Describing this book as an English countryside murder mystery is factually correct but doesn't do justice to its writing or narration. This is a multilayered, slowly unfolding work whose author has taken the time to create real people with real motivations. Even the main character, Ian Rutledge, makes very real mistakes. Narrator Samuel Gillies is more than up to the task. His pacing and diction are terrific, and he brings the characters to life with superb shifts of his voice. Gillies keeps the book on an even keel, never getting maudlin or excessively emotional as he nears the solution. Todd has written an intelligent book; Gillies's narration reinforces its thoughtfulness.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2002
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books/ Clipper 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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