James Meunier's fluent narration of this reimagining of the shadowy life and violent death of Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe brings out the best features of this first novel. Was Marlowe, while at Cambridge, recruited for Queen Elizabeth's secret service? Did he pose as a footman in Mary Stuart's service during the Scottish queen's house arrest and break the coded letters that condemned her? Listeners familiar with the era and the rich period detail of a novelist like Hilary Mantel may find Epstein's narrative thin brew. But the animating power of Meunier's narration gives her story credibility and conviction, and draws the listener chapter by chapter into one of the great mysteries of literary history.
Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2021
Duration: 13 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593348888
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
With her talent for distinct voices, Huber will keep listeners fully engaged and entertained from beginning to end.
In this third addition to The Martini Club series, narrator Hillary Huber masterfully performs the returning characters plus many new players—the good and the just pretending to be good. Martini Club member and former CIA agent Ingrid Slocum is managing a conference on potential global health disasters. When one of the prominent speakers, a Russian defector, is murdered, the Martini Club members are forced to return to their spy roots, sending Ingrid and former and current colleagues on a precarious adventure. With the assistance of the local chief of police, they investigate a series of murders mysteriously tied to a botched operation from their past.
With her talent for distinct voices, Huber will keep listeners fully engaged and entertained from beginning to end.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781511354622
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2026
Ballerini’s versatile narration takes an already interesting story and makes it riveting for the listener.
Nate Wilde, a Green Beret turned graduate student, reunites his former military team for a mission to find a lost city in the Middle East. Dekker does a great job developing the characters in this well-paced thriller, and Edoardo Ballerini elevates it beautifully. He consistently uses a variety of accents—southern U.S., assorted Middle Eastern and British voices, and others—while conveying the emotions, especially in tense fight scenes and dangerous situations. The author, a former Green Beret himself, has laid out a story that blends brains and brawn, academics and action.
Ballerini’s versatile narration takes an already interesting story and makes it riveting for the listener.Pub Date: July 28, 2026
Duration: 12 hrs, 2 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668133033
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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