Mark Douglas Nelson does a fine job narrating these stories, but this book may be best read in print. The four revamped 1970s pieces collected here are similar in substance—Carmody, a bodyguard/smuggler, is betrayed and gets even. As a result of their similarity, the works morph into each other. Flipping back to untangle plotlines would be a nice option. The book's exotic locales also mean one hears a fair sprinkling of foreign accents throughout the narration, and occasionally Nelson’s renditions are a bit intrusive. On the whole, though, his low-key, matter-of-fact performance is well suited suited to the noir atmosphere of this book.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2012
Duration: 6 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Crossroad Press
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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