The Cloud of Unknowing

By: Thomas H. Cook

Narrated by: Stephen Hoye

David Sears grew up in the shadow of his brilliant younger sister, Diana, convinced by their father that she would accomplish great things. Instead, she married and had a son, Jason, who, like David and Diana's father, is schizophrenic. Her husband, Mark, a geneticist, never made peace with Jason's condition.

Perhaps this is why, when Jason drowns, Diana will not accept the authorities' conclusion that his death was accidental. Or perhaps Diana is going mad. She begins to send David faxes and e-mails about ancient murders, driven by her growing belief that the earth is Gaia, a living witness to her son's murder who could give evidence in the case she is building against her husband. David soon fears for his own family's safety as the seductive qualities of Diana's manic energy become impossible to ignore.

In The Cloud of Unknowing, Cook explores the power of blood and family mythology.

©2007 Thomas H. Cook (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"In crisp, chilling prose, Cook...deftly juxtaposes the maddeningly complex Sears family and a straight-shooting detective." (Booklist)
"[An] unusual, chilling mystery....Cook reveals all the pieces of the shocking story with an absolutely steady hand. It's a bravura performance." (Publishers Weekly)

Change the narrator!

Could not get past the painfully ponderous narration. This sounds like it is a good book, but I just couldn't get through more than an hour.

Needs Another Reader

I love Thomas H. Cook. He is one of the most literary authors out there today. This audiobook would have been a lot more enjoyable without the reader's gravitas. There are parts of the book that need a reflective and grave attitude. But even in normal dialog, Mr. Hoye's protagonist speaks as if the sky will fall any moment. The book itself is quite good, and the confrontation with the sister near the end is fabulous. But the lead up may have the listener wishing for a ray of sunshine.

Horrible

I hated this book and only listened to it because I spent money on it. The narrator puts you to sleep and the story is so disjointed that you end up believing that the author is mentally ill and passed it onto his characters. Do not get this book. It is the worst I have ever listened to. Maybe if Fran Drescher read it to me, it might have been some what entertaining.