This is another murder mystery in the series featuring amateur sleuth Annie Darling, owner of the Death on Demand Bookstore. In this story a portrait painter and local Lothario is found murdered at a posh event at which his engagement was about to be announced. Kate Reading reads this leisurely paced story with a breathless intensity. She has perfected the art of portraying whining, hysterical women, characters that abound in this novel. Reading gives the protagonist, Annie, a certain strength of character, but none of the characters portrayed feel like they belong on an island off South Carolina. The most fun in this story are the mystery quizzes posed to Annie by one of her most loyal customers. Carolyn Hart has loyal followers as well, and they will enjoy another mystery centered around a bookstore with an engaging name and engaging clientele.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2003
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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