Frank Machianno, age 62, runs a bait shop near San Diego; loves his girlfriend, ex-wife, and daughter; sponsors Little League; and lives a quiet life. Suddenly, somebody wants him dead. The retired mobster, known as “Frankie Machine,” goes underground to find out who and why. Like Tony Soprano and the Corleone family, Frankie's a sympathetic antihero with heart. Dennis Boutsikaris delivers a fine performance, unveiling Frankie's life in the Mob through flashbacks, some poignant, some bloodcurdling, some humorous. Don Winslow's clever plot twists and intriguing personalities make it difficult to separate the good guys from the bad, but with his wise-guy insouciance, Boutsikaris maintains a tight grip on this appealing character and keeps listeners firmly on Frankie’s side.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2006
Duration: 9 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
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