The Journey

Anna Kronberg Series, Book 3

By: Annelie Wendeberg

Narrated by: Anna Parker-Naples

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

With her darkest nightmare come true and an assassin following her every step, Anna Kronberg must hurry to find the true motivation behind Moriarty's plan to use disease as a weapon. Bit by bit, she and Sherlock Holmes unravel a spider web of crime, espionage, and bioterrorism that spreads across continents.

©2014 Annelie Wendeberg (P)2017 Tantor

The narrator.

The narrator on both this book and the previous one, was so hard to listen to, because of the "quarrelsome old person" sound, the accent added to the sound, and her tendency to lower her voice at the end of some sentences. I had to go back and replay so many places. it was really frustrating.

I appreciated the story line, the construction of the book, but that voice ruined it for me. I almost didn't get the second, continuation of the first!
When I started the first, I had thought something was wrong with the sound, then realized it was her affectation!

I'd like to hear her real voice!

On the Run

Sherlock Holmes is much more in play as this international high stakes game is afoot. (Yep, I went there)

Throughout this series a powerful reminder of what women endured and overcame to experience life on their terms no matter what obstacles they faced. From the impoverished mothers in a rookery, a brilliant mind that can match wits with Sherlock Holmes or the gilded cage of the highborn. This has an excellent number of mysteries that weaves an entrancing web.
The Character of Anna is all things strong women should exhibit—sharp intellect, strength of purpose, a vulnerability when her heart is aroused. This book has Anna wrestling (sometimes ad nauseam) with her choices, their consequences and self flagellating herself through literal fields, streams and bog. Then through multiple nations (which are Magnificently described) to try to unravel the Gordian knot that has become her life. For various reasons she’s wrestling with her morality and major philosophical issues. Do we all struggle with these at times? Of course we do but the illogical and self depreciating tone didn’t ring true of the Anna we’ve come to know and love. Very large life questions aren’t decided by someone so intelligent and educated on emotionalism.

I’ve listened to the first 4 books on Audible and the Narrator’s voice and characterization of Anna, the shrillness, the German accent which always seems off somehow and poor transition between female and male characters had me gritting my teeth my at times. Sherlock Holmes sounds like a effeminate harpy. Sadly Watson and Moriarity are the best voices portrayed.

The WRITING is very good. Historical, political/cultural and medical research was excellent and could really transport you to Newgate Prison, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, London Tea Shops as well as, of course, 221B Baker Street.

The vacillating, moral quandary and Sherlock Holmes is the least recognizable in this book but we’re given an interesting psychological forensic backstory to explain it. I do not mind “increasing the Holmesian mythology”.
At the very least, do yourself a favor and listen the sample. Text to speech would have been a better alternative. The Narrator is good in her other dramatic readings.

I will be reading the next two books on my Kindle. Overall, I highly recommend this book series to your Sherlock Holmes repertoire.