Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Collector
- Author: Nora Roberts
- Narrator: Julia Whelan
- Length: 15:47:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 15/04/2014
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
- Genre: Romance, Fiction & Literature, Mystery, Contemporary Women
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
The moment Julia Whelan’s voice first danced through my headphones while I was navigating the winding streets of Lisbon’s Alfama district, I knew “The Collector” would be more than just another romantic suspense novel. Nora Roberts’ tale of Lila Emerson – the professional house-sitter who witnesses a murder – unfolded around me like the intricate azulejo tiles adorning the Portuguese buildings, each piece revealing part of a larger, more beautiful pattern.
Roberts has always excelled at creating characters who feel like people you might meet in a cozy café or share a train compartment with, and Lila is no exception. As someone who’s spent years living out of suitcases between assignments, I recognized that particular blend of rootlessness and rich experience that defines her character. The way Whelan voices Lila – with this wonderful mix of practical New Yorker and dreamy romantic – reminded me of a woman I met in Marrakech who ran a tiny bookshop in the medina, equally comfortable haggling over prices as discussing Proust.
The novel’s art world setting transported me back to my first visit to Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, where I learned how objects carry stories beyond their material value. Roberts weaves this theme beautifully throughout the mystery, making the stolen antiquities as compelling as the human drama. Whelan’s narration captures this perfectly – when describing Ashton Archer’s sculptures, her voice takes on this tactile quality that makes you feel you could reach out and touch the cool marble.
What makes this audiobook truly special is how Whelan handles the romantic tension. There’s a particular scene where Lila and Ash are arguing in an Italian villa that took me right back to overhearing a couple’s passionate disagreement in a Venetian alleyway – the way emotions can turn on a dime from frustration to desire. Whelan nails those transitions with subtle shifts in tone and pacing that would make any audiobook director proud.
The mystery elements hold up well, though seasoned thriller readers might predict some twists. Where the book truly shines is in its sensory details – Roberts’ descriptions of places (from Manhattan penthouses to Italian villas) are so vivid they create what I call ‘armchair travel with benefits.’ Whelan’s delivery enhances this, her pronunciation of Italian phrases rolling off the tongue like good wine.
Compared to other Roberts audiobooks, this stands among her stronger romantic suspense offerings. It lacks some of the supernatural elements of her “In Death” series but makes up for it with grounded, relatable characters. The closest comparison would be “The Witness”, though “The Collector” feels more cosmopolitan in its settings.
For potential listeners, I’d recommend this if you enjoy:
– Romantic suspense with intelligent protagonists
– Stories that make you feel like you’re traveling without leaving your couch
– Narrators who can handle both steamy scenes and murder investigations with equal skill
– Audiobooks where the setting becomes almost another character
My only critique is that some of the art world details occasionally feel researched rather than lived-in, though Whelan’s confident delivery smooths over these moments. And while the romance follows familiar beats, the chemistry between the leads – especially in audio format – makes it feel fresh.
As I listened to the final chapters while walking along the Tagus River, the sunset painting the water the same gold as the novel’s antique treasures, I realized this was one of those rare audiobooks that enhances your actual surroundings. The story’s themes of finding home in unexpected places resonated deeply with this perpetual traveler.
May your journeys – both literary and literal – be filled with such rich discoveries,
Marcus
Marcus Rivera
