Woman without a Past

By: Phyllis A. Whitney

Narrated by: Anna Fields

Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Successful author Molly Hunt, the adopted daughter of Long Island parents, is stunned when a handsome man she meets in her publisher’s office makes a startling declaration: that he is about to marry her twin sister. Molly soon discovers that she is actually the long-lost child of the wealthy Mountfort family of Charleston, South Carolina. Eager to solve the puzzle of her birth, Molly begins a fateful journey south.

At the historic family plantation, she meets her beautiful twin, Amelia, their reclusive mother, and a cast of intriguing yet disturbing characters who both question her identity and, in their way, confirm it. Nevertheless, her arrival has set in motion a series of strange and frightening events, and in the intoxicating, magnolia-scented world of Molly’s original family, haunting memories of an unsolved murder threaten the family’s very existence—as well as her own.

©1991 Phyllis A. Whitney (P)1997 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“One of the smoothest suspense novels yet from the prolific Whitney.” ( Publishers Weekly)

“The characters of Molly and her twin, Amelia, are particularly well drawn as one can contrast their similarities and their differences….This is a good, modern gothic novel sure to please those hooked on the genre.” ( School Library Journal)

For Anna Fields' fan

Where does Woman without a Past rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

this is an easy mystery listen. No terror or hot romance ie FSOG type. If you do not like 'em hot, then this is for you.

If you’ve listened to books by Phyllis A. Whitney before, how does this one compare?

this is my second listen....and this author is not for me. I purchased because the late great Anna Fields reads in her all time best southern accent ie SEP "It had to be YOU"

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

Only Susan E. Phillips, It had to be you is a better listen as it is SEP Wall street Journal best.

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

yes I did as it had a good mystery outline...but the execution just did not match the outline.It could have had more core romance or just fleshed out more between the 2 male characters. this seemed like the editor wanted the story done in X amount of words never mind the author could expand on the characters

Great Story!

I never even came close to figuring out who it was, although I had guessed I knew, a couple of times. I really loved this one!

Love Phyllis Whiney, but this was PAINFUL

What disappointed you about Woman without a Past?

There was so little emotion in the reading. I love Phyllis Whitney, but I couldn't make myself finish this!!

How did the narrator detract from the book?

so little emotion, made the characters almost unlikable.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

disappointment

More like 'Author without a Plot'

If it weren't for the great narration by Anna Fields, this book would have been a complete waste of time. The premise of twins discovering each other is not new but can result in an interesting plot. Not so in this case. The author spent a lot of time trying to build suspense by having characters ominously repeat lines about "leaving the past in the past" and "don't stir up the swamp" and "your sister needs your help" but they actually don't mean anything. The author also tries to throw the reader off-track by having one character appear insane and another one who can channel ghosts. But at the end, the insane person is suddenly completely lucid and competent and saves the day. The ghost is meaningless. The true murderer is a minor character who really has no reason to threaten the main character. The rationale for the murderer's derangement is not even a part of the story until she confesses. Don't waste your time or a credit on this book.