reluctantly purchased Ill Wind so there would not be a gap in the story sequence that would be referred in a later story. I was just disappointed because I know there was a lot of detail left out at someone else's discretion that I would have preferred to read for myself.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Not Barr's Best

I am a Nevada Barr fan, but this one didn't fit together as neatly as the plots of her other books. At the end, there were still some loose ends. Perhaps because it was abridged.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Terrible Abridgement

What did you like best about Ill Wind? What did you like least?

I didn't realize this was an abridgement. I was relying on the Amazon reviews which I don't think link to the Audible reviews. As soon as I came over here, I saw all the reviewers. I wouldn't never have bought it if I had realized it was an abridgement, and such a poor one at that. Lesson Learned.

What was most disappointing about Nevada Barr’s story?

The abridgment made it near impossible to follow. It jumped around and didn't make sense.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Absolutely.

Any additional comments?

I love the Anna Pigeon series. It is one of my favorites. I read the books when they first came out and have now been going back to listen to them. Barr paints wonderful pictures of the parks. But this abridgement in horrible and makes a mess of the story. Wish I hadn't bothered.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Ill Wind

I can't understand why this is in the Gay and Lesbian category. There are no gays or lesbians in it. Angers me to have spent the money.

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1 person found this helpful