After 51 novels, the ability to produce a mystery that can surprise the reader is a gift. McBain's latest novel of the 87th Precinct showcases Steve Carella and the precinct's racist, self-deluded Ollie Weeks, who rides to Carella's rescue repeatedly and unexpectedly. The two detectives follow a trail of corpses linked to drugs, counterfeit money, lions, ice picks, an inept burglar, and terrorists. The terrorists are the one jarring part of the novel: Their abridged story line does not tie into the main plot until the last few minutes of the last tape. A reference to potential terrorist targets is shocking and unfortunate, given recent events, but will not deter libraries from adding this latest title from a Grand Master. Ron McLarty's dark, rough voice gives another strong performance, portraying racists, drug dealers, and terrorists with strong accents and sharp edges and then softening to voice the female characters.
Pub Date: 2001
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster 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:
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:
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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