True Believers

Narrator Vanessa Hart is the perfect pick to deliver this thought-provoking political mystery. Karen Hollander, a famous attorney who once turned down consideration for the Supreme Court, decides to write her memoir. But rich and powerful friends from her youth, which took place in the turbulent 1960s, are worried because Karen has kept a secret for more than 40 years, and it's a big one. Hart, whose voice has been described as Òliquid honey,Ó simply becomes the sexy, smart lawyer. Her portrayal of the supporting characters is equally well done, perfectly capturing the nuances, rhythms, and speech patterns that make each character distinct. This insightful story is presented to perfection by a master narrator. A.C.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

May 14, 2012
Try as he might, author, journalist, and radio host Andersen (Reset) never quite captures the female voice of law professor Karen Hollaender, who, in the process of publishing her memoirs, makes a stunning revelation about her past. Anderson does, however, successfully depict the political and social turmoil of the mid 1960s as Karen revisits the radicalizing angst that led her and her trio of male friends to devise a plan that would indelibly alter the course of history. As teenagers in their Chicago suburb, Karen, Alex Macallister, and Chuck Levy spent hours staging James Bond fantasies. Tracing their transformation into budding ’60s student radicals, Andersen credibly shows why so many smart young privileged people became passionate about social justice, embraced anarchy and insurrection, and in many cases ended up snitching for the U.S. government. The author’s observations from a baby boomer’s perspective, about differences between the post-9/11 world and the 1960s, along with an intriguing behind-the-scenes look at intelligence and its role in both the past and present adds pizzazz to a tale that falters because of an unconvincing narrator. Agent: Suzanne Gluck, WME Entertainment.