The Echo of Old Books

A Novel

By: Barbara Davis

Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson, Steve West, Sarah Zimmerman

Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

A novel about the magical lure of books and summoning the courage to rewrite our stories by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Keeper of Happy Endings and The Last of the Moon Girls.

Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books’ previous owners—an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance.

With no trace of how these mysterious books came into the world, Ashlyn is caught up in a decades-old literary mystery, beckoned by two hearts in ruins, whoever they were, wherever they are. Determined to learn the truth behind the doomed lovers’ tale, she reads on, following a trail of broken promises and seemingly unforgivable betrayals. The more Ashlyn learns about Hemi and Belle, the nearer she comes to bringing closure to their love story—and to the unfinished chapters of her own life.

©2023 Barbara Davis (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“[The] dueling timelines, packed with twists and turns, should appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.”—Booklist

“The author’s ability to present two different, but related, heartbreaking stories inside her own novel and keep all the voices distinct is so impressive. The fascinating characters and the beauty of the writing pull the reader in…Highly recommended.”—Historical Novels Review

“Delightful! …very satisfying. Barbara Davis endings usually are!”—Midwest Book Review

Beautifully written

I loved how the stories entwined like a beautiful conversation. Brilliantly written and narrated, highly recommend this book. A pleasure to listen to.

What a lovely book

Didn’t know what to expect …
What I found was how eager I was to get back to it, whenever I was interrupted or as the days often required my attention to something else.
It’s a lovely lovely story. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it I imagine I’ll keep it saved for another listen when I need a moment to just breathe.

Echo of Old Books

This is a really good story on the intellectual side and very clever. Not usually a fan of multiple narrators but this performance is special. Don't be put off by the title.

Two Books Intertwined

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was an extra special treat to hear the names of town I have lived in, on both coasts. I think Ms. Davis has become a new favorite author. I am excited to explore more of her books.

Storyline

Best book I’ve listened to in a while! Very well written and narrated, five stars

Unique story that kept my attention

As a book lover, the title caught my attention. The story drew me in quickly and kept me interested to the point where I listened to it every spare moment I had for several days until it was finished. Satisfying, and very enjoyable.

Incredible read

The crafting of the story is a masterpiece. The interweave of phenomenal description pulls you forward with the story to paints a picture as you read about the life of the characters. The intrigue is presented at just the right times to keep you on the edge of your seat. The audible narration is wonderful as well. Great read.

Enjoyed the separate time lines

Good read. Makes you question if things are actually what they seem
Narration well done

Beautifully written and narrated story

I very much enjoyed the way the story unfolded for each character. The story and each character was well developed and tied together nicely.

Be patient

Almost gave up and even stopped to read another book but I’m so glad I picked it back up. I really enjoyed this book. I also enjoyed in the narrators.