Carolyn Fry

Advantages: Superb story, interesting believable characters
Disadvantages: It ends

...If ever you’re lying in bed at night, wondering when you might finally drop off to sleep, contemplating just when you might feel that warm fuzziness begin to steal over you, perhaps you could spare a thought for Ralph. I don’t know how long you’ve been lying there, I don’t know how many nights you’ve felt this way, but I know that it’s probably not as long as Ralph. It’s since Carolyn died you see. His wife, his love, his companion, his friend: since she died to the ticking of the deathwatch. Since then Ralph has been waking up earlier and earlier. He can’t think straight, he can’t function, he’s confused and frustrated, but above all he’s oh so very miserable. A month after Carolyn’s death Ralph was waking up at 6am, only an hour earlier than normal. But another month on and his eyes were opening by 5.15, another month and yet... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good plot
Disadvantages: Very slow moving at the beginning

...The story is centred around a theatre group from the West End, who are touring around New Zealand. Roderick Alleyn, recently having had a major operation, is recuperating in New Zealand. On a train, he meets the theatre group, one member of which he knows. He is concerned to find that the owner of the theatre company and husband of the leading lady was nearly killed during the course of the journey and a sum of money is stolen from another member of the group. Following a successful show in the next port of call, the group have a party for the leading lady, Carolyn Dacres, to which Alleyn has also been invited. Her husband has rigged up a system for a huge bottle of wine to be lowered slowly from the ceiling. Unfortunately, the system has been tampered with and the bottle of champagne comes crashing down to land on the husband, killing him... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great tone created
Disadvantages: Childish tale

...Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (the first in the series of best selling Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling) is read by Stephen Fry. Stephen Fry expertly captures the voice and tone of the book. An absolute brilliant narrated performance by Stephen Fry. Stephen Fry has become the voice of Harry Potter. The story is a simple tale of a child who goes to a boarding school and encounters details. But this is no ordinary boarding school, this is a school for magic. We find out as Harry does that he is a wizard. We hear about his terrible past, were his parents were murdered by a dark wizard (Lord Voldermort) We hear the story of Harry's first year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry and his first steps into the magical world.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful