Narrator Gordon Griffin skillfully depicts the rivalry between the Bow Street Runners and twin detectives Peter and Paul Skillen. Their cases involve egotistical actress Hannah Granville and a woman who is trying to learn the fate of her elderly father. The Runners are consistently bested by the brothers, a detail that Griffin cleverly plays up, particularly focusing on jocular thief Harry Scattergood. Listeners will enjoy colorful glimpses of Regency England as Paul Skillen searches for a highwayman who stole a brooch from his lover, actress Granville. Equally compelling is Peter Skillen, who is on the trail of grave robbers as he determines whether Clemency van Emden's father is dead or alive. Griffin excels at spirited descriptions and inventive dialogue, with Scattergood and Granville being his best creations.
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2018
Duration: 9 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: ISIS Audio Books
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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