The Practice of Deceit

By: Elizabeth Benedict

Narrated by: Richard Poe

Washington Post Book World Best Book of the Year winner, National Book Award finalist, and New York Times best-selling author Elizabeth Benedict explores the sometimes disturbing psychology of relationships.

Successful psychotherapist Eric Lavender is a confirmed bachelor until he meets alluring Colleen O'Brien Golden - a sexy divorce attorney with an elaborately concealed and fiercely guarded past.

©2005 Elizabeth Benedict (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Brilliant! I have to take breaks...

from work to keep listening to this treasure. The prose is rich, the characters complex and the narrator perfect!! I dread the ending of this book. I hope Audible attains more material from this gifted author!!

loved it

Loved the language, the narrator, the story and the characters. I am going to listen to this book once again, I loved it so much!

Don't Miss This One

I've listened to a lot of stories in the past few years, and this one stands out as one of the best. You are pulled in quickly and you want to stay with it. One of those where you feel a little sad when it ends.

Caught in THEE trap

Where does The Practice of Deceit rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is a TEN. No big plot, no big mystery, but you are committed to staying with our hero from the beginning.

What did you like best about this story?

You become addicted to the scenario. It grabs you and you can't let go.

What about Richard Poe’s performance did you like?

Excellent

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The whole book is an exciting moment from one chapter to the next. A confirmed bachelor, and a very good man, caught in the web, with a tricky tricky sexy lawyer wife, and how will he end up?

Any additional comments?

Excellent all the way around. It reminds me of THE BULLET, in that you are compelled to get through this with the hero or heroine.

Upset.

This was wonderfully written, but I wanted more. I left me feeling upset that it didn’t have more. Idk what else could have happened. BUT it was great & I loved every page.

Harrowing and believable

This book is beautifully written. It builds gradually to a nightmare scenario - but never with blunt instruments or gratuitous thrills. The way the story is told in the first person keeps the action very close. I don't think it's easy to tell stories in the first person unless the writer is very skilled and economical in their prose. This book held me rapt for the whole of the telling. Luckily I was on a long car ride for most of it. The narrator is first rate. I remember him from Stegner's Crossing to Safety. His phrasing is terrific, and he inspires real connection with the protagonist.

Good until about 3/4 of the way through.

This held my interest well until about 3/4 through where it seemed the writing went downhill. An intelligent, self confident protagonist turned into a clueless wimp. I found the last chapter’s monologue sappy and much too long winded. I did like the narration, however and would probably have walked away at the 3/4 point if not for that.

Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat!!!

Couldnt put this book down the narrator did an excellent job of holding my attention, I didn't expect the ending at all it left me speechless.....good read!!

I Recommend this novel

A terrific novel and very well read.
I wish Elizabeth Benedict’s novel, “Almost” was also available.

Whaaaaat?

I rarely stop reading a book, but this one was unreadable. 5 chapters was all I could handle.