Madeleine Leslay's appealing voice draws listeners into seventeenth-century Paris and the world of abused wife Baroness Marie Catherine; her lover, Victoire; and the seemingly limitless decadence of posh Parisian nobility. Aristocrats and servants alike dabble in the occult, so when Marie Catherine's brutish husband is murdered, the police expect to find his killer among the corrupt priests, fortune tellers, and poisoners scattered about Paris. Within this convoluted mystery, Marie Catherine weaves wonderful fairy-tale-like stories to distract her children. Leslay's French is impeccable, and her storytelling skills are masterful. Whether dealing with forbidden passion, repressed women, or murder, Leslay navigates the elegant soirees and intellectual salons, as well as the artists' garrets of Paris's seamier side, in a performance that lights up the City of Lights.
Pub Date: May 16, 2023
Duration: 14 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593669235
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
In this fascinating coming-of-age portrait, Thomas Black Bull's journey from the child, Bear's Brother, to the fearsome rodeo rider, Killer Tom Black, is painted with compassion and insight. Forced to learn the White Man's ways, Tom reaches adulthood consumed by rage. Read with great vigor by Norman Dietz, the recording bursts with the energy of rodeo circuit and transports the listener to the southwest. The accurate portrayal of Tom's Ute ancestry and way of life, the sorrow and frustration of losing his heritage, and his angry retaliation at the world make this an excellent listening choice for adults and teenagers. It would also be a wonderful addition to high school units on the Native American experience.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
George S. Irving adopts Patrick McManus's characters with gusto. Sit back and listen to yarn after yarn. Irving relishes each story, whether it's fishing stories, such as "Claw of the Sea-Puss" or "To Filet or Not to Filet," or the escapades with McManus's wary but vulnerable neighbors. Irving has the jocular chuckle down pat, and the low comedy satire comes off without a hitch. Listeners can imagine Irving tipping back a chair at the country store swapping lies with cronies and entertaining any comers with these hilarious tales. His repertoire of more than eight collections of McManus stories encourages this kind of ownership!
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: DH Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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