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Two O'Clock, Eastern Wartime (Abridged): A Novel Audiobook
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(3.06) - 373 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
It's the summer of 1942 at radio station WHAR on the New Jersey coast. As bombs fall on Britain, a troupe of gallant actors, sound effects people, writers, and producers explores the promise of this exhilarating medium, struggling to create programming that entertains, informs, and enlightens its listeners.
Into this intense community come Jack Dulaney and Holly Carnahan, determined to find Holly's missing father, who sent his last desperate missive from this noisy seaside town. Holly sings like an angel and quickly becomes a star. Jack -- a onetime novelist who's hit every kind of trouble -- gets hooked by the extraordinary power of radio and discovers that he can write scripts with the best of them.
Holly's father is nowhere to be found, and soon it seems that his disappearance may be linked to an English actor who walked out of the station six years earlier and was never seen again. It is a link that sonic people will do anything to hide -- including murder.
Like E. L. Doctorow in Billy Bathgate or Caleb Carr in The Alienist, Dunning has written a magnificent story of mystery, murder, and revenge that brings to life another era.
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"I listened to the book years ago. I was reminded of it after listening to "The Postmistress". It has all the flaws that other reviewers noted, but still packs a lot of entertainment if you are interested in radio and the impact of World War II on the East Coast. I found it fascinating to read about the behind the scenes work in putting together a radio production. The mystery part is confusing, no doubt about it, but if you hang in there, it all comes together. I definitely recommend listening to this as it is less effort and pulls you along through the muddled parts."
— Loretta (4 out of 5 stars)
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“John Dunning has to be one of the finest writers in America. As always, he has put together a winning mix of intrigue, romance, conspiracy, and shrewd villains. Two O’Clock, Eastern Wartime is brilliantly conceived from start to finish. John delivers, and no reader could ask for more.”
— Clive Cussler, #1 New York Times bestselling author -
“What a great book—full of suspense, romance, and mesmerizing old-time radio lore…If you haven’t yet discovered John Dunning, you have a treat in store.”
— Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author -
“Reading John Dunning’s Two O’Clock, Eastern Wartime is like going to radio lovers’ heaven. He brings the excitement of listening to and working in radio to life on almost every page…Reads like the best of the radio thrillers.”
— Stuart M. Kaminsky, author of the Toby Peters novels and Vengeance -
“In a world of overhyped authors, John Dunning is the real thing. He has the storyteller’s gift, mastery of the writer’s craft, and deep insight into human behavior. Dunning’s books are welcome gifts to us all.”
— Greg Iles, author of 24 Hours and The Quiet Game
Two O'Clock, Eastern Wartime Listener Reviews
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" Jack Dulaney goes looking for answers in radio, 1942 "
— Debbie, 2/20/2014 -
" We both read this. Javaczuk liked it; I liked bits of it, enough to finish the book, but it was slow reading.Interesting historical perspectives, but rather dry at times. I liked it more when the author focused in on the Holly story, rather than the scripts. But I'm a romantic at heart. "
— bookczuk, 2/18/2014 -
" Amazing! I wish I could give it more than five stars. "
— Kristin, 2/3/2014 -
" Maybe the perfect novel. Great story, characters, pacing. "
— Pureschmaltz, 2/2/2014 -
" I've read all of the Bookman series, so I thought I'd like this. It was tedious. "
— Linda, 1/26/2014 -
" This will be my second Dunning and from here on out, I will buy anything I see with his name on it. This book was simply outstanding except for what I consider one small miss at the end but oh well. A great read. "
— Randy, 1/15/2014 -
" Another John Dunning hit! "
— Robert, 1/14/2014 -
" Interesting characters, wonderful sense of time and place (set in America during WWII and in the world of live radio) "
— Dana, 1/5/2014 -
" This turned out to be more a story of old-time radio than a mystery story - the mystery was pretty weak - but I did find the radio story interesting. "
— Anna, 12/30/2013 -
" This novel, set in 1942 New Jersey, is about the new medium of live radio, and it's a mystery of a man who may have been involved in a Nazi spy ring. An excellent historical novel. "
— Christina, 12/24/2013 -
" Disapointing and way too long. "
— Linda, 12/23/2013 -
" I read this book a number of years ago and I still remember it fondly. Very atmospheric. "
— Chris, 12/11/2013 -
" I read this awhile back before he wrote the second two Janeway books. I liked it. "
— Gay, 11/25/2013 -
" This book isn't really good or really bad. It felt like a good story about radio in the 1940s shoved into a poor mystery. I'm still not sure what the killer's motives were, or the whole sequence of events that led up to the storyline. "
— John, 1/29/2013 -
" I found this book facinating. To read about another media (old-time-radio) was very new since as old as I am I do not remember radio very well at all. "
— John, 8/23/2012 -
" Just really enjoyed reading about it took to produce a radio show in the 1940's. Better than the mystery element, but I got this book because I was fan of his Bookman novels which are excellent mysteries. "
— Michelle, 7/14/2012 -
" I've read several of John Dunning's books and plan to read more. They can be very different from each other. This book is dense with the details of working at a radio station during WW2. "
— Anneli, 4/19/2012 -
" This was one of the best books I have ever read. It was just a wonderfully written story. I gave it to everyone I knew and they all loved it. "
— Kimberly, 10/5/2011 -
" An interesting story, mostly for the wartime and radio history -- I didn't think the actual mystery was all that compelling. "
— Jared, 7/22/2011 -
" This was such a wonderful read. Absolutely loved it and have read it a second time since. Will read again for sure. "
— Peter, 6/1/2010 -
" This was one of the best books I have ever read. It was just a wonderfully written story. I gave it to everyone I knew and they all loved it. "
— Kimberly, 2/12/2010 -
" I read this book a number of years ago and I still remember it fondly. Very atmospheric. "
— Chris, 1/17/2010 -
" This story hearkens back to a time almost completely past. The 1940s and WWII era very few remember now and they're passing. I remember the 1950s and there were still radio dramas then, but it wasn't the war. <br/> <br/>You'll get to know the people in this book, and remember them. "
— Mike, 11/20/2009 -
" A book about the creative process, love, loss, World War ii radio, cloaked in mystery. Very strong characters make this a stand out book for me.The weakest part of the book is the mystery. Well worth the time to read. "
— Paul, 4/23/2009 -
" This book isn't really good or really bad. It felt like a good story about radio in the 1940s shoved into a poor mystery. I'm still not sure what the killer's motives were, or the whole sequence of events that led up to the storyline. "
— John, 8/29/2008 -
" An interesting story, mostly for the wartime and radio history -- I didn't think the actual mystery was all that compelling. "
— Jared, 8/28/2008 -
" I'm not much into this type of historical thriller, but found an entertaining, vacation read. "
— Katie, 7/31/2008 -
" I found this book facinating. To read about another media (old-time-radio) was very new since as old as I am I do not remember radio very well at all. "
— John, 7/13/2008 -
" I read this awhile back before he wrote the second two Janeway books. I liked it. "
— Gay, 10/10/2007
About John Dunning
John Dunning has revealed some of book collecting’s most shocking secrets in his bestselling series of crime novels featuring Cliff Janeway. Those books have won the prestigious Nero Wolfe Award, been New York Times Notable Books, and becoming New York Times and Book Sense bestsellers. Dunning is also the author of the Edgar Award–nominated Deadline, The Holland Suggestions, and Two O'Clock, Eastern Wartime. An expert on rare and collectible books, he owned the Old Algonquin Bookstore in Denver for many years. He is also an expert on American radio history and the author of On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. His other jobs have included glass cutter, racetrack groom, and political publicist. He lives in Denver, Colorado.
About Boyd Gaines
Boyd Gaines is an Earphones Award–winning narrator and an actor whose many film credits include Second Best, I’m Not Rappaport, Heartbreak Ridge, Fame, and Porky’s. He’s won two Tony Awards for performances in the The Heidi Chronicles and the musical She Loves Me. On television he has appeared in A Woman Called Jackie, A Son’s Promise, and in the popular series One Day at a Time.