This fifth Isabel Dalhousie mystery continues to charm, and Davina Porter continues to develop the lovable heroine—equally sweet and tart, shrewd and loving, fallible and yet entirely reliable. This time around, the mystery doesn't even arise until a quarter of the way through. No matter. Listeners are entirely diverted by Isabel as she ponders the issues that cross her desk as editor of THE REVIEW OF APPLIED ETHICS, as well as those that cross her path through the varied cultural haunts of Edinburgh and those that cross the path of her brisk housekeeper, Grace, at home. Devotees will hear more news of Isabel's friends and family, each a delightful companion, expertly voiced. When the "mystery" is solved, we’re surprised, but not overly. "I'm not much of sleuth," Isabel says—an admission that seems to endear her to us even more.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2008
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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.
