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Speaks the Nightbird cover art

Speaks the Nightbird

Written by: Robert R. McCammon
Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
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Publisher's Summary

Audie Award Nominee, Fiction, 2013

Judgment of the Witch

The Carolinas, 1699: The citizens of Fount Royal believe a witch has cursed their town with inexplicable tragedies - and they demand that beautiful widow Rachel Howarth be tried and executed for witchcraft. Presiding over the trial is traveling magistrate Issac Woodward, aided by his astute young clerk, Matthew Corbett. Believing in Rachel's innocence, Matthew will soon confront the true evil at work in Fount Royal....

Evil Unveiled

After hearing damning testimony, magistrate Woodward sentences the accused witch to death by burning. Desperate to exonerate the woman he has come to love, Matthew begins his own investigation among the townspeople. Piecing together the truth, he has no choice but to vanquish a force more malevolent than witchcraft in order to save his beloved Rachel - and free Fount Royal from the menace claiming innocent lives.

©2002 Robert McCammon (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

What the critics say

“Edoardo Ballerini performs this story of accusation and fear flawlessly. He effortlessly switches his pitch, accents, and timbre to suit the unfortunate Rachel Howarth, the endless curious Corbett, and the various determined characters, good and evil.” (AudioFile)
"a compelling story that should find a wide readership. Highly recommended for popular fiction collections." (Library Journal)
"An excellent story, full of tension and suspense.” (Stephen King)

What listeners say about Speaks the Nightbird

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Fantastic!

Narrator was excellent and I love the story. I have read this whole series, but the audiobook book really brought it to life. The narration was phenomenal.

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4 people found this helpful

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A wonderful story, well worth listening to.

The story was engaging from the start. i wasn't sure how much I would enjoy a story set in colonial times but I was very quickly invested.

I just finished it minutes ago and I am thinking back to the beginning, the middle and the end and I realize that I have very vivid "snapshots" of all of it imprinted in my mind. I can see the characters and I can see the landscape, right down to the rats and the straw.

The characters were all relatable and memorable and the overall story was enthralling.

I have to say that the narrator, Edoardo Ballerini is simply the best I have ever heard. he has an arsenal of voices, all of them unique and all of them uniquely tied to the characters from the first time he speaks as them to the last time and he never waivers. He is brilliant and he, without doubt, was the secret sauce that made this story, which on its own is great even better.

His native American language skills were so believable and spot on in his enunciation that one might think that he has the blood in him. Truly amazing.

He is so good that I may start searching out stories he narrates simply because he was so amazing.

I switched from actual books to kindle to audio simply because I love listening to stories. I judge the strength of a book by how quickly I start to empathize with the characters and I am able to paint scenery in my mind that I call up as I pick the story up again. Mr. McCammon writes the way I like to listen and for that, I am grateful.

Hats off too him and to Mr. Ballerini.

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amazing!

absolutely loved the story and narrator. highly recommended! Made my drive to work not seem so long anymore as I was totally absorbed in the story.

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Wonderful!

A captivating story that, through the voice of a masterful narrator, transports the listener back through time. Here, you can experience the world of 1699, the beliefs, trials and tribulations of the people who fought for a better life in the new world.
An exquisite tale, I highly recommend it!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Amazing

I’ve never listened to a book that was this long but I was captivated the entire time. The details, the narration everything was spell binding and I was enthralled and so curious as to what was happening the whole time. Loved it!

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Great storytelling

This book grabs you from the start and doesn’t let up. The narrator, Edoardo Ballerini is fantastic. The visual images he creates through the use of his voice is the best I have heard. To both author and narrator, well done! I am on to book two with enthusiasm.

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Phenomenal Novel with Top Notch Narration

It was thirty hours long? I can't tell... I was sad when it ended! Just bought the next book in the series!

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An Excellent Read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was brilliantly written , and the narration excellent. I found myself transported back to 1699 in the USA when slavery still existed and witches were burned at the stake. The story hi lighted the hardships and challenges associated with the development of new colonies. The attention to detail was incredible. The story was suspenseful, with many elements of love and loss. I highly recommend it! It's a great listen for long walks, or long drives!

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Speaks the Nightbird

The story kept me reading for long periods. Because it was so interesting. There are many characters but they are so well chacterized that I knew them all.

I recommend this book of historic fiction to anyone that enjoys a good mystery.

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Fantastic Novel!!!

This novel has great characterization. It is a winding tale but so good!!! The descriptions are so clear and the story so well developed. I look forward to reading/listening to future novels by Robert R. McCammon. And the narrator Edoardor Ballerini was perfect. I encourage others to read this novel!!!

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