Five short but meaty thrillers, written by five masters of the genre and read by three expert readers who firmly grasp the material--what more could an audiophile want? Standouts include a creepy Joyce Carol Oates story about a child kidnapping, read by Anne Twomey in a performance that is sensitive yet dramatic, and a new Lawrence Block story featuring his antihero Keller, read straight but with a twinkle in his eye by John Bedford Lloyd. Michael Boatman's engaging performance of the Walter Mosley story is also excellent, though the plot is a bit too complex for the length of the piece.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2005
Duration: 14 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
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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