Locked in a closet, 6-year-old Kathy Shelley listened to her mother being stoned to death outside their south Louisiana home. At age 23, she returns, determined to find out who killed her mother and why. Helping her are an autistic savant, her mother’s eccentric executrix, a mute sculptor, Kathy’s un-secret New York admirer, and other assorted good and bad guys. Merlington reveals a mastery of Louisiana dialect, as well as a thorough understanding of each unusual character. Merlington’s characterizations are so distinct, it’s hard to believe one reader can produce so many voices. Her New York detective sounds more like a Boston cop, but that’s forgivable in this otherwise polished presentation of the story.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1997
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance 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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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