Narrator Alison Larkin deftly delivers the French, English, and Italian accents, speech patterns, and personalities in this elegant mystery. It's 1933 when Amory Ames and her husband, Milo, receive a desperate summons from his childhood nanny, Madame Nanette. Larkin portrays Amory as sweet yet gutsy, Milo sounds worldly and cocky, and Madame Nanette sounds like the quintessential nanny. The lighthearted tone changes as Madame Nanette reveals her fear that her employer, renowned parfumier Helios Belanger, has been murdered. She enlists the couple to find his killer. Listeners will accompany them to Parisian nightclubs, parties, and restaurants; learn about making perfume; and question myriad suspects. A clever conclusion adds satisfaction with this mystery.
Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Dreamscape
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.
