Strange Affair

De: Peter Robinson

Narrado por: Simon Prebble

Chief Inspector Alan Banks faces his most personal case from New York Times bestselling author Peter Robinson.

A bullet to the brain abruptly halted a terrified young woman's desperate flight. In her pocket is the name of a policeman whose own life was brutally invaded, mercilessly shaken, and very nearly erased—a policeman who has since gone missing.

The dead woman in the car had been running from something—but she didn't run far or fast enough. Detective Inspector Annie Cabbot would like to question the man the victim was apparently racing to meet: Annie's superior—and former lover—Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks. But Banks has vanished into the anonymous chaos of the city, drawn into a mad whirl of greed, inhumanity, and death, by a frantic phone call from the brother he no longer knows. Banks is unaware that the threads connecting a sinister kidnapping with a savage slaying are as thick as rope . . . and long enough for a haunted and broken rogue cop to hang himself.

One of his most, clever, twisting thrillers, Strange Affair attests once again why readers love and can’t get enough of Peter Robinson’s novels of suspense.

©2005 Peter Robinson; (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Great listen

Well paced, interesting. Plot unfolds without confusing the listener. Very good story, very well read.

Very, Very Abridged

OK. This is abridged--very and noticeably abridged. Although I am usually loath to purchase an abridged book, this was the only other Robinson book narrated by Simon Prebble I didn't already have.

I agree with other reviewers who noted that none of Robinson's words are superfluous. In spite of this, however, I still gave this book three stars. It is certainly still better than many books out there, and Simon Prebble gave his usual outstanding performance. The novel is definitely performed, not just read.

The abridgement of this book was extreme. When you notice that Robinson's unabridged novels are all more than ten hours, while this one was a mere five and a half, you will see that it has been severely cut. And it is noticeable. Most of the time, it appears that the ends of scenes have been eliminated. Basically anything that did not directly advance the plot was cut. So, no real character development, no chatty places, just a plot-driven mystery.

All that said, it was still entertaining and kept me in suspense, and there were no places I couldn't follow because of a missing scene. If you're dying to hear Simon Prebble read another Peter Robinson novel, this is acceptable. Just don't expect it to unfold gracefully like a full-length novel. Robinson's intricate plot still stands out, though, and Banks's character remained intact.

I knew it was abridged when I bought it; I can't complain TOO much... But it is certainly no substitute for the full-length novel.

I understand the one-star ratings-- that's certainly fair in comparison with an unabridged Robinson. But in comparison with audio books in general, it definitely deserves at least three stars: It was entertaining and the narration was outstanding.

Just Love Peter Robinson

Would you consider the audio edition of Strange Affair to be better than the print version?

I have a 50 minute commute each way and listening to novels like this is how I reduce the stress and make the time more pleasurable. I enjoy Peter Robinson very much.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Alan Banks is my favorite. I like his approach to solving the crime and I can identify with his approach to life.

What about Simon Prebble???s performance did you like?

Simon is terrific

Don't buy abriged books

I agree with the other reviewers.

Warning, Abridged.

Another waste of time and Peter Robinson's talent. Robinson doesn't write "too many words" and what literary genius decides which parts are dispensible? One could weep with frustration.
Go buy the book. It's excellent. But don't waste your ears on an abridged version.