It's 1892. Queen Victoria's debauched grandson is found murdered. The noble father and his stuffy retinue decide to cover up the crime while ferreting out the guilty party. While they busily disguise the killing as a natural death, they secretly commission renowned Irish detective Lord Powerscourt to probe the seedy demimonde where the late prince held his sybaritic revels. This excellent period mystery gains further luster by virtue of Gerry O'Brien's suspenseful reading. He not only fully and convincingly inhabits the well-drawn characters, but, in the narrative, seems to embody the milieu and the times. While unflaggingly grave and dignified, he subtly draws out the author's flashes of wit and humor. His mellifluous cadences add beauty to the graceful writing.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: ISIS Audio Books
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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