Italian author Andrea Camilleri manages to leaven a dark mystery involving gruesome crimes with a light touch afforded by humorous situations and an engaging cast, featuring cynical but lovable Inspector Montalbano. This is not narrator Grover Gardner's first Sicilian Inspector Montalbano mystery, and that familiarity with the author's style and the characters' personalities is especially evident in his comfortable and believable presentation of the irascible middle-aged detective. Gardner catches both Montalbano's quiet musings as he examines his life and his crude outbursts when he’s under pressure. In successfully meeting the challenges of a translation with a multidimensional cast, multiple plot lines, and a generous sprinkling of earthy language, Grover Gardner demonstrates why he’s an AUDIOFILE Golden Voice.
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2009
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone 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
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