Leave Her to Heaven Audiobook By Ben Ames Williams cover art

Leave Her to Heaven

Rediscovered Classics

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Leave Her to Heaven

By: Ben Ames Williams
Narrated by: Mike Dennis
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This classic best-selling novel about a man who encounters a woman whose power to destroy is as strong as her power to love evokes Hemingway in its naturalistic portrayal of elemental forces in both nature and humanity. Ellen's beauty was radiant, and Harland had been so struck with her personality and the strength of her character that he knew he could never leave her. When he found that she returned his adoration, he could marry her with joy, bothered just momentarily by a strange premonition. It was only later, when the premonition became a horrifying reality that he realized the glowing loveliness of the woman he had married was the true face of evil.

©2007 Ben Ames Williams (P)2016 Chicago Review Press Classics Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction
Compelling Psychological Thriller • Rich Atmospheric Details • Comfortable Narration Pace • Compelling Storyline
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I had to pause several times during the book just to calm down. I was often outraged that Ellen could get away with so many of her wrongdoings. She was a completely selfish, horrible woman. I had a lot of anger for her. I really felt a connection to these characters and the story. There were so many beautiful words and scenes in this book. I think it captured so much of what I imagine that time period was like. I really enjoyed it.
The performance was great. I didn't love the voice he used for Ruth, who was my favorite character, but Ellen was done very well. He captured the men perfectly.
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.

Hard to think about

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This is a pretty good story, pretty good narration. The characters are somewhat one-dimensional: all bad (Ellen, Quinton) all good (Ruth and just about everyone else) but the story is nevertheless compelling. We could do without the final chapter; it drones on and adds nothing.

Blast from the Past

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, but only certain ones. With how slow it all started with the man going back home not all my friends would have the ability to stay with it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Ellen was my favorite only because she made me really mad and disgusted that there really are people like her out there.

Which scene was your favorite?

I actually really enjoyed the beginning with him going back home and just the imagery of what he was seeing to what he remembered the last time he saw it.

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

I loved that Ruth was there waiting for him at the end, although really surprised he was welcoming to seeing her. to me it would be even more of a reminder of what happened, but so would returning home i guess.

Any additional comments?

"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."

Leave Her to Heaven

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What did you love best about Leave Her to Heaven?

The portrayal of the characters and their uniqueness which fit tightly into this great story.

What did you like best about this story?

The plot and the characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, in fact I abandoned my other tasks to see how the story would play out.

Any additional comments?

"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com."

Kept me glued to my seat.....

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I was a bit worried that this was a somewhat long listen. I'm happy to say I listened quite eagerly and loved it all. I can see how this would not be every mystery lover's cup o tea. It's not an action thriller although it has some. I think I would class it in a psychological thriller in the same vein as Dial M for Murder. If you can appreciate old movies and better yet, love them then my bet it that you would like this very much! Great 'full-bodied' characters and insights into their thinking are some of the pluses. I couldn't wait to get back to listening to it. The narration was very well done although the Bostonian accent was grinding to my ears.
I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review which, in a nutshell, is a great listen!

Indeed a rediscovered classic!

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I absolutely loved this book. The description of the landscape in Maine, in New Mexico, in Georgia is wonderful. The story is incredibly atmospheric and a real psychological thriller. Flash floods and flash fires punctuate the action which has many marvelous twists and turns. The character development is superb and the narration aptly reflects those characters without being stagey. This book is a wonderful window into a certain life in the 40’s. It is a love story, a murder mystery and a beautiful portrayal of the locations where it is set. I could not stop listening!

A Story That Will Carry You Away

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I loved the 1945 movie with Gene Tierney and Cornel Wilde so I was over thrilled to find out the movie was based off of a novel, I clicked "buy" so quick. The book is amazing even though I know everything that happens but I wish it would of been narrated by someone else. I found Mike's voice kind of boring. Other then that, amazing book.

Great Book, Great Movie, Okay Audiobook

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My parents were both avid readers and often discussed their reading choices with me. This is probably why I have an appreciation for classic literature between the 1930s to the 1970s.
Leave Her to Heaven by Ben Ames William is one such classic, published in 1944. I had previously read two of his historical fiction novels and was excited to listen to an audiobook of one of his other works. I was rewarded with another excellent story.

Leave Her to Heaven does not actually have any dates in terms of specific years. I have tried to date it by the omission of any mention of war, the existence of airplanes, Warm Springs operating as a polio institution, and have come up with anywhere between the 1920s to the late 1930’s. I tried researching it to pin it down but was unable to.

The main character is Harland. He is a successful author, raised in privilege. Since the death of his parents, he now supports his younger brother Danny who is recovering from infantile paralysis, polio. Harland is in his thirties and Danny is thirteen. They have a very close relationship before Danny is sick and afterwards they become even closer. They keep each other strong as they struggle with Danny’s recovery.

Harland’s relationship with Danny lives at the heart of the book. He is not a person seeking fulfillment in a relationship. He tries to keep Danny as active as he can be and tries to find activities they can do together. When he and Danny are invited to a friend’s ranch in the west, Danny encourages Harland to go although he cannot accompany him. As Harland travels by train, he notices a beautiful woman reading his latest book. This beautiful woman, Ellen, is headed to the same ranch he is.

When they meet on the way out to the ranch, Harland is enchanted by her beauty. Ellen immediately sets her cap for him even though she is engaged to a lawyer in Maine. At the ranch, Ellen’s sister, Ruth and mother, watch as Ellen manipulates her way into marrying Harland before they leave the ranch. He is not truly in love with her but allows himself to be swept of his feet.

Ellen will stop at nothing to possess all of Harland. She is jealous of his brother, his writing, or anything that she is not wholly the focus of. It is a fascinating study of a woman whose possessiveness becomes deadly. While some characters realize there is something wrong with Ellen, others are easily manipulated to fulfill her plans. No one is safe while Ellen breathes. Or even after.

Mike Dennis does a wonderful job narrating the book. He does a great job with the male vs. female voices. The language in the book reflects the time period in which it was written. Mr. Dennis handles the dated language well. It flows and seems very natural. I would definitely listen to another book narrated by Mr. Dennis. The production quality was excellent.

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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rewarded with another excellent story

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Like books from another time. Easy read. Could picture all of the beautiful places they visited.

I liked the book. I have seen the movie.

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I almost gave up on this listen...something I RARELY do. Call me stubborn, but I will plow through something I start just because I don't want to be a quitter, even to myself.

I was so frustrated with Harland and Ellen before they even got married. And then their first year of marriage and the destruction it caused almost made me quit. But my sheer stubbornness made me keep going. The last quarter to a third of this book paid me back for my stubbornness.

I can't really go into why I wanted to stop the book and what parts made me so ready to quit on it or even why the last part of the book made up for it without spoilers. Just know that you will be caught up once you get to this point. You know that Ellen is going to be a monster but the reactions and choices of Harland are so much worse because he is an intelligent, sensitive, non-sociopathic person.

The narration was very good and I enjoyed it immensely, with one exception: Ruth. The boston accent used just made her sound ugly and I couldn't get past this. But the rest was excellent.

I received this audiobook for free from Audiobook Boom! in exchange for an honest review.

Worth the Wait

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