In a departure from his other mystery series, featuring a WWI veteran-turned-detective who suffers from shell shock, A DUTY TO THE DEAD spotlights Bess Crawford, a nurse who is serving her country during the same war. Bess returns to England to recuperate after surviving a dramatic brush with death in the opening chapter. Rosalyn Landor achieves the perfect timbre for Bess's firm yet feminine introspection. Voices of men are remarkably strong and forthright, and Landor even sparkles with crisp accents from other parts of the British Isles. The mystery unfolds as Bess visits the Graham house in Kent to deliver a dying soldier's final missive. A whirlwind of intrigue and murder ensues, endangering Bess beyond the war's perils. Landor recounts this combination Great War/country house mystery with elegant timing and audible suspense that result in a compelling enigma.
Pub Date: Aug. 16, 2011
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: AudioGo
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.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
