Listeners are in the hands of a pro with reader Robin Bailey, who effortlessly draws them into the Christie’s fictional microcosm. Dame Agatha has the uncanny knack of creating a perfectly rendered and self-contained little world with exquisite details, from the color of an office girl’s shoes to the art on a suspect’s walls. To be so completely transported is a rare thing and is brought off beautifully by Bailey, who, like so many British actors, is a consummate professional, able to endow characters with their own quirks and nuances. When a dead man turns up on the floor of a blind woman’s apartment surrounded by clocks all set to read 4:13, Special Branch Investigator Colin Lamb consults his old friend Hercule Poirot to unravel this clever puzzle. The intricate works of an Agatha Christie story are an immense pleasure, especially when delivered in so satisfying a narration.
Pub Date: May 10, 2004
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In the latest Kinsey Millhone mystery, Kinsey is hired by an aged, wealthy man to retrieve his daughter from prison, where she has served time for embezzlement. Kinsey quickly figures out that the girl isn’t an embezzler but instead has done time for her money-laundering boss. All heck breaks loose. Judy Kaye has a warm, rich voice that seems just right for Grafton’s P.I. Her delivery mirrors the smart-aleck tenor of much of Kinsey’s dialogue. Strangely though, when Kaye is interpreting a male character (and there are many), she raises her voice to a higher register, so that many of the men sound like adolescents with changing voices, or worse, like chipmunks. It may be Kaye’s subtle social comment, though. For once the listener adapts, this odd gender reversal seems natural.
Pub Date: July 13, 2004
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Benedict Juliard, forced from steeplechase racing, becomes increasingly involved in politics and protecting his father's life. Prebble's relaxed but masterful command of characters allows an easy flow during conversations, as well as the sudden transformations from narrative to action scenes. His clear, precise speech; polished style of delivery; and sense of timing give a steady consistency and excellence to his reading. Prebble carries the main characters with ease, but he seems to delight in performing the secondary characters, who feature a great variety of accents to match their roles. Another polished performance by a master of reading.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1998
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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