Audiobooks narrated by John Hopkins

Brought to you by Penguin. Aidan Poole logs on to his laptop late at night to Skype his girlfriend, Zoe. To his horror, he realises that there is someone else in her flat, and Aidan can only listen to the sounds of a violent struggle - and then the chilling sound of silence. Aidan is desperate to find out if Zoe is OK. But then why is he so hesitant to call the police? When his messages finally reach them, DCI Jonah Sheen's and his team take the case - and discover the body. They soon find that no-one has a bad word to say about Zoe, a big-hearted young woman at the centre of a curious web of waifs and strays, every one relying on her for support. Each of these so-called friends is hiding dark secrets and buried resentments: has one of them been driven to do something unspeakable? Or might Aidan have the biggest secret of them all? © Gytha Lodge 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Gytha Lodge (Author), John Hopkins, Vinette Robinson (Narrator)

Audiobook

This is the Night They Come For You: Bestselling author of The Fine Art of Invisible Detection

Brought to you by Penguin. On a stifling afternoon at Police HQ in Algiers, Superintendent Taleb, coasting towards retirement, with not even an air-conditioned office to show for his long years of service, is handed a ticking time bomb of a case which will take him deep into Algeria's troubled past and its fraught relationship with France. To his dismay, he is assigned to work with Agent Hidouchi, an intimidating representative of the country's feared secret service, who makes it clear she intends to call the shots. They are instructed to pursue a former agent, now on the run after twenty years in prison for his part in a high-level corruption scandal. But their search will lead them inexorably towards a greater mystery, surrounding a murder that took place in Paris more than fifty years ago. Uncovering the truth may be his responsibility, but Taleb is well aware that no-one in Algeria wants to be reminded of the dark deeds carried out in the struggle for independence - or in the violence that has racked the nation since. Before long, he will face a choice he has long sought to avoid, between self-preservation and doing the right thing. And, ultimately, the choice may not even be his to make. 'The world's greatest storyteller' THE GUARDIAN 'One of the finest crime writers of any generation' DAILY MAIL © Robert Goddard (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Robert Goddard (Author), John Hopkins, Philip Arditti (Narrator)

Audiobook

Their Darkest Hour: People Tested to the Extreme in WWII

Brought to you by Penguin. Award-winning writer and filmmaker Laurence Rees has spent nearly 20 years meeting people who were tested to the extreme during World War II. He has come face-to-face with rapists, mass murderers, even cannibals, but he has also met courageous individuals who are an inspiration to us all. His quest has taken him from the Baltic States to Japan, from Poland to America, and from Germany to China. Here he presents 35 of his most electrifying encounters. Meet Estera Frenkiel, a young Jewish woman given the chance to save ten fellow Jews from deportation and death; Peter Lee, a British officer brutally treated by his Japanese captors; Zinaida Pytkina, a female member of the Soviet Union's infamous SMERSH organisation, who took pleasure in killing a German Prisoner; Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese soldier so fanatical that he refused to surrender until 29 years after the end of the war; and Petras Zelionka, a Lithuanian who shot Jewish men, women and children for the Nazis. The devastating first-hand testimony in Their Darkest Hour is both a lasting contribution to our understanding of the war and a powerful insight into the behaviour of human beings in crisis. © Laurence Rees 2007 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Laurence Rees (Author), John Hopkins (Narrator)

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The Unwelcome Guest

‘This was one of the best and most unique books I’ve read all year! I just could not freaking put this book down! 87 stars from me!!!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ SHE HAD THE PERFECT MARRIAGE. UNTIL HER MOTHER-IN-LAW MOVED IN… Saffron vowed to love Miles no matter what life threw at them both. But when her mother-in-law moves into their happy family home, Saffron’s shiny life begins to tarnish. Even as Caprice’s barbed comments turn to something more sinister, Saffron hopes the new nanny’s arrival will shield her from the worst of it. She’s starting to feel paranoid in her own home. Little does she realise that Caprice longs for a new daughter-in-law – and she’ll do anything to make that happen… The new gripping domestic thriller from the #1 bestselling author, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Louise Candlish. Readers are GRIPPED by The Unwelcome Guest: ‘A pacy page-turner full of taut toxicity, envy, jealousy and self-interest that I couldn’t put down’ ADRIENNE CHINN ‘Definitely suspenseful and keeps you guessing. A must read!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A domestic nightmare crackling with unrelieved tension’ PAUL FINCH ‘I just couldn’t put this book down. It hooked me from the very beginning!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Highly entertaining and will keep you turning the pages – a toxic treat!’ ALICE HUNTER ‘A superb read – the twist at the end was so unexpected!’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Amanda Robson at her best – intriguing, shocking and twisty. An absolute must-read’ JA CORRIGAN

Amanda Robson (Author), Claire Vousden, John Hopkins, Natalie Beran, Olivia Mace, Thomas Delacourt (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Stationmaster’s Daughter

‘Absolutely broke my heart… I didn’t emerge for breath until I’d tearfully finished the last page. Wonderful.’ Being Anne, 5 stars Dorset, 1935. Stationmaster Ted has never cared much for romance. Occupied with ensuring England’s most beautiful railway runs on time, love has always felt like a comparatively trivial matter. Yet when he meets Annie Galbraith on the 8.42 train to Lynford, he can’t help but instantly fall for her. But when the railway is forced to close and a terrible accident occurs within the station grounds, Ted finds his job and any hope of a relationship with Annie hanging in the balance… Present day. Recovering from heartbreak after a disastrous marriage, Tilly decides to escape from the bustling capital and move to Dorset to stay with her dad, Ken. When Ken convinces Tilly to help with the restoration of the old railway, she discovers a diary hidden in the old ticket office. Tilly is soon swept up in Ted’s story, and the fateful accident that changed his life forever. But an encounter with an enigmatic stranger takes Tilly by surprise, and she can’t help but feel a connection with Ted’s story in the past… Don’t miss this haunting and evocative timeslip novel. Readers LOVE The Stationmaster’s Daughter: ‘A MUST READ in my book!!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars ‘Utterly perfect… A timeslip tale that leaves you wanting more… I loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I may have shed a tear or two!… A definite emotional rollercoaster of a read that will make you both cry and smile.’ Debbie’s Book Reviews, 5 stars ‘Oh my goodness… The pages turned increasingly quickly as my desperation to find out what happened steadily grew and grew.’ Ginger Book Geek, 5 stars ‘Very special… I loved every minute of it.’ Jessica Belmont, 5 stars ‘Brilliant… Very highly recommended!!’ Donnasbookblog, 5 stars ‘Touched my heart! A real page turner… The perfect read for cosying up. I can’t recommend this gorgeous book enough.’ Dash Fan Book reviews, 5 stars

Kathleen Mcgurl (Author), John Hopkins, Sarah Cullum (Narrator)

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The Missing of the Somme

Geoff Dyer (Author), John Hopkins (Narrator)

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The Jaguar Smile

Brought to you by Penguin. An extraordinary and vivid introduction to the country of Nicaragua and its politics from the Booker-winning author of Midnight's Children. In this brilliantly focused and haunting portrait of the people, the politics, the land, and the poetry of Nicaragua, Salman Rushdie brings to the forefront the palpable human facts of a country in the midst of revolution. Rushdie went to Nicaragua in 1986. What he discovered was overwhelming: a land of difficult, often beautiful contradictions, of strange heroes and warrior-poets. Rushdie came to know an enormous range of people, from the foreign minister, a priest, to the midwife who kept a pet cow in her living room. His perceptions always heightened by his sensitivity and his unique flair for language, in The Jaguar Smile, Rushdie brings us the true Nicaragua, where nothing is simple, everything is contested, and life-or-death struggles are an everyday occurrence. 'Stirring and original' New York Times 'A masterpiece of sympathetic yet critical reporting' Edward Said © Salman Rushdie 1987 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Salman Rushdie (Author), John Hopkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

The French Lieutenant's Woman

Brought to you by Penguin. A remarkable performance... As gripping as The Collector and The Magus' Observer Charles Smithson, a respectable engaged man, meets Sarah Woodruff as she stands on the Cobb at Lyme Regis, staring out to sea. Charles falls in love, but Sarah is a disgraced woman, and their romance will defy all the stifling conventions of the Victorian age. Widely acclaimed since publication, The French Lieutenant's Woman is the best-loved of John Fowles's novels. © John Fowles 1969 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

John Fowles (Author), John Hopkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Couple on Maple Drive

***An exclusive podcast episode included with its very own twisty ending! Get it now!!!*** You think you’d know a killer if you met one? Think again. When Isla McKenzie is brutally mugged, it’s her boyfriend Zach who’s there for her, who moves in to look after her when she can barely bring herself to leave the house. But then something else happens, right on their doorstep. And it’s almost like someone’s out to get her… Can Isla and Zach find out the truth before it’s too late? …Or at least before the secrets they’re hiding from each other surface? Because those could be even deadlier… From the USA Today bestselling author Sam Carrington comes an absolutely compelling psychological thriller that will make you question how well you know those closest to you—and how safe you ever are. Perfect for fans of Behind Closed Doors,The Girl on the Train, and Gillian Flynn. Readers are loving The Couple on Maple Drive: ‘A gripping, on the edge of your seat sort of book helped by the fantastic narration… [it] brought the characters to life and made it all the more engrossing.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Phew! This is a real edge of your seat gripping story. My heart was pounding and I was screaming… Sam Carrington certainly knows how to ramp up the tension!’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow! This is a fantastic book and I loved it so much!… I found myself listening whenever I had a spare moment… It was so addictive and it really reeled me in…It felt as though I was watching a movie and was part of the show.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I absolutely loved the audio version. The narrator had a voice that captivated you…This is certainly a book you will want to read or even better listen too.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The narrators… added so much more depth and tension to the story… [It] made me audibly ‘gasp’… creepy, dark, gritty and tense… packs a punch.’ @thebookworm_reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sam Carrington (Author), Beth Chalmers, Elliot Fitzpatrick, Georgia Maguire, John Hopkins, Russell Bentley (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Broken House: Growing up under Hitler

Brought to you by Penguin. In 1965 the German journalist Horst Krüger attended the Auschwitz trial in Frankfurt, where 22 former camp guards were put on trial for the systematic murder of over 1 million men, women and children. Twenty years after the end of the war, this was the first time that the German people were confronted with the horrific details of the Holocaust executed by 'ordinary men' still living in their midst. The trial sent Krüger back to his childhood in the 1930s, in an attempt to understand 'how it really was, that incomprehensible time'. He had grown up in a Berlin suburb, among a community of decent, lower-middle-class homeowners. This was not the world of torch-lit processions and endless ranks of marching SA men. Here, people lived ordinary, non-political lives, believed in God and obeyed the law, but were gradually seduced and intoxicated by the promises of Nazism. He had been, Krüger realised, 'the typical child of innocuous Germans who were never Nazis, and without whom the Nazis would never have been able to do their work'. This world of respectability, order and duty began to crumble when tragedy struck. Krüger's older sister decided to take her own life, leaving the parents struggling to come to terms with the inexplicable. The author's teenage rebellion, his desire to escape the stifling conformity of family life, made him join an anti-Nazi resistance group. He narrowly escaped imprisonment only to be sent to war as Hitler embarked on the conquest of Europe. Step by step, a family that had fallen under the spell of Nazism was being destroyed by it. Written in accomplished prose of lingering beauty, The Broken House is a moving coming-of-age story that provides an unforgettable portrait of life under the Nazis. Yet the book's themes also chime with our own times - how the promise of an 'era of greatness' by a populist leader intoxicates an entire nation, how thin is the veneer of civilisation, and what makes one person a collaborator and another a resister. 'A masterpiece. An astonishing piece of literature' - Thomas Harding © Horst Krüger 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Horst Krüger (Author), John Hopkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Age of The Strongman: How the Cult of the Leader Threatens Democracy around the World

Brought to you by Penguin. In The Age of the Strongman, Gideon Rachman finds global coherence in the chaos of the new nationalism, leadership cults and hostility to liberal democracy. We are in a new era: authoritarian leaders have become a central feature of global politics. Since 2000, self-styled strongmen have risen to power in capitals as diverse as Moscow, Beijing, Delhi, Brasilia, Budapest, Ankara, Riyadh and Washington. These leaders are nationalists and social conservatives, with little tolerance for minorities, dissent or the interests of foreigners. At home, they claim to be standing up for ordinary people against globalist elites; abroad, they posture as the embodiments of their nations. And everywhere they go, they encourage a cult of personality. What's more, these leaders are not just operating in authoritarian political systems but have begun to emerge in the heartlands of liberal democracy. While in the West the EU referendum and the election of Donald Trump in 2016 mark a watershed, the new era started at the beginning of the new millennium, when Vladimir Putin took power in Russia. How and why did this new style of strongman leadership arrive? How likely is it to lead the world into war or economic collapse? And what liberal forces are in place not only to keep these strongmen in check but to reverse the trend? From Trump, Putin and Bolsonaro to Erdogan, Xi and Modi, Gideon Rachman pays full attention to the strongman phenomenon around the world and uncovers the complex and often surprising interaction between these leaders. Whilst others have tried to understand the emergence of these new leaders individually, The Age of the Strongman provides the first truly global treatment of the new nationalism, underpinned by an exceptional level of access to key actors in this drama: Gideon Rachman has been in the same room with most of these strongmen and reported from their countries over a long journalistic career. © Gideon Rachman 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Gideon Rachman (Author), Gideon Rachman, John Hopkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

She Lies in Wait

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge, read by John Hopkins, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Joe Coen and Gytha Lodge. Six friends. One killer. Who do you trust? On a hot July night in 1983, six school friends go camping in the forest. Bright and brilliant, they are destined for great things, and young Aurora Jackson is dazzled to be allowed to tag along. Thirty years later, a body is discovered. DCI Sheens is called to the scene, but he already knows what's waiting for him: Aurora Jackson, found at long last. But that's not all. The friends have all maintained their innocence, but the body is found in a hideaway only the six of them knew about. It seems the killer has always lurked very close to home...

Gytha Lodge (Author), Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Gytha Lodge, Joe Coen, John Hopkins (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by John Hopkins