Southern California, drugs, pornography, and murder are all the elements needed to beguile the listener into thinking this audiobook is a typical whodunit. Instead, the author surprises with a framework built on Alcoholics Anonymous, recovery, relapse, and reconciliation as the protagonist struggles to discover why his mentor in AA perishes from a heroin overdose. Paul Boehmer’s voice is well suited to the story. His steady rumble hits the emotional outbursts perfectly, grabbing the turmoil and anger of the protagonist and hurling them at the listener. Female voices are credible with Boehmer’s use of a slight lift in tone. During several scenes with multiple characters and fast-moving, charged dialogue characterizations suffer. Still, overall, Boehmer’s authoritative voice strengthens this story of one man’s search for redemption.
Pub Date: March 6, 2012
Duration: 8 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: Dreamscape
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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