The one sin Germaine is not guilty of is thoughtlessness in her reading of O'Connell's mystery. It's clear that she is making deliberate choices in her technique of whispering to convey inner thoughts, for example, and in her careful delineation of a number of characters, all of roughly the same age and from the same region. Still, she makes unfortunate mistakes, the most serious of which are clichéd characterizations. The intricately woven thriller begins with the recreation of a trick by a legendary magician that this time ends in death. NYPD detective Kathleen Mallory is convinced it's no accident; she thinks the murder is connected to an earlier killing during WWII. The involving story is hampered by Germaine's exaggerated efforts, which only drain suspense from the plot.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1999
Duration: 14 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America/ Chivers
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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