This book's setting and narration provoke images of a PBS mystery series, with a bit of "Downton Abbey" thrown in. Bess Crawford is an English WWI-era battlefield nurse. Keeping a stiff upper lip, she strives to do right and care for her patients. Narrator Rosalyn Landor gives Bess an upper-class accent and portrays her as unflappable, compassionate, and tough as she discovers the secrets behind the murders that have taken place on a hardscrabble Welsh outpost. Landor speaks rhythmically, landing on syllables with a distinct emphasis. She also has a broad expressive range even when she reads simple description. Both the writing and Landor's voice give wonderful animation to an admirable heroine.
Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062864987
Publisher: Harper 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
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