For a single actor to play an entire troupe of actors, albeit amateurs, all with their prejudices and secret agendas, not to mention a murderer in their midst, must be like a single member of a circus troupe doing all the parts at once--from tightrope walker to lion tamer, and especially plate juggler. Gordon Griffin is a master juggler, keeping track of who is eating fire, who is playing the clown, and which of the smiling bareback riders is concealing a poisonous grudge. His greatest trick is to hold these characters in tension, everyone in play, every plate spinning no matter how many are in the room. Griffin is a master of accents, pacing, and the telling tic; he makes this fluff enormous fun.
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: ISIS Audio Books
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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