Intrigue and confusion surround the murder of eccentric Brother Popov, a Russian Orthodox monk found inside his locked office at the divinity school in Chicago. Bishop Blackie Ryan, a priest who is also an amateur detective, is dispatched by the Cardinal to solve the locked-door mystery. Narrator Paul Michael's crisp delivery, academic sounding tones, and Russian accents define the characters. But even deft narration can't save this convoluted tale, slowed by back story and a romance irrelevant to the plot. Even gunfire and a missing journal with keys to the mystery don't move this story forward. This one's a disappointment to Greeley fans.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2003
Duration: 5 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Audio Renaissance
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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