Alan Bradley's witty mysteries are paired to perfection with Jayne Entwistle's extraordinary performance of the 11-year-old spirited sleuth Flavia de Luce. In the post-WWII countryside of England, the intrepid Flavia uncovers more dastardly deeds, including a bludgeoned gypsy fortune-teller, thievery, and a corpse hanging from Poseidon's trident. Entwistle's youthful lilt is ideal for the young heroine, especially the precocious snoop's dialogue. While Entwistle cleverly performs other characters' accents and voices, her forte is in rendering Flavia's droll humor about the absurdities of life and her delight in her own creativity. Entwistle has the gift of being able to conjure an audible smile, especially when Flavia is up to her mischievous pranks. Murder, dark secrets, and mayhem are "jolly sport” for Flavia de Luce!
Pub Date: Feb. 8, 2011
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780307576446
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Novelist Benet Archdale and housemaid Carol Stratford are two young, single parents who have no reason to know each other. They become tangled in a nightmarish spiral of kidnap, fraud, family violence and death. Ruth Rendell creates psychological suspense in thrillers that are compulsively readable or, in this case, listenable. British actress Imelda Staunton's reading is perfectly paced, and the characters are well defined. You'll have a hard time turning it off.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Emerson and Peabody are at it again! Uncovering antiquities takes a back-seat as the romantic archaeologists track down the master criminal who is stealing Egypt's ancient treasures. With the help of their precocious son, Ramses, the intrepid pair unravel this mystery in crowded bazaars, desert camps and the heart of the Black Pyramid. Barbara Rosenblat's reading fully measures up to the tale. She is a master of timing and nuance. Rosenblat's power for character interpretation has grown with each book in this amusing series. This is the best one yet.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
