When the transsexual child of a congressman is mysteriously killed in his/her seat on a commercial airliner and heroine Smoky Barrett is called in to investigate, you're tempted to shut the darn thing off. "How trite," you think. Then Joyce Bean's acting talent takes over, and you're hooked for the duration. The plot becomes interesting, too, and Bean's performance uplifts it further. It turns out a serial murderer is extracting confessions of dark secrets from his victims right before he dispatches them. As Smoky and her unique band of FBI profilers, with secrets of their own, go after the killer, you get to examine each of the team members' personalities. Thanks to Bean's careful character distinctions and brisk tones, you wonder if one of THEM will be next.
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2008
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance 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.
