At the request of his dying stepfather, a fine arts painter enters a harsh corporate setting to rescue the family business. All of Dick Francis's thirty-some novels feature narrator-heroes whose basic decency and trustworthiness contend with the selfishness and evil of the world. The chief requirement for the reader of a Francis book, therefore, may simply be likability. In this regard, Simon Prebble measures up well. The lilt in his voice suggests the sensitivity and unassuming honor of narrator Alexander Kinloch. Though he also differentiates the novel's other characters, Prebble's confidential tones succeed best at rendering the charm of Francis's hero.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 1997
Duration: 9 hrs, 45 mins
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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