Rosalyn Landor is a sublime choice to narrate this seventh Bess Crawford mystery, based on a true event. It's 1918, the closing days of WWI, when Sister Bess Crawford, a nurse, meets the Ashton family. Two years earlier, the Ashton Gunpowder Mill exploded, killing 100 employees; the locals who blame them for the disaster want revenge. Landor captures each character to perfection, including his or her social or military status and emotional range. Landor's best portrayals are the warm, intelligent, determined Crawford herself and her willing assistant, Sergeant Lassiter, a "Kookaburra"-whistling Australian. Listeners will enjoy hearing Crawford use her many contacts to arrive at the truth while also getting a very personal look at the horror of the war. S.G.B.
Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2015
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780062395672
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
© 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.
