Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Truth

  • By: Peter James
  • Narrated by: Matt Addis
  • Length: 18 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (341 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Truth cover art

The Truth

By: Peter James
Narrated by: Matt Addis
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Host cover art
Sweet Heart cover art
Faith cover art
Twilight cover art
Alchemist cover art
Dead Simple cover art
Denial cover art
Perfect People cover art
A Twist of the Knife cover art
Prophecy cover art
Possession cover art
The Perfect Murder cover art
Babes in the Wood cover art
Detective Sebastian Clifford, Books 1-3 cover art
A Litter of Bones: A Scottish Crime Thriller cover art
The Dentist cover art

Summary

A thrilling tale of suspense from the CWA Diamond winner and best-selling author of the Roy Grace series, read by Matt Addis.

Susan and John Carter are crazy about each other, and life is perfect but for one thing - they are on the brink of financial disaster. Surely being a surrogate mother to another man's child won't harm such a strong relationship? Especially when the mysterious Mr Sarotzini is offering to save their home and business - everything they've worked for.

What seems to be a perfect solution begins to feel like an impossible situation. Susan's pregnancy is disturbingly painful, but no-one will tell her why. It becomes apparent that Sarotzini wields immense power, and Susan begins to doubt everything she knows. As she realises the terrifying origin of the dark forces Saratzini controls, she is in fear for herself and John - but most of all for her unborn baby.

Featuring a new introduction read by Peter James.

©2017 Peter James (P)2017 Orion Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"Britain's answer to Stephen King and Michael Crichton." ( The Sunday Telegraph)

What listeners say about The Truth

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    178
  • 4 Stars
    78
  • 3 Stars
    43
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
    18
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    185
  • 4 Stars
    76
  • 3 Stars
    33
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    154
  • 4 Stars
    65
  • 3 Stars
    45
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
    24

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

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

The Truth is it's not bad

It's fair to say that Peter James's writing career took a few twists and turns before he discovered his real sweet spot with the Roy Grace series of crime novels set in Brighton. The Truth which was actually first published in 1997 is one of those twists. It's an occult thriller based on the classic scenario of making a deal with the devil to get out of what seem like dire personal straits.

It actually includes some of the things I like about the best Grace books. There are deliciously twisted villains with views of reality that drive them in different ways to the rest of the world. This alternate reality is not left vague and enigmatic but carefully constructed in some depth. They are given true character in an excellent performance by Matt Addis who channels his inner Michael Caine to bring the villain Mr Kuntz to life.

The weakness in the book is the main character John Carter, I found it hard to sympathise with him given some of his actions and words but otherwise although possibly longer than it needed to be I found this a very entertaining listen. Parts of it do seem a little dated but it's a decent story at heart. There are some gruesome scenes which James excels at and a couple that will have most people squirming.

The acid test of course is that even though it's slightly longer than most thrillers the time seemed to pass fairly quickly to me. It's actually a relief in one way because while I love the Roy Grace novels when I've tried James's other work in the past I've come away unimpressed. This is better and in a way fascinating as it shows distinct signs of his genesis into the author of those Roy Grace novels.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

22 people found this helpful

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

Unpalatable Peter James

What did you like best about The Truth? What did you like least?

Am struggling to finish this book, but am able to comment in spite of not having reached the end yet. I quite like the reader's voice (timbre, tone and reading skill).
I definitely did not like the graphic descriptions of the violent scenes. Clearly the characters are by nature weird and so certain parts of the story difficult to digest, to the point where I was asking myself if a "normal" person (the author) can actually invent such nastiness. I have read all the Roy Grace books as I hail from Brighton and once wrote a mail to PJ expressing my enjoyment of his books. I certainly can't say as much for this one....

What was most disappointing about Peter James’s story?

The graphic descriptions of violent scenes.

What aspect of Matt Addis’s performance might you have changed?

I felt his performance was generally good especially for the male characters. Obviously a male actor trying to imitate a female voice is never going to really work and here it is made worse by also trying to produce a credible American accent....but a good try!

If this book were a film would you go see it?

Certainly not, if the film were to depict the violent scenes equally realistically.

Any additional comments?

I have stuck with it as, in spite of its frequent nastiness, it IS a thriller and, inevitably, I want to see how it ends. Hope the moment of revelation comes soon as I really want to put this listen behind me!!

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
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Horrible

If this was the first book by Peter James that I had read I would not read any of his excellent detective stories.

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
    1 out of 5 stars

A bad copy of Rosemarys baby

I’m so disappointed with this book. I truly love Peter James , Roy Grace books and would review them highly, but this in my eyes is a badly written version of rosemarys baby. The differences being it’s not set in New York, we don’t get to know the neighbours as such and John isn’t an actor , in my eyes the plot used was this but with subtle changes, really disappointed with this

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
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Q
  • 09-02-18

Fantastic

I feel it will be very dficult to beat this
Story just amazing twist and turn with hold our breath moments
Methinks this will be a top class book and the narative was spellbinding
Entertainment at its zenith
Q

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

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

Not Up to Usual Standards

What would have made The Truth better?

The Truth was too long and lacked the normal pace, twists and turns that are usually present in Peter James books

What was most disappointing about Peter James’s story?

I never felt that the story got going. It was padded out and too slow.

There were no points when I gasped out loud... Until the final chapter. I nearly didn't listen to this, however glad I did.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The american female voice wasn't great, however didn't detract.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

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

brilliant

another fantastic book by this author and very well narrated. A great listen, you can't stop listening . such a shame when it ends .
can't wait for the next one .

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

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

really good

loved it , nice narrative and interesting story that kept you interested . Good characterization too .

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
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars
  • mr
  • 01-02-18

Crap

Peter what is this . Stick to detective stories mate. Started listening thinking it was a detective story boy how wrong was I

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

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

A really good thriller

This story is really just the thing for readers who love a bit of spookiness!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful