The 53rd installment in McBain's 87th Precinct series is written for the regulars. The unacquainted won't understand why so much space is devoted to characters who have nothing to do with the central plot, which involves the kidnapping of a budding rock star from a yacht party. For regulars, though, the book would be a pleasure if it weren't so poorly read. This is not Michael Arkin's first effort at narrating an 87th Precinct novel, but he's still not at home in the territory. Perhaps he just doesn't like the book. His voice is tense in a B-movie style; his pacing is jerky and often completely wrong (for example, a long pause before what we've been told is an interruption). All the detectives except Fat Ollie Weeks sound alike, and even Weeks doesn't sound consistently the way McBain describes him. Overall, a disappointing performance.
Pub Date: 2004
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN:
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:
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.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
