The Golden Hour Audiobook By Beatriz Williams cover art

The Golden Hour

A Novel

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Golden Hour

By: Beatriz Williams
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Saskia Maarleveld
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $26.99

Buy for $26.99

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The New York Times best-selling author of The Summer Wives and A Certain Age creates a dazzling epic of World War II-era Nassau - a hotbed of spies, traitors, and the most infamous couple of the age, the duke and duchess of Windsor.

The Bahamas, 1941. Newly widowed Leonora “Lulu” Randolph arrives in Nassau to investigate the governor and his wife for a New York society magazine. After all, American readers have an insatiable appetite for news of the duke and duchess of Windsor, that glamorous couple whose love affair nearly brought the British monarchy to its knees five years earlier. What more intriguing backdrop for their romance than a wartime Caribbean paradise, a colonial playground for kingpins of ill-gotten empires?

Or so Lulu imagines. But as she infiltrates the duke and duchess’ social circle and the powerful cabal that controls the islands’ political and financial affairs, she uncovers evidence that beneath the glister of Wallis and Edward’s marriage lies an ugly - and even treasonous - reality. In fact, Windsor-era Nassau seethes with spies, financial swindles, and racial tension, and in the middle of it all stands Benedict Thorpe: a scientist of tremendous charm and murky national loyalties. Inevitably, the willful and wounded Lulu falls in love.

Then, Nassau’s wealthiest man is murdered in one of the most notorious cases of the century, and the resulting cover-up reeks of royal privilege. Benedict Thorpe disappears without a trace, and Lulu embarks on a journey to London and beyond to unpick Thorpe’s complicated family history: a fateful love affair, a wartime tragedy, and a mother from whom all joy is stolen.

The stories of two unforgettable women thread together in this extraordinary epic of espionage, sacrifice, human love, and human courage, set against a shocking true crime...and the rise and fall of a legendary royal couple.

This audiobook includes an episode of the Book Club Girl Podcast, featuring an interview with Beatriz Williams about The Golden Hour.

©2019 Beatriz Williams (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers
20th Century Fiction Romance Women's Fiction World War II Marriage Espionage Tearjerking Heartfelt
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The Golden Hour

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    357
  • 4 Stars
    192
  • 3 Stars
    108
  • 2 Stars
    30
  • 1 Stars
    18
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    420
  • 4 Stars
    132
  • 3 Stars
    45
  • 2 Stars
    18
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    312
  • 4 Stars
    159
  • 3 Stars
    94
  • 2 Stars
    34
  • 1 Stars
    16

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A real good page turner

This author hit another home run for me. I like learning about past eras in history and love absorbing the fashion and customs of the day in the writing. Richly written with great descriptions, you will feel yourself an observer to some incredible scenes in this book.

The only thing I would change about this book is the way the author uses the “f” word occasionally which does not fit well in the rich, elegant dialogue to me.

This book weaves 2 family stories a generation apart in different locals. It’s pretty much a seesaw back and forth between the 2 each chapter, which can be confusing to the reader or listener (audio book). I’ve noticed more and more contemporary authors adopting this style of writing.

Likeable characters and awesome narrators. Doesn’t disappoint. This was my 3rd book by Beatrix Williams. Recommend especially if you like WW2 stories.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I need to listen to the last hour again...

This book is rich in historical fact and woven into a beautiful tapestry of fiction. The author's language is juicy and full and extremely well read by the narrators. I rarely read books twice, but this might be one to come back to in a few years.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

The author and narrator do a great job taking us to Nassau in the early 1940’s, great descriptions of scenery and people. The author reintroduces us to little known and/or forgotten pieces of history. Also loved the many scenes and pieces of history included from WWI.
Highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a Wonderful Book

I absolutely loved this book. It had me from the beginning, both story and narration. Cassandra Campbell is a favorite and Saskia Maarleveld was great too. Loved the characters, the language and the settings. Highly recommend!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Tangled

I found this novel hard to follow. (I always wonder if reading vs. listening would've helped, as I found myself wanting to rewind or look up bits of information. I am not usually bothered by multiple plot lines or jumps in time, but I was in this book. I'm not convinced the multiple plot lines were necessary. In fact, they came together in a very convenient, unbelievable, ending. I found myself shaking my head saying "nope, never would've happened." So much potential here, but it's a trangled mess that just needed a bit more revision.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Liked it a lot.

I really wanted to love it. Great story. And great characters, I think. The problem was the narration. Elfrieda‘a story was fantastic. I adore that narrator! However, Lulu’s narrator was too flippant for me. It just about ruined that story line. Too many “anyways” and isn’t it’s.” Also everything was so over enunciated it was irritating. I will likely read another of this author‘s books on my Kindle and see what the verdict is.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

20 stars to this reader

intriguing story but sometimes difficult follow because of the switches between years, individuals and locations. but I have to say this is the one of the best readers ever. even her diction seemed completely appropriate to the period.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

it was ok

sometimes i like a longer, slow moving story… but as some points this was really slow and could be confusing towards the end as the book went from present day back without notice and he narrator could be annoying at points… overall a good book… just not great!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

I didn't want this to end. An excellent story by a wonderful author and my favorite narrators!! Loved every minute of it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Loved the narration!

The narration really makes or break an audio book. This narration is terrific, loved it!
It really brings the book to life. I was sorry to see it end, I feel invested in the characters!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful