Past Caring cover art

Past Caring

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for £0.00
£8.99/mo thereafter. Renews automatically. Terms apply. Offer ends 31 July 2025 at 23:59 GMT.
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 £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.

Past Caring

By: Robert Goddard
Narrated by: Paul Shelley
Try for £0.00

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends 31 July 2025 23:59 GMT. Cancel monthly.

Buy Now for £16.99

Buy Now for £16.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
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.
Cancel

About this listen

 Why should distinguished Edwardian Cabinet minister Edwin Straford resign at the height of his career? Why does the woman he loves so suddenly reject him? Why, 70 years later, should people go to such lengths to prevent the truth coming out?©2008 Robert Goddard (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Crime Fiction Historical Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Exciting

Listeners also enjoyed...

 Into the Blue cover art
Painting the Darkness cover art
Set in Stone cover art
Closed Circle cover art
Sea Change cover art
Caught in the Light cover art
Hyperion cover art
The Secrets of Summerhayes cover art
Elantris: Tenth Anniversary Author's Definitive Edition (1 of 2) (Dramatized Adaptation) cover art
The Shadow of What Was Lost cover art
Dying to Tell cover art
The Dead Key cover art
The Prestige cover art
The Ghost Writer cover art
The Man in the Queue cover art

Critic reviews

"Written in clear, resonant prose, Goddard's first novel, nominated for the Booker prize, is a poised telling of a complex tale....In one sense a historical thriller, and in another a romantic novel of a love affair gone disastrously wrong, this is, in any case, a wonderful read." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Psychological drama and intricate plot will entice readers." ( Library Journal)
All stars
Most relevant  
More twist than spaghetti junction, a must for armchair detectives. I found myself constantly changing my mind as regard to motive, opportunity and fore guessing where the story would take me, needless to say that I was wrong on all counts. My first Goddard,and certainly not my last.

Spectacular !!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Goddard at his very best. Multiple stories intertwined with subtlety. Read very well with excellent characterisation.

Even better the second time

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
you will never guess how this book ends. wonderful reading of a stunning tale thanks .

superb story telling gets better as it goes

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Excellent in every way. Slightly slow building up the story, but once established held attention with many surprising developments. Politics, intrigue, deceit, betrayal and love lasting a lifetime woven together in the search for truth. Many twists along the way. Narration perfect for the story. Seemed to go quickly and was disappointed when it ended.
Thank you.

Past Caring by Robert Goddard

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I was slightly apprehensive about undertaking this 19hrs 37mins story but I needn't have worried - it was excellent in all respects! I've listened to many of Mr Goddard's audio books and this is up there with the best of them. Fine narration too.

Most Enjoyable

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Totally believable story of political intrigue and corruption on many levels. Thank heavens there are a couple of higher minds

A gripping tale

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I’ve listened to or read virtually all of Robert Goddard’s many books, including the present book at least 25 years ago listening on numerous cassette tapes (thank goodness for digital downloads!), but had forgotten the story and so could enjoy again this utterly gripping tale with many twist and turns as historian Martin Radford delves into the mystery of the fall from grace in 1910 of Edwin Straffort, a cabinet minister in Asquith’s government. A fall compounded by the inexplicable and sudden rejection by his fiancée. It’s a compelling story that I couldn’t stop listening to eager to find out what would happen next in this mix of historical fact mixed with imaginative fiction.

Goddard not only creates engrossing stories but also writes well and is very well-served in this recording by the Paul Shelley’s exemplary narration that brought characters alive with distinctive voices.

Vintage Goddard: full of gripping twists and turns

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A wonderful tale. Written in the 1980’s but with a present day set in 1977, much of the story is set much earlier in the 20th century as we meet Edwin Strafford, an Edwardian politician by way of his memoirs written in his retirement. Why was he suddenly rejected by nearly everyone who loved and respected him? We follow History graduate Martin Radford’s efforts to find out as he also tries to emerge from a cloudy past. The twists and turns keep you hooked and the narrator is excellent. Without giving anything away, there is a lady in this story. At first a young lady, then a very old lady in the present day. I found her character to be magnificent. Read this story, or listen to it. Preferably do both. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did.

Magnificent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I really could not stop listening to this book and found myself sat in the carpark running late for a meeting as I was so enthralled!
It has everything, believable characters, engrossing plot, detailed and life-like descriptions of scenery and surrounds, and fabulous narration - ear candy if there ever was such a thing!
I find myself at a loss now its come to an end - in mourning at the loss if a dear friend, I shall miss you Edwin Strafford sorely as much as if I'd known you....

I could not stop listening!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great story a little bit long winded but worth a
Listen would have been better shorter but still hard to put down

Great yarn

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews