When jockey Kelly Hughes is accused of throwing a race, he becomes the victim of a savage attempt to destroy him and everyone around him, including his horse’s owner, Lord Dexter Crandall. Only when Hughes decides to fight back, with the help of Crandall’s lovely daughter, Roberta, does the depth of deceit become clear. As usual, Dick Francis is superb in his depiction of the horse-racing world, full of greed and betrayal. Equally superb is the clarity of expression that Geoffrey Howard brings to the novel. Snobbery, sarcasm and arrogance flow effortlessly from his lips as all manner of English and Irish social classes become distinct. The pacing is flawless as Howard’s narration takes the reader from the austere room where the enquiry is held to the faster pace of the horse race itself.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1996
Duration: 6 hrs
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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