A would-be writer calling himself the Answer Man sends Stewart "Hoagy" Hoag the first violent installment of an alleged work of fiction. In it someone stalks a beautiful young woman, then strangles her. Shortly after Hoagy receives the manuscript, the young woman described in the chapter is found murdered. With each new chapter, a new murder is uncovered. Tom Stechschulte provides the perfect voice for the wisecracking Hoag, erstwhile novelist, ghostwriter for the rich and famous, and NYC aficionado. Handler’s ironic take on life in the City is given an insider’s ring of truth by Stechschulte’s intelligent narration. His performance of peripheral characters is equally engaging, including police Lt. Romaine Very; Hoag’s ex-wife and live-in love, Merilee Nash; Vic and Pam, the couple’s bodyguard and housekeeper; and, while she doesn’t say much, Hoag’s ever-present fish-eating basset hound, Lulu.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 10 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
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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