Contemporary Thrillers
Power Play (2014) by Catherine Coulter and read by MacLeod Andrews and Renee Raudman had some likeable and despicable characters but with an overly burdened plot (or should I say “plots”?) and mystical elements (most notably a villain capable of instant hypnosis), this audiobook was just okay. I did like the reading; having clearly male and female voicings helped me follow the story. Andrews did a nice job with the British accents. The epilogue was particularly disappointing – instead of an HEA we’re reintroduced to one of the minor characters in what I assume was a segue into a future novel… but since there’s no action, no dilemma, the ending really fizzles out.
Point Blank (2005) by Catherine Coulter and read by Dick Hill followed Coulter’s template of intersecting but distinct villains, a bomb blast, and a tough woman falling in love. I liked this novel better than Power Play because the characters’ capabilities were more believable and because the ending was much more satisfying. Hill’s reading was fine, including his female characters.