Here’s a twist on the mystery genre: An 88-year-old ex-homicide detective tracks down Nazi gold so that he and his wife can afford in-home nursing care. Oh, and our chain-smoking octogenarian may have a touch of dementia—AND is being chased by a knife-wielding serial killer. Narrator Nick Sullivan employs a comic noir persona (similar to the one he popularized in Jonathan Lethem’s GUN, WITH OCCASIONAL MUSIC) and in doing so, reinvents this cozy mystery as a cartoonish grumpy-grandpa tale. This narrative choice neuters the emotional core of the book—the old man’s sadness over aging and the death of his son—but it also enlivens the narrative and may make the story more palatable for younger listeners.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2012
Duration: 8 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781470829087
Publisher: Blackstone 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.
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