Soon after Neal Carey gets a call sending him on a private eye "errand" involving an aged comedian, the case gets a little silly. That's also when it starts to get interesting. Joe Barrett's narration has the typical noir sound at first but quickly shows that he—and Carey—also have stand-up chops. His narration of bits like Carey's first-person ramble about the names of Vegas hotels is hilarious. Later on, the story is told from other perspectives—including those of Carey's fiancée, the comedian's old flame, a lawyer, and an insurance representative. Barrett lays it on thick with voices for each. Listeners will laugh aloud at the carefully constructed farce.
Pub Date: 2011
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
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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